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Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
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This pork tenderloin with a savory-sweet mustard glaze makes an elegant weeknight dinner or centerpiece roast.
Adapted from cookbook author and food columnist Marian Burros’ 5-star Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin, first published in The New York Times in 1989, this marinated and sear-roasted pork tenderloin makes a fancy weeknight dinner or elegant centerpiece roast. With just four ingredients – mustard, brown sugar, rosemary, and sherry – the marinade not only infuses the tender pork with savory-sweet flavor, but in my version, it also forms the base of a rich sauce. Using a cooking technique called “mounting” I bring some of the marinade to a simmer and then, off the heat, gradually stir in pieces of chilled butter, allowing the butter to emulsify.
Drizzled with the sauce, the tenderloin makes an incredibly easy but impressive dish that pairs nicely with mashed sweet potatoes and string beans – and leftovers make fabulous sandwiches.
What You’ll Need To Make Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard, sherry, and rosemary.
Whisk to combine.
Place the tenderloins in a baking dish or bowl. Season all over with 1-1/4 teaspoons salt and pour about one-third of the marinade over top. Turn the tenderloins a few times to coat evenly with the marinade. Marinate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight (the longer, the better). Cover the remaining marinade and refrigerate until ready to use (it will form the base of the sauce).
Heat the oil in a large cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add both tenderloins.
Sear on all sides until nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes (don’t move the tenderloins around between turns; they will brown better if left alone).
Transfer the skillet to a preheated 350°F-oven and cook until the pork registers about 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, 12 to 15 minutes. (To check for doneness without a thermometer, make a slit in the thickest part of the loin; the meat should be mostly white with a slight hint of pale pink, and the juices should run mostly clear.)
Meanwhile, pour the remaining marinade into a small skillet and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. 
Remove the pan from the heat and, stirring constantly, incorporate the butter one piece at a time. Add 1/8 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. 
Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes, then cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices.
Arrange the sliced tenderloin on a platter and drizzle with a bit of the sauce; pass the remaining sauce at the table.
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Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
This pork tenderloin with a savory-sweet mustard glaze makes an elegant weeknight dinner or centerpiece roast.
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins (1¾ to 2 lbs total)
- ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- ½ cup grainy Dijon mustard (such as Maille Rich Country Dijon Mustard Blend or Grey Poupon Country Dijon)
- ½ cup dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for cooking
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
Instructions
- Pat the tenderloins dry with paper towels.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, mustard, sherry, and rosemary.
- Place the tenderloins in a baking dish or bowl. Season all over with 1¼ teaspoons salt and pour about one-third of the marinade over top. Turn the tenderloins a few times to coat evenly with the marinade. Marinate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight (the longer, the better). Cover the remaining marinade and refrigerate until ready to use (it will form the base of the sauce).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Heat the oil in a large cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat (see note below if you don't have one of these pans). Add both tenderloins and sear on all sides until nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes (don't move the tenderloins around between turns; they will brown better if left alone). Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the pork registers about 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, 12 to 15 minutes. (To check for doneness without a thermometer, make a slit in the thickest part of the loin; the meat should be mostly white with a slight hint of pale pink, and the juices should run mostly clear.)
- Remove the skillet from the oven and immediately place an oven mitt or dishtowel over the handle to remind yourself that it is hot (it is easy to forget and burn yourself!). Transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes, then cut into ¼- to ½-inch slices.
- Meanwhile, pour the remaining marinade into a small skillet and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and, stirring constantly, incorporate the butter one piece at a time. Add ⅛ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Arrange the sliced tenderloin on a platter and drizzle with a bit of the sauce; pass the remaining sauce at the table.
- Note: If you don't have an oven-proof skillet, transfer the pork to a foil-lined sheet pan after searing. (The foil is just for easy cleanup.) You may need to add a few minutes to the baking time.
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Just made this today for our 4th cookout. I modified the recipe slightly, using maple syrup instead of brown sugar, and Marsala instead of sherry because it was on hand. I have a lovely little rosemary bush in my garden, so that was perfect =) I actually marinaded 3 tenderloins, and vacuum-sealed 2 with the marinade for later use, so I didn’t make the sauce this time either. I’ll do that with the next batch.
This turned out really fantastic grilled along with some grilled corn on the cob and a salad. Highly recommended! My mother was beside herself enjoying it =)
Could I freeze this in the marinade? I’m always trying to plan ahead for dinners!
