How to Make the Best Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin (Honey Balsamic Glaze)
This cast iron skillet pork tenderloin will earn a place in your regular rotation, fast. It’s simple and tastes amazing!
With a quick sear in a hot cast iron skillet and a drizzle of honey-balsamic sauce, this tenderloin develops a beautiful golden crust and stays perfectly juicy. The simple seasoning adds the right touch, making it a crowd-pleaser perfect for weeknight dinners and entertaining guests. And it’s ready in less than 40 minutes, so you can make it any day of the week!
If you love cooking with cast iron as much as I do, check out these other cast iron skillet dinners for more simple and delicious meals.
Cast Iron Skillet Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
- 12-inch cast iron skillet
- Meat thermometer
- Tongs
- small bowl (for mixing spice rub)
- Whisk (for sauce)
- Paper Towels (for drying the pork tenderloin)
Ingredients
- 2 1-pound pork tenderloins
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Spice Rub
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Sauce
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Prepare the pork tenderloins. Pat the pork tenderloins dry using paper towels to remove excess moisture and get a nice searing crust. Combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, dried rosemary, and granulated garlic in a small bowl. Rub this spice mixture evenly over the tenderloins, ensuring they are thoroughly coated.
- Sear the pork tenderloins. Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it’s hot and just starting to smoke. Then, add the olive oil and carefully place the pork tenderloins in the skillet. Sear the tenderloins on all sides for 1-2 minutes per side until they develop a deep golden-brown crust. Try not to move the tenderloins too much to allow proper browning.
- Roast the pork tenderloins. Transfer the skillet directly into the preheated oven. Roast the tenderloins for 15 minutes.
- Make the sauce. While the pork is roasting, mix the minced garlic, honey, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard in a small bowl to create the sauce.
- Brush with sauce and finish roasting. After 15 minutes, remove the skillet from the oven (use oven mitts!) and generously brush the tenderloins with the sauce on all sides. Return the skillet to the oven and roast for 5-10 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the tenderloins reaches 145°F when checked with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part.
- Let the pork rest. Remove the skillet from the oven and let the pork tenderloins rest in the pan for at least 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every slice is juicy and flavorful.
- Serve. Slice the tenderloins and serve with extra sauce and pan drippings from the skillet. Enjoy!
Notes
I often lean on this recipe, especially when my days are packed. It’s super easy and fast, but it feels like you’re eating something special. It’s perfect for those evenings when you want something nice but don’t want to make a big fuss. It’s even good enough to impress people if you have friends over for dinner. The best part? You hardly need to prep, and you only use one pan, so cleaning up afterward is easy. This dish has made my dinners both tasty and simple, showing me you don’t need to go all out to enjoy a good meal.
If you love cooking with cast iron, check out my cast iron recipes hub. It’s full of simple tips and easy recipes to help you get the best results from your skillet!
I’m confident you’ll find it just as delicious!
Key Ingredients and Tools
To successfully make this recipe, here’s a list of essential tools and ingredients you’ll need and why it’s important:
- Cast iron skillet: It helps evenly distribute heat and gives the pork a perfect golden-brown crust because it can maintain heat well. If you love the ease of cooking with cast iron, don’t miss these cast iron skillet pork chops.
- Honey: It adds a bit of sweetness to the balsamic glaze, making the flavors more balanced. Using high-quality honey will give you the best taste. If you don’t have honey, use maple syrup or brown sugar to get a similar sweetness.
- Balsamic vinegar: It adds a deep, tangy taste that goes well with the honey’s sweetness. Try to find a thick, aged balsamic for a stronger flavor. Try apple cider or red wine vinegar if you’re out of balsamic vinegar. The taste will be a bit less sweet and rich.
- Olive oil: Needed for frying the pork as it can withstand high temperatures and adds a light taste. Any mild cooking oil, like vegetable or avocado oil, can be a substitute if you’re missing olive oil.
- Meat thermometer: Makes sure the pork reaches the safe and perfect inner temperature of 145°F, ensuring it stays moist and tender.
- Dried rosemary: Brings a woody, aromatic taste to the dish. If you don’t have it, you can use fresh rosemary or thyme as a substitute for a similar flavor.
Having these items ready is key to making sure your dish comes out just right!
Troubleshooting and Help
Yes, you can use a regular skillet if you don’t have cast iron, but cast iron does help get a better sear and holds heat more evenly. If you use another skillet, make sure it’s oven-safe since you’ll be transferring it to the oven to finish the pork.
You could, but finishing it in the oven gives the pork a more even cook and helps prevent the outside from burning while the inside cooks through. If you’re in a pinch, just lower the heat and cook it on the stovetop, but keep an eye on it to avoid overcooking.
A meat thermometer makes a huge difference! It helps you cook the pork to the perfect internal temperature (145°F) without guessing. If you don’t have one, you can still check for doneness by making sure the pork is no longer pink in the center, but a thermometer removes all the guesswork.
Absolutely! Fresh rosemary works great and will give a brighter flavor. Just use about twice the amount of fresh rosemary since dried herbs are more concentrated.
If you’re out of Dijon, you can substitute with yellow mustard, though it will be slightly milder in flavor. You can also use whole-grain mustard for texture and an earthier taste.
Definitely! You can whisk the sauce together ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. Just give it a quick stir or warm it up before brushing it onto the pork. If you’re a fan of flavorful pork dishes, you’ll also love these pork chops with spinach cream sauce. It’s another easy, crowd-pleasing meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Definitely! If you’re feeding a larger group, just make sure not to overcrowd the skillet when searing the tenderloins. You might need to sear them in batches to get that nice crust on all sides, then finish them together in the oven.
This pork tenderloin cooked in a cast iron skillet is an easy yet tasty dish, perfect for both everyday meals and get-togethers. It requires little preparation, uses just one pan, and mixes sweet with savory for a great flavor. The honey-balsamic glaze and the nicely browned pork make a dish that’s simple for you to cook and feels a bit special. It’s great for serving both your family and friends, offering great taste without much effort on your part. Try it out, and it’ll become your go-to for an easy, popular meal everyone enjoys!
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.