Chili Baked Pork Tenderloin

 Chili Rubbed Pork Tenderloin2It's true. Pork tenderloins are some of easiest cuts of pork to prepare. They may seem daunting, but nope. The reality is that pork tenderloins cook up quickly and retain their natural juiciness when you use a very simple method of searing then baking. There are many methods to cook this particular cut of meat, but we're going SUPER EASY here, and the results? Delicious!

Here are some general instructions for the simple sear and bake method for a tenderloin.

How to Bake Pork Tenderloin

First, pat your pork tenderloin dry and then rub it down with your preferred dried seasonings. Even a simple salt and pepper mixture is fine.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Heat a large pan to medium heat and add a bit of olive oil.
Then, sear your pork tenderloin on all sides until a crust forms on the meat. This is what seals in the natural juiciness of the meat.
Finally, bake the pork tenderloin 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees with a thermometer.
Remove from heat, allow to rest a few minutes, then serve.

Chili Baked Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Ingredients

2 Free Range pork tenderloins (about 1kg)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chili powder blend – I used a combination of ancho, cayenne, garlic and Spanish paprika, but a nice Cajun blend is great
2 cups Sweet and Savory Chili Sauce
1/2 cup shredded Manchego cheese
Limes for serving


Cooking Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

  • Heat a large roasting pan to medium heat on the stove.
  • Drizzle the pork tenderloins with olive oil, then rub them down with your dry seasonings.
  • Sear the tenderloins a couple minutes per side to brown them up. This will help seal in the juiciness.
  • Pour in the Sweet and Savory Chili Sauce to cover the tenderloins. Use more if you’d like.
  • Transfer the roasting pan to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145-150 degrees F.
  • Remove from heat and let rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.
  • Top with a bit of shredded Manchego chees and squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice over the top.
  • We served ours with some simple roasted Brussels Sprouts!