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This delicious oven-roasted brown sugar pork tenderloin is full of sweet and savory flavor and is very tender – just like a good steak. I like to call it pork steak. Delicious, easy, and goes with lots of side dishes – what more could you ask for?!
Adding a bit of water at the end mixes with the natural juices from the pork roast to make for a lovely pour-over broth that enhances the dish further.
Paired with broccoli, carrots, potatoes, or salad makes for a complete meal. You can even make gravy from the juices, although I didn’t do that this time. I just drizzled the juices over the top.
Pork Tenderloin Oven Prep
Preparing your pork tenderloin properly for roasting in the oven will ensure a nice crust on the outside and tender, juicy pork on the inside. This entails massaging the meat thoroughly with the brown sugar mixture and coating the entire seasoning mix over all the surfaces of the pork loin.
Another crucial pork tenderloin oven prep for this recipe is searing the pork loin briefly on the stove top before finishing up cooking in the oven. This searing helps to seal in the juices. This makes for a more tender, juicy pork tenderloin that your family or company will rave about.
The varying flavors of the herbs – oregano, thyme, and marjoram – mix well with the sweetness of the brown sugar.
Most of the time, I’m not a fan of sweet meats, but my husband introduced me to this simple recipe. He’s not much of a cook, but he gets the credit for inspiring me on this one! (Note that he only used brown sugar and no spices 😀 – bless his heart!)
Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin Recipe Tips
For the perfectly delectable brown sugar pork tenderloin recipe, make sure to let the pork roast rest covered for 10 minutes after removing from the oven before slicing. This will yield a more juicy roast.
Quick to put together for those busy weeknights or Sunday dinner. Those days when you don’t have much time to prepare, but you have some time to wait. About 10 minutes to prep, and about 45-50 minutes to cook. Hope you like this brown sugar pork tenderloin as much as my family did!
What to Serve with Your Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Lots of foods go with pork tenderloin! For example, any side salad or green vegetable like broccoli, asparagus, or green beans would go great with the pork roast.
Other great options are mashed potatoes. You may want to make gravy if you go this route. However, my easy, delicious mashed potato recipe is fabulous even without gravy.
You could also choose my delicious 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese. – SERIOUSLY DELISH. I think it’s my best take on this soul-food classic so far. (BTW, I’ve made A LOT of mac and cheese over the years!)
A side of bread, like my Satisfying Southern Flaky Biscuits or my Easy Southern Skillet Cornbread will add nicely to any pork tenderloin recipe as well.
Use your imagination – pork is so versatile – and ENJOY!
Roasted Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
dishes – what more could you ask for?!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 pound pork tenderloin
- 1 Tbsp ground dry thyme
- 2 tsp ground dry marjoram
- 1 tsp ground dry oregano
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Add the olive oil to a large cast iron skillet and heat to medium-high.
- While the pan heats, in a small bowl, add the thyme, marjoram, brown sugar, salt, and pepper and blend well.
- Place the pork loin on a large plate or platter, and massage the brown sugar and herb mixture into the pork on all sides until all the mixture is mostly adhering. It will begin to take on some of the natural juices of the pork as you gently massage it in.
- Add the seasoned pork to the hot skillet and brown on all sides (about 1-2 minutes each side).
- Place skillet in the oven and cook uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until nicely browned and internal temperature is 150 F. After removing from the oven, add about 1/4 cup water to the pan juices and mix with a fork. Let the meat sit for 10 minutes before cutting (to help seal in the juices).
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