Sure!
Hi Jenn,
Wonder if you think it would work to grill the tenderloin after marinating?
Sure – enjoy!
This pork tenderloin recipe turned out to be moist and succulent. I followed your cooking directions perfectly and my husband said the pork was cooked to perfection. I can’t wait to have guests come over for dinner and make it again. I did ease up a little on the butter and felt it did not affect the sauce’s outcome. Another winner from Jenn!
This was really good. The sauce was easy and really dressed it up. Another winner.
I couldn’t find a tenderloin at the last minute so I bought thick cut pork chops. Marinated for 3 hours and they were delicious! Didn’t take the time to make the sauce but the chops had great flavor and were so moist and tender. Best marinade we’ve come across!
Delicious!! Made this for company and it was a huge hit. I did substitute the sherry with cognac instead of buying sherry. Jenn, another fabulous recipe. Thank you
Made this Mustard-Glazed Pork Tenderloin tonight-it was fantastic. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Could I smoke this instead of pan frying it?
Hi Erin, I don’t know anything about smokers so it’s hard for me to say confidently. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Excellent as usual with your recipes. 🙂 I cooked to the 140 temp you recommended …my husband is old school when it comes to pork being pink. I ate the juicy middle and he ate the ends that were more well done. We were both happy…the flavor of the sauce made it over the top. I did marinade for about 18 hours so maybe that helped his ends be so good…? I will definitely make this again without any changes. Thank you once again!
This was so good! I really liked the sauce, too. I forgot to buy Sherry so I used Pinot Grigio, and it was fine. I think the sauce would also be good with baked ham.
Hi! Could you use a broth instead of the sherry? I don’t have white wine, apple cider, or apple juice on hand! Thank you:)
Hi Nicole, technically you can use broth here but it won’t have the depth of flavor that sherry provides.
Once again, Jenn, you offered a really great recipe with lots of flavor. We had guests over and they loved it, too!!! I made it with the green beans and mashed sweet potatoes. YUM. Thanks so much.
Delicious and a quick weeknight entree! I took your cue on sweet potatoes, but just roasted a few to have on the side. My husband liked the sauce so much he asked if I could put it on chicken. What do you think…would chicken work in this marinade too and then top it with sauce after grilling or baking?
Sure, I think the sauce would pair nicely with chicken (and glad you liked it)!
My husband and I adored this recipe! So simple to make, and we found the flavors to be perfectly balanced. Some cooks mentioned they may prefer the sauce a little less sweet, and I’d happily eat it that way too. However, we thoroughly enjoyed this recipe exactly as written. I can’t wait to make it again!
It was delicious. My guests loved it.
As always….Delicious! Cooked exactly per recipe and it was phenomenal! Thanks for another recipe keeper Jenn!
Thank you for the recipe.
I’m afraid the sauce wasn’t for me. I’m a big fan of mustard, but this was just a bit too sugary and strong. It overpowered the pork too much for me.
I will say the tenderloin did come out nicely and was okay without any additional sauce.
Made this last night along with your mashed sweet potatoes. I halved the recipe because there are only two of us. This pork is absolutely AMAZING and the sweet potatoes were delicious too!!! To be honest, I just found your site yesterday and made three of your recipes (pumpkin pancakes this morning) in one day. I spent at least 2 hours perusing your recipes and I want to try so many! I am going to order one of the cook books too. I am so happy to have found you!
💓
Absolutely lovely way to cook pork tenderloin and the sauce/marinade was amazing! I paired it with your grilled mustard/mayo coated baby potatoes and green beans for a wonderful meal. Thanks so much!
Yum! I made this last night and my husband and I were both bowled over by how tender and flavorful it was. I cut the recipe in half because it was just the 2 of us, and froze the 2nd tenderloin for another day. I also cut the butter in half once again, using only 1 TBSP, and the sauce was still out of this world good. We’re looking forward to using the leftovers on ciabatta rolls for lunch later today. This recipe is definitely a ‘keeper’. Thanks Jenn!
WOW! Had some go to recipes for pork tenderloin but wanted something new. My husband found this one and we knew if it was by Jenn it would be delish. She’s our “Go-To-Gal” for sure. The sauce was decadent. We didn’t have sherry so used a dry vermouth and only marinated for an hour. We cooked to temp and removed at 134 because pork can be overcooked so easily. It was so tender and delicious. We can’t wait to try it with Sherry and marinate if overnight next time. Definitely a company worthy dinner. This will be our go to pork tenderloin from now on. Thanks Jenn.
