Balsamic-Glazed Pork Tenderloin With Roasted Apples Recipe

Recipe developer Julianne De Witt tells us that pork tenderloin is a go-to dish of hers and she often stuffs it with apples and glazes it with store-bought balsamic glaze. With this recipe, though, she says, "I would keep things a bit simpler here and just roast the apples in the pan with the tenderloin." She is also making the glaze from scratch, although she notes that you can go with a store-bought one if you'd like to simplify things a bit.

De Witt calls this recipe "easy and approachable" and says of the finished dish, "All the flavors complement each other." As she explains, "Apples and thyme are a natural accompaniment to pork and the balsamic glaze adds a sweet tang to the mildness of the pork and acidity of the apples." While she tells us that "any firm type of apple will do in this recipe," she says her own personal preference is for fujis or galas.

The main ingredients in this recipe are the pork tenderloin and the apples, plus a balsamic glaze made from balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, and thyme. Additional ingredients needed for cooking this dish include salt, pepper, and avocado oil.

Slice apples into ¼ inch side pieces.

Season pork tenderloin on both sides with salt and pepper.

Add oil to a large frying pan over high heat.

Sear tenderloin on both sides until lightly browned, approximately 1 minute per side. Add pork to large roasting dish.

Lightly sauté the apples in the same pan for 1 minute.

Add half of the thyme to the apples, stir, place in a bowl, and set aside.

Deglaze the frying pan with ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar. Using a spatula, scrape up any bits in pan and add the contents to a medium saucepan.

Add remaining balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to saucepan, stir well, and place over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil then simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vinegar thickens and reduces to approximately ½ cup, about 10 minutes.

Place half of balsamic glaze in a small bowl. Stir in garlic and remaining thyme. Brush glaze onto both sides of tenderloins. Add apples to each end of the baking dish.

Cook in 350 F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until pork has reached an internal temperature of 145 F.

Allow pork to rest for 5 minutes. Cut into thick slices and serve with roasted apples and remaining balsamic glaze.

Tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts of pork. De Witt tells us that tenderloin is "as lean as chicken breast," which makes it one of the healthiest ways to eat pork. This does lead to some concern, though, that the meat might turn out dry, which could be the case if you overcook it.

The way to avoid dry tenderloin is to keep an eye on the cooking time and the meat temperature — a good meat thermometer will help with this. You should also take note of the recommended temperature. As De Witt puts it, "Gone are the days when you needed to cook pork to well-done," Instead, she recommends an internal temperature of 145 F. "This will ensure a juicy, tender slice," she assures us. Another way to keep the meat tender is to let it rest after it comes out of the oven. De Witt explains that the reason for doing so is that "This allows the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat."

This balsamic-glazed pork tenderloin makes for a hearty main dish, particularly during the fall and winter months. As meat alone does not a meal make, though, you are likely to want some kind of starch and/or vegetables to go with it. De Witt tells us that "any side will do," although she tells us that some of her favorites are polenta (here's our own creamy polenta recipe) and mashed potatoes. You could also do roasted potatoes and carrots, perhaps adding them to the pan so they can cook right alongside the roast.

If you're watching your carbs, you may want to go starch-free with the sides and this is okay, too. You could always do mashed cauliflower or turnips in place of potatoes, while a green salad always makes for great accompaniment. If you opt for the salad, you could even go matchy-matchy by tossing it with balsamic dressing, as well. Maybe even add some leftover chopped apples and you'll have a side that perfectly echoes the main dish.