When cooked properly, pork tenderloin can melt in your mouth and give beef a run for its money. This recipe calls for the pork to be seared on the stovetop before cooking in the oven, which gives it a nice, crispy outside.
You’ll need both a skillet and an ovenproof pan for this recipe. If you have a cast iron skillet, you can use it for both the searing and the baking; you’ll just have to wait to make your glaze until after the pork is finished cooking. Otherwise, transfer the pork to an ovenproof pan before baking and use the skillet to make the glaze right away.
To start, preheat your oven to 425 degrees, then dry off your tenderloin. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper, then cut it to fit the skillet if necessary.
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat before you sear the pork on all sides. You can check that the oil is hot enough by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon into it. If small bubbles form, you’re good to go. If the bubbles are too large or the oil starts spitting, it’s too hot.
After the pork is seared, transfer it to an ovenproof pan and bake it until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees (about 12-15 minutes). The best way to check this is by using a meat thermometer.
While your pork is cooking, make your glaze. Our Semi-Sweet cider makes the perfect glaze for pork because its natural sugars caramelize during cooking, giving it a nice depth of flavor. Watch your glaze closely so it doesn’t overcook. If it caramelizes completely, the consistency will be too thick.
After your pork is finished, it will need to rest outside of the oven for about 5 minutes before slicing.
