Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe (How to Cook)

Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin is an easy dinner recipe that is great for dinner parties or a busy weeknight. Cook a perfect pork tenderloin with a few simple ingredients and a delicious glaze!

​Have you seen those pork tenderloins in the packaged meat section of your grocery store?

Smithfield makes some great pre-marinated pork loins, and they are great for an easy dinner party recipe idea!

Add a few extra ingredients to the marinated pork, and you’re dinner is almost complete.

You will love this recipe if you need an easy dinner recipe idea, that doesn’t take a lot of time or effort.

If you’re looking for how long to cook a pork tenderloin, this recipe tutorial will walk you through the entire experience!

​How to Cook Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin

First, let’s chat about pork tenderloin.

​It’s a very lean cut of meat, and it’s smaller than a pork loin. There is very little fat on a pork tenderloin, only maybe a small bit of silver skin that you can cut off. 

​This is the little shank off of the pork loin. Pork loin is what they cut pork chops from! And, if you’re a Sam’s Club member, buy the full pork loin and cut your own chops. It’s an extremely economical way of purchasing meat.

This easy pork tenderloin recipe uses a Steakhouse and Mushroom pre-marinated pork tenderloin. My grocery stores often have them buy one get one free, so I keep one in my freezer often. 

With a little extra onion powder and garlic powder, some dashes of Worcestershire Sauce, and Soy Sauce, this pork recipe is ready for the oven.

Whatever marinade you’ve chosen for your pre-packaged pork tenderloin, use those flavors!

Smithfield offers several flavors to choose from! If you’re using the Lemon and Garlic one, add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, and maybe stuff fresh garlic slices into the tenderloin.

The Smoked Mesquite flavor would do well with a sprinkle of Smokehouse Maple Seasoning!

The Sweet Teriyaki flavor would go well with an extra drizzle of soy sauce, and maybe pineapple juice in the bottom of your pan to baste with! 

How Long to Cook Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloins are small, so they don’t need nearly as much time as a big pork loin.

According to the Smithfield website, they instruct you to cook your tenderloin for 25-30 minutes per pound at 425 degrees. Personally, I think it’s a high temperature for such a small piece of meat.

​Since these tenderloins are small, just over a pound, it only takes about 25 minutes total! 

Now, according to the National Pork Board, it only needs to be cooked to 145 degrees f internally. From personal experience, I just don’t enjoy eating a pink pork roast. 

Call me old fashioned, like I’m missing the tender juiciness, but I need my pork to be 160 degrees internally after resting to eat it.

​All that to say, here is my method for cooking pork tenderloin.

After I’ve zhuzhed up the tender pork, I’ll place it in a baking dish with a little water. 

No, I don’t sear it on all sides before adding it to a pan. Could I? Sure! But, why dirty up one more dish?

I’ll place it in a preheated 375-degree oven, and let it roast on one side for 18 minutes.

After 18 minutes, I’ll remove it from the oven, turn it over, and usually I need to add a little more water to the bottom of the pan. 

Why add the water to the bottom of the pan? This keeps anything from burning or sticking!

Place the pork loin back into the oven, and let it cook for an additional 10-12 minutes.

The cooking time depends on the thickness of your boneless pork loin.

While this is cooking, I’ll mix up my glaze.

Tips for the Best Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Whatever flavor of pork loin you are using, a nice glaze or basting will give you the golden brown and tender juiciness you want!

I like to mix a couple of tablespoons with Dr. Pete’s Praline Mustard Glaze with some Worcestershire Sauce and Soy Sauce. The praline mustard glaze would be great on its own, but I always worry it will burn. So I like to add in a couple of tablespoons of extra liquid to thin it out. 

The best way to ensure you’ve cooked your pork to the perfect temperature (That you like!) is to use an instant-read thermometer. When you insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, you’ll want the internal temperature to register at least 145 degrees. 

If you have a Meater, the Bluetooth wireless meat thermometer, you can insert the probe, and then tell it what temperature you like best. It will alert your phone when it’s time to remove from the oven and let the pork rest on a cutting board.

With different cuts of pork, the cooking times vary, having a thermometer that works with any cooking method is going to give you the best results.

​Need some seasoning ideas for zhuzhing up your pre-packaged pork tenderloin?

Salt and Black Pepper do wonders! But, so does a little lift of lemon juice or Dijon mustard. The acid in both of those helps elevate the flavors without adding extra salt. 

A little bit of brown sugar added to the marinade is always nice with pork. In cooking school years ago, we learned that a pork loin roast goes super well with Potato Latkes, applesauce, and sour cream. The pork was made for apples! 

A little drizzle of balsamic vinegar after the pork roast is sliced adds a bright acidic flavor that is a great idea with this “other white meat!”

Great Recipes to Serve with Dinner

Creamy mashed potatoes are delicious with pork! Add on some Baked Green Beans, and dinner is served!

This meal menu is a great idea to take when you need a meal for someone. The mashed potatoes and green beans can go in aluminum foil pans, and the pork roast can get wrapped up in foil as well. This transfers well, and is enjoyed by everyone!

​Potato Latkes were mentioned above, but are worth repeating! The crispy potato pancake with a bite of pork, applesauce, and sour cream… It’s a bite of heaven!

​Old-Fashioned Macaroni and Cheese is always a crowd-pleaser, too! This is especially nice if you’re serving a pork shoulder. 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes go very well with pork, too! I love roasted sweet potatoes with pork. Again! That sweet factor plays really well with the tender pork.

I love serving a giant Wedge Salad for a Crowd with dinner. It’s simple that I can make all the components ahead of time, and assemble them on the platter while the pork cooks. 

Save any leftovers for the next day! A sliced pork sandwich is always a delightful way to enjoy leftover pork tenderloin!

Oven Baked Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite cuts of meat! It’s so tender and delicious any way you make it!

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This post was written by Ashley Elizabeth, owner and content creator here at Sweetpea Lifestyle! She’s been creating recipes and hosting all her life and loves sharing her expertise on welcoming people to your table anchored by good food. You can read more about Ashley here!