Name: Braised Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Carrots and Red Apple Balsamic Pan Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Comfort Food
Ingredients: 1 pork tenderloin, about 1–1.5 lbs; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp dried thyme; 2 tsp dried crushed rosemary; 2 tsp coarse sea salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided; 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced; 2 tsp minced garlic; 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces; 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 lb creamer potatoes, halved (quartered if large); ¾ cup apple juice; 3 Tbsp Red Apple Balsamic; 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard; 2 Tbsp brown sugar; 1½ tsp kosher salt; ½ tsp fresh cracked black pepper; 1 large Honeycrisp apple, cored and cubed; 2 Tbsp Walnut Oil, for finishing; ¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, for finishing

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I have to be honest — this is the best pork I’ve made in a long time, and it’s already claimed the spot as my new favorite fall recipe.

I wasn’t expecting that going in. It’s a one-pan dinner, nothing fussy, but something about the way the spice rub builds on the pork before the sauce ever hits the pan makes it taste like it took a lot more effort than it actually did. The carrots and potatoes soak up all that Red Apple Balsamic and apple juice while everything braises together, and by the time it comes out of the oven the whole kitchen smells like it’s been cooking all day.

I’ve made a lot of pork tenderloin recipes over the years for this blog. This one’s different. It’s going into the regular rotation, and I have a feeling it’s going to become one of those recipes people ask me for by name.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A full dinner — protein, starch, and vegetable — out of one pan
The spice rub gives the pork real depth before the sauce even starts
Red Apple Balsamic replaces some of the acidity lost by using apple juice instead of cider
Great for a Sunday when you want the house to smell like it all day
The sauce alone is worth learning this recipe for

How to Make It

Pat the pork tenderloin dry and mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, and pepper. Rub it all over the pork and let it sit for about 20 minutes — this gives the salt time to draw out moisture and pull the seasoning back in, which makes a real difference in flavor.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large braiser over medium heat and sear the pork three minutes per side, until it’s well browned all around. Set it aside — it’ll finish cooking in the oven later.

Add the last tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Sauté the onions until tender, stir in the garlic for a minute, then add the carrots and let them cook five minutes, picking up a little color.

Stir in the flour and let it cook for a minute to lose its raw taste, then pour in the chicken broth, scraping up every browned bit from searing the pork. Let it reduce by half — this is where the sauce actually starts to come together.

Stir in the creamer potatoes, apple juice, Red Apple Balsamic, Dijon, brown sugar, salt, and pepper, and let it all simmer five to seven minutes. Add the diced apple and cook two minutes more.

Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan, nestle the pork back into the center, and spoon sauce over the top. Bake at 400°F for about 25 minutes, until the pork reaches 145°F.

Let the pork rest five to ten minutes before slicing. Serve with the vegetables and sauce spooned over, finished with a drizzle of Walnut Oil

Yield: 4-6 servings

Braised Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Carrots and Red Apple Balsamic Pan Sauce

No Ratings

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

Pork Tenderloin Seasoning

1 pork tenderloin, about 1–1.5 lbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
2 tsp coarse sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

For the Pan

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 lb creamer potatoes, halved (quartered if large)
¾ cup apple juice
3 Tbsp Red Apple Balsamic
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 large Honeycrisp apple, cored and cubed
2 Tbsp Walnut Oil, for finishing
¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, for finishing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the pork tenderloin dry and mix together the seasoning ingredients. Rub the spice blend all over the pork and let it rest about 20 minutes.
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large braiser over medium heat. Sear the pork 3 minutes per side, until browned. Remove and set aside.
Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil to the pan. Sauté the onions 2–3 minutes until tender, then stir in the garlic for 1 more minute. Add the carrots and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits, and let it reduce by half.
Stir in the creamer potatoes, apple juice, Red Apple Balsamic, Dijon, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes.
Add the diced apple and cook 2 more minutes.
Move the vegetables to the sides of the pan and nestle the pork back in the center. Spoon sauce over the top and bake about 25-35 minutes, until the pork reaches 145°F.
Remove the pork and let it rest 5–10 minutes before slicing.
Serve the sliced pork with the vegetables and pan sauce spooned over the top, then finish with a drizzle of Walnut Oil and a scatter of toasted walnuts.