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Pork tenderloin on serving platter with maple sauce
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4.85 from 19 votes

BEST Pork Tenderloin Recipe (Maple Glazed!)

The Best Pork Tenderloin Recipe ever makes moist, tender pork covered in a sweet and sticky maple syrup sauce. It’s an addictively amazing main dish that gets rave reviews every time! Plus it is the perfect dish for entertaining or the holidays. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 424kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup maple syrup (will need ¾ cup total)
  • ¼ cup molasses dark or light
  • 2 tablespoon bourbon
  • teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of cloves
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 pork tenderloins (about 5 lbs total) trimmed and silverskin removed
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
    *If you are making this for a crowd or do not have an oven safe skillet, please see the notes at the bottom of the recipe card for altered instructions.
  • In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, mix ½ cup of maple syrup, molasses, bourbon, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne. Set aside.
    ½ cup maple syrup, ¼ cup molasses, 2 tablespoon bourbon, ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon, Pinch of cloves, Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • In another small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, salt, and pepper. Pour onto a rimmed cookie sheet.
    ¼ cup cornstarch, 2 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoon pepper
  • Pat pork tenderloins dry with paper towels. Roll in the cornstarch mixture to thoroughly coat all sides, then shake the excess cornstarch off.
  • Heat oil in an oven-safe skillet (preferably a cast iron skillet) over medium-high heat, then spray liberally with nonstick spray. Once hot, place tenderloins in the hot pan and sear on all sides for 8-12 minutes total. All sides should be browned well.
    2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Add syrup mixture to the skillet and simmer for two minutes, flipping the tenderloins half way through. Remove 2 tablespoons of the cooked maple syrup mixture and set it aside in a small bowl.
  • Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 12-20 minutes, until a thermometer stuck in the middle of the tenderloin reads 130°. Remove from the oven and use a silicone brush to rub the glaze from the pan over the tenderloins.
  • Return to the oven for another 2-4 minutes, until the thermometer reads 140-145°.
  • Remove tenderloins from the skillet and let rest uncovered on a cutting board for 10 minutes.
  • While the meat is resting, combine the remaining ¼ cup maple syrup, mustard, and reserved syrup/glaze in the small bowl.
    ¼ cup maple syrup, 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
  • After resting, slice the meat and serve with maple mustard sauce.
  • Note: For easy cleaning be sure to fill your pan with water as soon as you have finished using it. If you forgot to add water and the glaze is pretty sticky, fill it with water and simmer it on the stove. That should loosen up the glaze pretty quickly.
  • We love comments! Please come back and leave us one after you’ve tried this recipe.

Notes

Tips & Tricks
  • Shake off the excess cornstarch to avoid a gummy crust.
  • The heat is important in this recipe. Too hot and it easily burns, not hot enough and the pork doesn’t brown. The pan should be on medium-high heat until it is hot, but not smoking. 
  • Pork tenderloin comes in different shapes and sizes. It does not usually have just two defined sides… sometimes it has 3 or even 4. Make sure to season and sear every side for the best results. 
  • Often times one tenderloin will be smaller than the other. If this is the case, the smaller tenderloin may cook faster. Check the temperature often during baking and remove each tenderloin as soon as it reaches the desired temperature to avoid drying it out.
  • Use real maple syrup for true mind-blowing flavor. The fake stuff just doesn’t taste the same.
Making for a Crowd or without an Oven-Safe Pan
If you are not using a cast iron skillet or if you want to serve this to a crowd, follow the instructions through step 5. Once the tenderloins are seared, place them on a wire rack that has been sprayed with non-stick spray and placed on a cookie sheet. 
After all the tenderloins are removed from the pan, pour the syrup mixture from step six into the skillet and allow it to simmer for a minute or two, until slightly thickened. Set aside 2 tablespoons (per recipe) in a small bowl. Then use a silicone basting brush to cover the outside of the tenderloins in the glaze. Continue with the recipe as written (you should be at step 7) until the correct internal temperature has been reached. 

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1290mg | Potassium: 982mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg