When I'm entertaining or want a really nice and affordable dinner a juicy pork tenderloin is my go-to. Especially in the fall, I'll serve up a pork tenderloin with dijon cream sauce or brushed with a buttery maple bourbon glaze and it'll be a simple and delicious crowd pleaser.
They cook up quickly so they're perfect for a weeknight dinner, take on different flavors well, and are so affordable (I got a pack of 4 tenderloins for $11.50! Can't beat that with a stick!). They're going to be your new fave!
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Easy Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin
This recipe is super easy. Nothing complicated, just good ingredients and good cooking, so it's a perfect recipe for beginner cooks!
Pork tenderloin is known for being dry so we give it a quick soak in a cider brine to make it super juicy. Then we brush it with a maple bourbon glaze that gives it this perfect sweet and smoky vibe and caramelizes just right.
You won't be left guessing when it's done, it comes out juicy and flavorful and perfect every time. This is great for a family dinner with fluffy dinner rolls, a date night, or a cozy meal just for yourself, and is fabulous with all your favorite fall sides!
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the Brine
- Pork Tenderloins - they tend to come 2 in a pack, so that's how this recipe is written to use.
- Apple Cider and Maple Syrup - use real maple syrup, not the imitation pancake syrup. And use cider, not apple juice!
- Spices - just a touch of fall flavor with whole cloves, grated ginger, peppercorns, and allspice berries.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Kosher Salt - you'll need a quarter cup of salt for this brine.
- Water + Ice Cubes
For the Glaze
- Real Maple Syrup
- Bourbon - use one you like to drink, even though the alcohol is cooked off the caramelized smoky flavor is still there.
- Spices - smoked paprika, grated ginger, garlic, black pepper, they bring warmth and a little smokiness.
- Dijon Mustard - for flavor and emulsification
- Brown Sugar - light or dark brown works.
- Butter - don't skip out on the butter. It thickens, it makes the glaze glossy, and of course, adds richness.
Ingredient Substitutions
- No Alcohol - you can swap in apple cider instead, it keeps that fall theme going and makes a delicious glaze.
- Pork Loin, no tender - if you have a pork loin, which is bigger and thicker, brine it for at least an hour and use your meat thermometer to measure the internal temp to 145ºF while cooking.
- DIY Brown Sugar Recipe - If you don't have any, you can make your own with molasses and white sugar.
How to Make Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Step 1
Make the brine.
Simmer all brine ingredients (except ice) in a saucepan. Cool with ice cubes, then pour over the tenderloins. Let brine for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
Step 2
Sear the pork.
Pat tenderloins dry, then sear on all sides in a hot cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 3
Make the glaze.
While the pork sears, simmer the glaze for 8-10 minutes, then whisk in cold butter to thicken and add gloss.
Step 4
Roast the tenderloins.
Brush pork with glaze, cover, and roast for 10 minutes. Uncover, glaze again, and roast for 10 more minutes, until internal temperature hits 145ºF.
Step 5
Rest and serve.
Rest pork for 5 minutes and whisk another pat of butter into the glaze in the pan. Slice and serve with the glaze from the pan and flaky salt.
Chef's Tips for Perfect Pork
- That cider brine is your secret weapon to flavorful and juicy pork so don't skip it! Even 30 minutes helps (but no more than 4 hours or it'll get mushy).
- For perfectly cooked pork every time, use a meat thermometer. Check the thickest part of the tenderloin for an internal temperature of 145ºF for the juiciest results. A little pink is perfectly safe according to the USDA!
- If your glaze gets too thick and sticky, add a little water or apple cider to thin it out until it reaches the right consistency. Just heat it back up to combine.
Equipment I Used
Troubleshooting
Either you didn't brine or your tenderloins are overcooked. It's best to use a meat thermometer and check for an internal temperature of 145ºF around the 18-20 minute cook time to pull the pork from the oven.
Make sure you simmer that glaze for 8-10 minutes, then add the butter, it helps. It's also pretty loose before it's cooked over the pork, it'll thicken up more in the oven.
Pat them dry on all sides before searing and ensure that pan is really hot before putting them in. Give them a few minutes on each side, it's okay to get a little more color by flipping it back onto a sad looking side.
The pan should comfortably hold the tenderloins but shouldn't have a huge amount of empty space, that's where the glaze can reduce too much and burn. If your pan is kinda big, add a small splash of apple cider into the pan to buffer the glaze.
The Best Sides for this Weeknight Dinner
Sometimes the hardest thing is figuring out what to eat with dinner! In the south, we always do a meat + two/three!
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Bourbon Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
Brine
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup apple cider, not apple juice
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- ½ tablespoon allspice berries, whole
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 2 pork tenderloins, about 1¼-1½ pounds each
For Cooking
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, for searing
Glaze
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup bourbon, or apple cider
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon butter, separated
- flaky salt, for serving
Instructions
Brine the Pork Tenderloins
- In a large saucepan, bring all the brine ingredients except the ice cubes to a simmer and dissolve the salt.5 cups water, 1 cup apple cider, ⅓ cup pure maple syrup, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup kosher salt, 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, ½ tablespoon allspice berries, ½ yellow onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- Once the salt is dissolved, take the pan off the heat and stir in the ice cubes to cool the brine down.2 cups ice cubes
- Place the pork tenderloins in a large mixing bowl and pour the brine over it. Cover with plastic wrap and let brine for at least 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.2 pork tenderloins
- Take pork out of the fridge and out of the brine to rest 30 minutes before cooking.
Cooking the Pork and Making the Glaze
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- In a 12-inch, oven-safe saute pan/skillet/braiser, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Place both tenderloins in the hot pan, with at least an inch between both tenderloins, searing the pork for about 3 minutes on each side. Let the crust develop on each side before turning; do not force the pork off the pan to turn it, it will release from the pan when it's ready.2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- While the pork is searing, stir all the ingredients for the glaze except the butter together in a saucepan over medium heat. Let simmer for 8-10 minutes, then whisk in 1 tablespoon of the butter.½ cup pure maple syrup, ¼ cup bourbon, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoon dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoon butter
- When the tenderloins have finished searing, turn off the heat. With a silicone brush or spoon, slather half of the glaze over each of the tenderloins generously. Cover the pan with an oven-safe lid or aluminum foil and cook in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- After ten minutes of cooking, remove the lid and pour the rest of the glaze over the tenderloins. Let cook for another 10-13 minutes until the pork's temperature is 145ºF.
- Remove the pan from the oven and move tenderloins to a cutting board covered with foil to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. The glaze will have thickened up in the pan from cooking, whisk the last tablespoon of butter into it, then pour it into a heat safe serving container.2 tablespoon butter
- Slice tenderloins into ½ inch slices and serve sprinkled with flaky salt and the extra maple glaze.flaky salt
Recipe Notes
Chef's Tips for Perfect Pork
- That cider brine is your secret weapon to flavorful and juicy pork so don't skip it! Even 30 minutes helps (but no more than 4 hours or it'll get mushy).
- For perfectly cooked pork every time, use a meat thermometer. Check the thickest part of the tenderloin for an internal temperature of 145ºF for the juiciest results. A little pink is perfectly safe according to the USDA!
- If your glaze gets too thick and sticky, add a little water or apple cider to thin it out until it reaches the right consistency. Just heat it back up to combine.
Nutrition Information
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