Apple Cider Pork Tenderloin

My oh my, this is such a delicious dish. Apple cider pork tenderloin just screams fall and is bursting with amazing flavor. The way that the onion and the apples meld together is heavenly. Bonus...this is so tender you can cut it with a fork. No knife needed. Really.

I've had a nice tenderloin in the freezer for a couple weeks and I've just been waiting to get inspired. I knew that someday I would get a bright idea and come up with something tasty. And since fall is officially here the apples are amazing right now, and every store I walk into has huge displays of fresh, local, apple cider. As soon as I saw those things I knew I had to make this.

I honestly just put this recipe together the other night. I enjoy trying new things and I am pretty good at knowing what flavors meld well with others. Around the dinner table, my family rated this dish a 9! (Yes we are weirdo's and I make my family rate my food from 1-10 lol! I'm actually really enjoying getting to cook for more people that just my husband. Living with my in-laws definitely has it's perks., even though they are basically my guinea pigs haha!)

Pork tenderloin is notorious for being dry, but if you follow these easy steps, you will end up with a mouth watering, juicy dish, that will please the whole family. First, you seal in all the juice by searing the outside, and by using a meat thermometer you will not over cook it, just remember to use it. Letting it rest is the second thing that keep this tenderloin full of flavor and extra juicy.

Here's what you'll need:

Trim the tenderloin of any fat.

Dry the tenderloin by patting it with paper towels and then salt and pepper the outside of the tenderloin.

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in an oven safe pan over medium high heat. You'll know the oil is ready when is slightly ripples.

Sear the tenderloin on all 4 sides, approximately 3 minutes per side. 

Remove the tenderloin from pan and let rest.

While the tenderloin is searing, slice up your onion and apples. I sliced my large apples fairly thick. I quartered my apple, cut out the core, and then each quarter I cut into thirds. 

In the same pan that you seared the tenderloin in, sauté the onions and 1/2 cup apple cider together until the onions are softened.

Add another 1/2 cup apple cider and the apples to the mixture and sauté a couple minutes.

While the apples are cooking, rub the outside of the tenderloin with dijon mustard, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. 

Place the tenderloin on top of the onions and apples. Bake approximately 20-25 or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. For the last 5 minutes I turned my oven up to 450 just to get a nice brown color on the pork.

Remove the tenderloin, cover with foil and let it rest 10 minutes.
While the tenderloin is resting, make a slurry with the corn starch and beef broth.

Over medium heat slowly stir the slurry into the onions and apples. Add in 1-2 more cups of apple cider until desired consistency is achieved. Add in any juices from the tenderloin, and the butter. Cook a couple more minutes.

Slice the tenderloin into 1 inch slices.

Remove the mixture from the pan and place onto a serving platter next to tenderloin.

Enjoy!!! I served mine with fresh green beans and mashed red potatoes.

Ingredients:

• Pork Tenderloin
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, sliced
• 3 large Apples, sliced, I used Honey Crisp
• 2-3 cups Apple Cider
• 2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Thyme, dried
• 1/2 tsp Rosemary, dried
• 1-2 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 cup Corn Starch, I used Potato Starch 
• 1/2 cup Beef Broth
• 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Trim the tenderloin of any fat.
3. Dry the tenderloin by patting it with paper towels.
4. Salt and pepper the outside of the tenderloin.
5. Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in an oven safe pan over medium high heat. You'll know the oil is ready when is slightly ripples.
6. Sear the tenderloin on all 4 sides, approximately 3 minutes per side. 
7. Remove the tenderloin from pan and let rest.
8. In the same pan that you seared the tenderloin in, sauté the onions and 1/2 cup apple cider together until the onions are softened.
9. Add 1/2 cup apple cider and the apples to the mixture and sauté a couple minutes.
10. While the apples are cooking, rub the outside of the tenderloin with dijon mustard, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. 
11. Place the tenderloin on top of the onions and apples. Bake approximately 20-25 or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. For the last 5 minutes I turned my oven up to 450.
12. Remove the tenderloin, cover with foil and let it rest 10 minutes.
13. While the tenderloin is resting, make a slurry with the corn starch and beef broth.
14. Over medium heat slowly stir the slurry into the onions and apples. Add in 1-2 more cups of apple cider until desired consistency is achieved.
15. Add in any juices from the tenderloin, and the butter. Cook a couple more minutes.
16. Remove the mixture from the pan and place onto a serving platter.
17. Slice the tenderloin into 1 inch slices and serve on top of the onion and apple mixture.
    
    Thank you all for stopping by! Have a sweet and wonderful day :)