Would this go well with the cauliflower fried rice? Or better to use an Asian marinade with that?
Hi Brae, I think the competing flavors would not be a great match. If you haven’t peeked at the side suggestions under the recipe, I think the Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans with Shallots would pair beautifully with this.
Absolutely delicious! A big hit with my family. The flavor from the marinade – sauce is incredible and the pork was so juicy and tender. Will have again very soon.
Absolutely delicious! Super easy directions and quick to whip up, I served it for dinner guests and everyone loved it. I did two things different. First, I used Purecane no calorie brown sugar in place of regular brown sugar. Second, I pat dry the tenderloins before searing to avoid the splatter, and avoid the charring from the sugar in the marinade.
I can’t find any type of grainy Dijon mustard. I can find the whole grain. Would you recommend mixing together the whole grain and the regular grey poupon mustard? Or I just have grey poupon? Would one work better than the other?
Can’t wait to make this. Thank you
Yes, I think mixing the two together is a good idea. Hope you enjoy!
Wow this was truly amazing and I didn’t have to change anything!
This was delicious. To be honest I was a little worried about overpowering mustard flavour but that was not a problem. The sauce was awesome. I don’t have a cast iron frying pan so I used stainless less for the stovetop searing. But by the time I had seared it on all sides it was getting pretty Smokey because of the sugar. I finished it in the oven in a ceramic coated cast iron casserole dish. The frying pan is coated in burnt (black) sugar and is now soaking after some vigorous scrubbing. I don’t know if somehow this wouldn’t happen with a cast iron pan?? Pan scrubbing aside, it’s a great recipe and I will be making it again. Ps I didn’t have sherry so I used white wine.
O.M.G. This was ahh-mazing! No-One in my family is a fan of pork tenderloin so I made this on the sly, and EVERY-ONE LOVED THIS!
Thank you yet again Jen for another fabulous meal!
Would a smooth instead of a grainy Dijon mustard work? It’s all I have on hand and I’d rather not get yet another bottle of mustard until the ones at home are finished.
It should work well, G. Enjoy!
Best pork tenderloin I have ever made!!! It will be a regular at our house.
Marinated overnight and oh that glaze you save for sauce…fantastic.
Excellent sauce. I followed the recipe but deglazed the pan with the sauce instead of doing it on the side, why waste all of that yummy!. Will definitely make again.
Made this tonight, and it was delicious!! I didn’t realize there was a difference between dry sherry and cooking sherry (😳) so I used cooking sherry without issue. I also heeded another commenter’s advice and used the same pan to cook the sauce—and only burned myself once, a win!! Thanks for this yummy weeknight meal, Jenn!
Love this recipe! Quite easy to make and the sauce is very good. I used the same pan that I cooked the pork tenderloin in. While the pork was resting after it was cooked, I added the sauce to the pan to deglaze. Definitely making again.
If I don’t have sherry, is it possible to substitute rice wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, red wine?
Hi Lisa, If you have Chinese rice wine, that would work here, but I wouldn’t use any vinegar. Some other substitutes are white wine, apple cider, or apple juice. Hope that helps!
We had this last night; I only had one tenderloin for the two of us so I halved the recipe; worked perfectly. Going with the internal temp ALWAYS produces perfectly cooked (not over-cooked) pork. Another great and easy family dinner.
I am also LOVING using my ‘recipe box’ because I so often go back for recipes I’ve tried again and again. So easy to find my favorites – which seem to be every one I try. Thanks again Jenn!
OMG, this pork tenderloin was AMAZING! Made the maple sweet potatoes to go with it, which were also good, but the pork tenderloin and the sauce were out of this world! Will definitely be having again!
I took a chance and made this recipe Dairy-Free…it was delicious and a big hit with my family! We eat dairy-free so I tend to avoid recipes that have butter as a primary ingredient. I loved the idea of a sauce with pork tenderloin (my husband is a sauce guy!) The rest of the ingredients were flavor packed so I decided to go for it. I followed the recipe as written up to the point of adding the butter and salt. I added Earth Balance (in place of butter) a tablespoon at a time, tasting along the way to get a good balance of salt and sweet. I omitted the added salt b/c Earth Balance has salt so use caution when adding. Also added healthy dose of black pepper and wow, so good!!! I love your recipes! Thank you Jen!