Simple Recipes: Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Too Good to be True?
I don't know why, but I have always believed that roasting any large chunk of meat would be difficult and time consuming. I am pretty adventuresome in cooking, yet have never tried that myself. My small group in college made some pre-cooked turkeys for a Thanksgiving meal, but that was a mess to slice that I did not want to have to do. So the guys took care of it. Even growing up in a family that raised cattle and often had our own beef available to cook, I certainly lean more towards cooking in a skillet or on a grill (well, my husband cooks on the grill - I prep for it). You get the idea. I haven't roasted much large, whole cuts of meat in the oven. That is, until this week. I discovered something that changed my options in meal planning. Ready for it? Pork tenderloins are incredibly, reeaaallllly incredibly easy to make. I don't know how I've just discovered it. Thank you to my mom who prompted the idea when I asked her ideas for cooking. So what's the deal you ask? Here it is. Easy as one-two-three.
You'll Need
- A Roaster: this was one of those items I almost didn't register for. When someone gave it to us, I wasn't sure what I would do with it. Now I know. If you don't have a roaster, no worries. You can also use a crock pot or large pan without the roasting rack.
- A pre-seasoned pork tenderloin: yes, pre-seasoned. I chose peppercorn. I've been against these before, but this is an edition of "Simple Recipes." To keep it simple, we're using the pre-seasoned for this one, but you can always buy an unseasoned one and make your own if you don't mind putting in the extra time and effort.
- A meat thermometer: another item I hesitated to put in my kitchen, unsure of how much I would use it. You can purchase one for $5-20, depending on how much you want to spend. The basic ones will do the trick though.
Simple Instructions. Ah. The Simplicity.
- Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Unwrap the tenderloin. Place it on the rack inside your roaster. Cook for 15-30 minutes. This is the only somewhat tricky part. There's a reason for the large time reference. You need to make sure the temperature of the meat is at least 150-155 degrees F to ensure it's safe to eat. I took mine out around 160, just to play it on the safe side. Depending on how you like your meat cooked will determine how long you need to cook it. Start checking the temperature around 15 minutes.
- Remove, slice, and serve. It's that easy.
Simplicity at it's Finest
Simplicity wins again. While your tenderloin is cooking you can be preparing any sides you have. If those are quick, you can have a gourmet meal in about 30 minutes. A 1-pound tenderloin will give you 5-7 servings. It's perfect if you and your spouse are into leftovers (I'm a big advocate!!) or if you are having guests over. Surprisingly, they are reasonably priced too.
I don't know where I had the idea that these were so difficult and timely to make. If anyone else was thinking that too I hope to have given you courage to try it. And if you already knew this secret, let it be a reminder to put this one your shopping list for next week.
Nutrition for Unseasoned Pork Tenderloin
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 3 oz | |
| Calories | 122 |
| Calories from Fat | 27 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 3 g | 5% |
| Saturated fat 1 g | 5% |
| Carbohydrates 0 g | |
| Sugar 0 g | |
| Fiber 0 g | |
| Protein 22 g | 44% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
