Glazed Pork Tenderloin
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This glazed pork tenderloin is marinated, sear-roasted, and served with a rich mustard-sherry sauce for a simple yet elegant meal.
Adapted from cookbook author and food columnist Marian Burros’ 5-star recipe—first featured in The New York Times in 1989—this easy glazed pork tenderloin is perfect for both weeknight dinners and special occasions. The marinade, a simple blend of mustard, brown sugar, rosemary, and sherry, infuses the tenderloin with a savory-sweet flavor while doubling as the base for a rich sauce.
Serve it alongside mashed sweet potatoes and French green beans for an effortlessly elegant meal.
“I made this for Christmas Eve dinner and doubled the recipe. It’s Christmas Day and my family is still talking about last night’s meal.”
What You’ll Need To make glazed Pork Tenderloin
- Pork Tenderloin: Lean, tender, and perfect for marinating and roasting, tenderloins cook quickly but require care to avoid drying out. Each loin weighs about 1 pound, so you’ll need 2 of them.
- Marinade Ingredients: A flavorful mix of light brown sugar, grainy Dijon mustard, dry sherry, fresh rosemary, salt, pepper, and vegetable oil. Together, they create a savory-sweet marinade while also helping the pork develop a beautifully browned crust.
- Unsalted Butter: Finishes the sauce, creating a smooth, velvety texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, mustard, sherry, and rosemary.
Step 2: Marinate the pork. Place the tenderloins in a dish, season with salt, and coat with one-third of the mixture. Marinate for 1 hour or overnight. Refrigerate the remaining marinade to use as the sauce base.
Pro tip: The pork will be flavorful and delicious after marinating for just an hour, but don’t skip the overnight option if you have the time—the longer the pork sits, the deeper the flavor.
Step 3: Sear and roast. 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, then transfer to a preheated 350°F oven and cook until the pork registers about 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, 12 to 15 minutes.
Pro tip: Make sure the skillet and oil are fully up to temperature before adding the pork. If the pan isn’t hot enough, the meat will steam instead of sear and you won’t get that deep, caramelized crust. A drop of water should evaporate almost instantly when the pan is ready.
Step 4: Start the sauce. Meanwhile, pour the remaining marinade into a small skillet and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
Step 5: Finish the sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and, stirring constantly, incorporate the butter one piece at a time. This technique is known as “mounting.” Season with salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Pro tip: Adding the butter off the heat is key here. If the pan is too hot, the butter will break and turn greasy instead of giving you that silky, glossy sauce.
Step 6: Let the pork rest. 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 slice.
Pro tip: Slice on a slight diagonal for the most attractive presentation; it exposes more of the interior and makes for a prettier platter.
Step 7: Serve. Arrange the sliced tenderloin on a platter and drizzle with a bit of the sauce, passing the rest at the table.
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins (1¾ to 2 lb/794 to 900 g) 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 (175°C) 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 (60°C) 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-in (6 to 12-mm) 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.
Notes
- 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.
- The nutritional information includes all of the ingredients for the marinade, so one serving is likely significantly lower in calories and fat than the numbers below.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Fantastic recipe! I’m from Iowa and it doesn’t get any better than this pork tenderloin. I like to cook with olive oil so am wondering why the recipe says vegetable oil. This is great for any night of the week and will impress any guest.
Glad you liked it! I like to canola oil when searing meat because it has a higher smoke point.
Past comments have asked about adapting this for a pork loin, but never reported back, so I’ll share my experience trying it with a 4lb loin.
Twice as much meat, so made double the marinade. Trimmed some fat, cut into four long strips. Let it soak overnight (16+ hours). Since the regular loin is not as tender, I think the longer time helped a lot.
Had to brown in 2 batches. Cut each strip in half and picked out the biggest 4 for the first batch; they took a little extra time to brown, more like 10 mins. Once both batches were done, 15 minutes in the oven was enough to reach temp and tenderness.
Some inconsistency from piece to piece since all were slightly different sizes, but it turned out really well. Served with sweet potatoes (mashed, but no extra butter: there was plenty of marinade left and the butter and brown sugar from that was a great match).
This is our absolute favorite way to prepare pork tenderloin! I made it for a family dinner (6 adults, 1 kiddo) and my 8-year old grandson ate so much I had to limit my portion!
I’m planning to make it this weekend—one for my husband and me and one for a friend, who will need to reheat it. How should I tell her to reheat it?
Sounds like you’ve got a hungry grandson! Glad it’s such a hit with your family. 😊
To reheat, I’d tell your friend to slice the tenderloin, put the slices on a baking sheet, cover tightly with foil, and put into a 350° oven for about 10 minutes or until just warmed through.
I made this and O. M. G. No one was talking while sitting at dinner except for audible “mmm” and “yumm”. So: I want to make this with pork chops. How do I adapt?
So glad it was a hit! Yes, I think you can make this with pork chops. I’d use the same cooking method–-searing it and then putting it in the oven to cook through–timing will be different, but I’m not sure by how much. You may want to consult some other recipes to get more of a feel.
This was delicious! Made this tonight for dinner and the whole family loved it. It was easy to make, very tender (I was only able to marinate for 3 hours), and the sauce was perfect with it. I forgot to buy rosemary, so used Herbs de Provence. I also made the sauce right in the cast iron pan after I removed the meat to rest, which worked great for less to clean.
You are my go-to for many recipes and the first site I check when looking for a new recipe. Thank you for making me look like a great cook every time!
Is there a substitute for you can suggest for the Sherry?
Hi Laura, you can use apple juice or apple cider in place of the sherry. Enjoy!