Cast Iron Skillet Pork Tenderloin

iron skillet with garlic, rosemary, and pork tenderloin.

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4.50 from 4 votes

Juicy, flavorful, and with perfect browned crust, this is the best pork tenderloin recipe you'll ever try.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pork tenderloin dinner

Servings: people

Calories: 151kcal

Author: Katie

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

Before cooking, remove the pork tenderloin’s thin, hard layer by cutting it off. This part won’t soften when you cook it and might make the meat tough to chew.

Since this recipe doesn’t use many ingredients, choosing a high-quality olive oil can help make the pork taste better, mainly when browning it.

Keep the sauce warm on a low flame while the pork is in the oven. This helps the sauce stick better and soak into the meat when you apply it.

When you’re ready to cut the pork, slice it against the meat fibers. This makes sure each piece is more tender and easier to eat.

Don’t hesitate to change the seasoning mix to match what you like. For some spice, throw in some cayenne, or use thyme or oregano instead of rosemary for a different flavor.

If you love your food with lots of sauce, make extra honey-balsamic sauce. It tastes great on the sliced pork and sides like veggies or potatoes.

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