One of my favorite things to make for dinner is this Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin.
I’ll never be a vegetarian. I’m a big time carnivore. I love eating meat for dinner, so you’ll rarely see a vegetarian dish on my family’s dinner table. Beef is my favorite, but a nice and juicy pork tenderloin runs a close second. This recipe has been running around in my family for a zillion years. It’s super simple- just a quick and flavorful marinade in which the pork spends a few hours hanging out, then baked until cooked through but still tender.
I like to cook it with a small puddle of the marinade sitting on the bottom of the dish. This ensures that the final result will be perfectly juicy. When tenderloin is cooked just right, it truly melts in your mouth. And it’s one of those meats that is really very easy to make too!
This recipe has a little bit of sweet and a little bit of spice (not spicy hot… just spicy like a little bit of cinnamon and onion/garlic). I have made this recipe dozens of times, and my family loves it every single time. It’s great with rice, couscous, or vegetables. I’ll be sharing the side dish that I served with it tomorrow.
I hope you enjoy one of my family’s favorite recipes!
Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons sherry
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ pounds pork tenderloin
Instructions
- In a large zip baggie, mix soy sauce, sugar, sherry, onion powder, cinnamon, olive oil and garlic powder. Swish around to mix. Add the pork and seal the bag. Refrigerate to marinate at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Spray a medium casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Drain the pork, reserving the marinade, and place it into the dish. Pour a little of the marinade into the dish with the pork. Bake the tenderloin 25 to 35 minutes, or until meat thermometer registers 145° F. Slice into medallions.
- Heat marinade to boiling and drizzle it onto the pork (if you wish).
Notes
- The tenderloin may also be grilled. Place tenderloins on oiled grill and cook 20 minutes, or to desired doneness.
- If you are preparing this recipe as GLUTEN-FREE, just be sure to use GF soy sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I could never be a vegetarian either! This look amazing!
I hear you. I may cook vegetarian or vegan dishes from time to time, but I will always be a meat-eater. This recipe is lovely. Thanks for sharing it.
This sounds super tasty Lori – love the flavours!
Yum! This looks delicious! I don’t have a casserole pan for baking. What other pan can I substitute it with?
Any pan that fits the tenderloins will work just fine 🙂
I have actually been a vegetarian a couple different times in my life when I was younger, but I always start adding “just fish” then “just fish and chicken” and then I can’t resist anymore and go back to eating all meats. Someone who loves meat as much as I do just can’t stay away! This looks awesome, Lori. Can’t wait to try it!
A lovely recipe. Thanks so much. I love pork too.
Was looking for a new pork tenderloin recipe – this looks like it! Just wondering if I could substitute anything for the sherry – the only ingredient I don’t have. Thanks!
Here’s a chart with some suggestions: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/articles/detail/alcohol-substitutes
ah, something new to try on one of the Costco tenderloins in my freezer!
Awesome recipe Lori! It’s so nice to see a pork tenderloin cooked correctly. A lot of times people overcook them and then they can get a bit dry. This one looks great though!
This is my kind of recipe…easy and delicious. The left over marinate made a wonderful sauce, even tried it on our mashed potatos..yum! My guest from California never wants to leave.