This Baked Pork Tenderloin is always a hit! It's got a sweet-and-spicy glaze made with brown sugar, but you can substitute monk fruit sweetener for a keto option. This is one of the best pork recipes!
Sometimes, I think I've already shared all the recipes I've been making for years. Then, I realize there's a gem I haven't told you about.
This Baked Pork Tenderloin with Glaze is a real crowd pleaser, with a delicious, sweet-and-spicy vibe. It starts with a rub made of chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper.
You'll apply the rub and sear the pork in a skillet on the stove. Next, you'll top the meat with a paste consisting of brown sugar, garlic and hot sauce, which will become the glaze.
Lately, I've been replacing the brown sugar with golden monk fruit sweetener for a keto-friendly option for my guys. I'll tell you more in a bit.
You'll bake the pork tenderloin to finish cooking it. If you don't have an oven-safe pan such as a cast iron (affiliate link) one, or need to make a larger quantity, transfer the meat to a baking pan.
The baked pork tenderloin will emerge with a mouthwatering, glistening glaze and the most flavorful juices. It packs a little heat, thanks to the hot sauce. I recommend using something mild, like Frank's RedHot Original.
Don't worry, though. Even my daughter, who won't eat spicy-hot food, loves this pork tenderloin.
So do Mom, Dad and my entire family. It's great for company!
What is monk fruit sweetener?
Monk fruit sweetener is a natural, zero-calorie, zero-glycemic sugar substitute, so it doesn't affect blood sugar levels. It's made from non-GMO erythritol and monk fruit extract.
Although monk fruit sweetener can be used in baking, I've had better results using it in savory recipes. It works fabulously as a 1:1 substitute for the brown sugar in this Slow Cooker Carolina Pulled Pork.
For this Baked Pork Tenderloin, however, ½ cup of golden monk fruit sweetener is plenty in place of ⅔ cup of brown sugar.
Where to buy monk fruit sweetener
If your local grocery store doesn't carry monk fruit sweetener, you can purchase it online, (affiliate link) or look for it at stores that sell food in bulk. If you're in the Newtown, Connecticut area, you can buy golden monk fruit in bulk at BD Provisions, a zero-waste grocery store owned by dear friends of ours.
(Recipe Source: Adapted from a Gourmet Magazine recipe that's appeared on many sites online. I first saw it on Mel's Kitchen Cafe. I used half the cinnamon, reduced the brown sugar, used a milder hot sauce and added a monk fruit sweetener option.)
Baked Pork Tenderloin with Glaze
Ingredients
Rub
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pork Tenderloin
- 2 ½ pounds pork tenderloin (2 pork tenderloins)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Glaze
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, packed (or use ½ cup golden monk fruit sweetener; see notes)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (from about 6 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (use a mild one such as Frank's RedHot Original, affiliate link)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the rub ingredients (salt, chili powder, cumin, black pepper and cinnamon) to a small bowl and stir to combine. Coat the pork with the spice rub and wash your hands well after touching the raw meat.
- In a 12-inch skillet (ideally an oven-proof one, such as a cast iron skillet), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until the oil is hot and rippling. Brown the pork on all sides, searing it for about four minutes total.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients (brown sugar or monk fruit sweetener, chopped garlic and hot sauce). Spoon the glaze onto the pork and pat it all over the top, using the back of your spoon.
- (If you don't have an oven-proof skillet, you'll need to transfer the pork to a foil-lined baking pan now.) Bake the pork at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 150 degrees F. (Test it with an instant thermometer or use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork before baking.) A cast iron pan will cook the meat faster than a glass pan.
- Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing it. Serve the baked pork tenderloin with the sauce spooned over it. Refrigerate leftovers for up to four days.
Video
Notes
- Monk fruit sweetener (affiliate link) is a natural, zero-calorie, zero-glycemic sugar substitute, so it doesn't affect blood sugar levels. It's made from non-GMO erythritol and monk fruit extract.
- If you own a cast iron skillet, use it for searing the pork on the stove and baking it in the oven. If you don't own an oven-proof skillet, you'll need to use a regular skillet to brown the meat, then transfer the pork to a baking pan for the oven step. Note that it will take a bit longer to cook the pork in a glass pan than in a cast iron one.
Judy Weinstock
Yummo! Easy peasy.
Great recipe, with ingredients I always have on hand.
Mamma C
Hi Judy - That's great to hear! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Tridip
Hi Andrea,
I really loved this recipe. This is my favorite one.
Thanks
Mamma C
Hi Tridip - I'm so glad to hear that!
Melissa
Love how you added the keto option! Looks like a great recipe, Andrea. I can't wait to try it!
Mamma C
Hi Melissa - I hope you do try it! This one gets rave reviews whenever I serve it. I've even served it for a large dinner party. Thanks!
Kitchen varieties
Oh man! This look so delicious. Saving and pinning this post. I can’t wait to try this. Thank so much for sharing.Can’t wait to try this recipe, I know my family will love it!
Mamma C
I'm happy to hear that! Enjoy.
Mary Bostow
I can’t wait to make this pork dish tonight. Sounds delicious! 😉
Mamma C
Hi Mary - This is one of our favorites. Enjoy!
Sara Welch
Wow! What a good looking meal! I know what I will be having for dinner this weekend! Yum!
Mamma C
Hi Sara - I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
Cookilicious
That looks like one delicious meal!
Mamma C
It really is! Thank you.
Neha
Can't go wrong with a classic baked pork tenderloin, yours look baked to perfection and oh so juicy with all the glaze.
Mamma C
Hi Neha - That juice is so good, I literally enjoy it by the spoonful! Thank you.
Tristin Rieken
I love pork tenderloin because it's so versatile but I feel like I was in a rut serving the same 3 or 4 dishes with it for years, until I found this recipe! It's a keeper for sure!!
Mamma C
Hi Tristin - I know what you mean! Thank you!