Pork tenderloin is one of the most underused cuts in home cooking — tender, lean, quick to cook, and able to take on bold seasoning that elevates it far beyond its humble price point. A garlic herb rub, a hard sear on all sides, and a short oven finish produces something that looks and tastes genuinely impressive. Thirty minutes, start to finish.
Ingredients
The Rub
Mix garlic, Dijon, rosemary, thyme, and olive oil into a paste. Remove the silver skin from each tenderloin (slide a sharp knife under the thin membrane and pull it off — it's tough and won't soften no matter how long you cook it). Pat pork dry and rub the herb paste all over. Marinate 20 minutes or overnight.
Sear and Oven Finish
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
- Sear tenderloins in a hot oven-safe skillet, turning every 2 minutes to brown all sides — about 8 minutes total
- Transfer skillet directly to oven
- Roast 12–15 minutes until internal temp reaches 145°F (63°C)
- Rest 5 minutes before slicing on the diagonal
"The silver skin is not optional to remove. It is a tough membrane that contracts violently under heat, causing the tenderloin to curl and cook unevenly. Take 2 minutes to remove it and the tenderloin lies flat, sears evenly, and slices beautifully."
Pork tenderloin is very lean and rests quickly — 5 minutes is plenty. Slice on a slight diagonal in 2cm pieces. The pale pink interior you see at 145°F is correct, safe, and the sign of a well-cooked tenderloin. Gray throughout means overdone.