Pork tenderloin infused with a sweet-spicy rub and cooked to juicy, tender perfection can be described in a single word: succulent.
When you’re craving a savory comfort food, this pork tenderloin recipe, inspired by Flour On My Face, is a satisfying go-to. Every bite of this tender, fall-apart pork is full of sweet, spicy flavor that’s hard to beat. (We used a different cut of meat for this recipe, so the cooking time is less.)
It’s all in the rub
Forget the pre-made spice rubs that are loaded with salt, MSG and other preservatives. Instead, go for an easy homemade blend of ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. The best meat rubs balance sweet, salty, hot and spicy tastes — and they’re especially suited to pork tenderloin.
This particular pork rub is a blend of dark brown sugar, sea salt, spices and garlic. The brown sugar lends a complex yet mildly-sweet molasses flavor to the meat, while balancing the heat from the peppers.
Smoky paprika is a must; it imparts a rich, deep flavor to the mix. The dry mustard and garlic powder assert distinct tastes that round out the flavor profile nicely. (This sweet-spicy pork rub is so out-of-this-world delicious, you could even bottle it up and present it as a gift for your favorite foodies.)
Patience is the key to this recipe. After you massage the pork tenderloins with a generous coating of the rub, allow them to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or even overnight) to let the flavor penetrate and fully develop. When you’re ready to roast, set your oven to 325F. Cover the tenderloins with aluminum foil, and place them in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
After you remove them from the oven, cover them loosely with foil, and allow the tenderloins to rest for about 15 minutes so the juices redistribute into the meat.
Slice and enjoy!
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Put all dry ingredients into bowl.
Whisk ingredients together to create the spice rub.
Place pork tenderloin into bag with half of the spice rub.
Pour remaining spice rub over pork.
Shake bag to coat pork.
Place pork on the roasting rack.
Add the second tenderloin.
Cook for 25-30 minutes. After removing from the oven, allow the pork to rest to maximize the juice and flavor.
Leftovers from this recipe are great the next day too. You can shred the meat to use for pork sandwiches. We recommend adding some barbecue sauce if you’re feeling fancy.
Pork tenderloin with sweet and spicy rub
Yield 4-6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup smoky paprika
- 1/4 cup fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh cracked peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 whole pork tenderloins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- With a whisk, mix all spices (except pork) in a large bowl.
- Pour 1/2 cup of this rub mix into a large zip top bag; place pork tenderloins into the bag. Add another 1/2 cup rub mix on top of pork, then shake to combine, making sure to cover the pork with the rub mix completely.
- To allow the spice flavors to penetrate the meat, place the plastic bag in the refrigerator and allow it to sit for at least one hour, or overnight.
- When you're ready to cook, use cooking spray to coat a roasting pan’s inverted rack.
- Place the tenderloins onto the roasting rack.
- Slow roast the pork in the 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from oven, cover with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
- Serve.
Courses Main dish