Cajun Honey Pork Tenderloin
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Sweet and spicy Cajun Honey Pork Tenderloin. This flavorful pork is oh so tender, quick and easy to put together, and will produce delicious results every time. Ready in just over 30 minutes! Perfect for a weeknight dinner, holiday worthy and makes great leftovers!
Delicious Pork Tenderloin Recipe
You know what’s a super quick and delicious meal? Pork tenderloin. Seriously! It’s very versatile, you can make it so many different ways, it’s wonderful. This Cajun Honey Pork Tenderloin is cooked perfectly with a delicious cajun honey glaze.
A little bit sweet, a little bit spicy and so tender and juicy, I can’t rave enough about how good this pork tenderloin is! Cooking pork tenderloin may sound like you need some expert kitchen skills, but it’s actually easier than ever! It takes just over 30 minutes from start to finish and with my straight forward, fool proof recipe, you can trick everyone into thinking you’re a master chef, all while using minimal effort. It’s so good!
Cajun Honey Pork Tenderloin Recipe Highlights
I’m pretty sure you’ll love this pork tenderloin recipe, but here’s why:
- INCREDIBLY SIMPLE TO MAKE. No complicated sauces, no long marinades, just minimal effort, few ingredients and a pretty quick cooking time!
- SERIOUSLY TASTY. Perhaps this should be the main reason for making this. Incredible flavors, sweet, spicy and finger-licking delicious, completely juicy and tender!
- ALWAYS A CROWD PLEASER. If you love pork, then this pork tenderloin is for you.
What Ingredients You’ll Need
We’re making our own cajun spice for this recipe, here’s what else you’ll need:
- PORK TENDERLOIN – The star of our recipe! You’ll need two equal size pork tenderloins, not to be confused with pork loin. Pork loin will take longer to cook, for a great pork loin recipe check out my ROSEMARY GARLIC PORK LOIN.
- CAJUN SEASONING – You can use store bought or it’s really simple to make your own spice blend using my recipe for CAJUN SEASONING.
- OLIVE OIL – You’ll need a little bit of olive oil to sear the tenderloin on all sides to caramelize the natural sugars in the meat and brown the proteins, forming a delicious brown crust. This will ensure we get the most flavorful roast.
- BUTTER – I always use unsalted butter to control how salty my dish is. Butter will make our sauce silky and smooth.
- HONEY – Substitute with agave or maple syrup. Honey will make our pork not only sweet, but it will help caramelize the pork and give us that sticky finish.
- CHICKEN BROTH – I always use a low sodium chicken broth.
How To Make Cajun Honey Pork Tenderloin
BEFORE YOU START. The best and safest way to check when any meat is cooked is to use an instant-read thermometer and you will always get precise results.
PREPARE THE PORK TENDERLOIN. As I mentioned, this is an incredibly simple recipe. The only thing you really need to do to the pork to prep is is to rub it generously with cajun seasoning. However, I usually always recommend to pat the pork dry with paper towels before seasoning, this will ensure the spices stick to the meat.
SEAR THE PORK. Searing the pork in a hot skillet with a little bit of olive oil is a critical step. This is done in order to caramelize the natural sugars in the meat and brown the proteins, forming a delicious brown crust. This will ensure we get the most flavorful roast. Transfer the pork to a plate while we make the sauce.
MAKE THE SAUCE. Add the sauce ingredients to the skillet, the butter, honey and chicken broth. Bring it to a simmer then add the pork back to the skillet.
ROAST THE PORK. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for about 18 minutes or until the internal temperature of the pork registers at 155°F (68°C). Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the pork to a plate.
REDUCE THE SAUCE. Place the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat and simmer the sauce until it reduces and thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. This is the time to taste the sauce and adjust for seasoning with salt or additional cajun seasoning.
SLICE AND SERVE. At this point you can let the pork rest for 5 to 10 minutes to lock in all the juices. All that’s left to do is cut the pork tenderloin into slices using a sharp knife, whatever thickness you like and serve with your favorite side such as mashed potatoes.
What Temperature Do You Cook Pork Tenderloin To?
To check for doneness properly, always use a digital cooking thermometer and this way you’ll end up with perfectly cooked pork every single time. The safe internal temperature for fresh cuts is 145°F (63°C). Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat for the best read.
Medium-Rare | 145°F (63°C) – 150°F (65°C) |
Medium | 150°F (65°C) – 155°F (68°C) |
Medium-Well | 155°F (68°C) – 160°F (71°C) |
Well Done | 160°F (71°C) |
Why Is My Pork Tenderloin Tough Or Dry?
This usually happens when you overcook the tenderloin, which is why it’s extremely important to focus on the internal temperature of the meat rather than cooking times.
What Is The Difference Between Pork Loin And Pork Tenderloin
Pork loin and pork tenderloin are not cut from the same part of the animal, and in fact, look really different.
Pork tenderloin is thin and long boneless cut of meat and comes from the muscle that runs alongside the backbone. A pork loin is wide enough that you can cut steak-like pieces from it and comes from the back.
How To Serve
You can serve this with so many great sides. My favorite way to serve is always with a side of creamy mashed potatoes and some crusty bread. Here are some more delicious suggestions:
- Skillet Green Beans
- Cauliflower Au Gratin
- Colcannon
- Roasted Broccoli
- Quick Yeast Dinner Rolls
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Roasted Root Vegetables
Expert Tips And Tricks
- Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! Use your hands to season the pork loin to ensure you get every crack and crevice.
- To get the pork so that it’s perfect on the outside and perfect on the inside, sear it first on all sides until it’s crisp then put it in the oven so that it cooks in the middle. You’ll end up with the perfect piece of meat.
- I decided to make it sweet and spicy. You can make it more or less spicy, depending on how much spiciness you can handle! Just adjust the amount of Cajun spice used in the recipe. You can also experiment with different spices such as garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, etc.
Storing Leftovers
Transfer the pork tenderloin to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Make sure the pork has fully cooled down to room temperature before storing.
To reheat, you can use the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat.
Freezing/Make Ahead
Make sure the pork has fully cooled down to room temperature before freezing. You can store the pork in an airtight container or sealable freezer bag. It will last 2-3 months frozen.
I suggest letting the pork fully thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. This will allow you to reheat the pork evenly without drying any of it out.
More Delicious Pork Recipes To Try
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Cajun Honey Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound each)
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning (from above)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup butter (unsalted (4 tablespoons))
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup chicken broth (low sodium)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Sprinkle the cajun seasoning all over the pork tenderloins and rub it all over.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof skillet over high heat. Add the tenderloins and sear on all sides until golden brown. Transfer the pork to a plate.
- Add the butter, honey and chicken broth to the skillet and cook until it comes to a boil. Add the tenderloins back to the skillet and transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Roast for 18-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 155°F (68°C).
- Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the pork to a plate. Place the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat and simmer the sauce until it reduces and thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust with salt or additional cajun spice.
- Place the pork tenderloins back in the skillet and flip it around in the sauce to coat evenly all around.
- Cut into slices and serve with sauce.
Video
Notes
- Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! Use your hands to season the pork loin to ensure you get every crack and crevice.
- To get the pork so that it’s perfect on the outside and perfect on the inside, sear it first on all sides until it’s crisp then put it in the oven so that it cooks in the middle. You’ll end up with the perfect piece of meat.
- I decided to make it sweet and spicy. You can make it more or less spicy, depending on how much spiciness you can handle! Just adjust the amount of Cajun spice used in the recipe. You can also experiment with different spices such as garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, etc.
- Transfer the pork tenderloin to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Make sure the pork has fully cooled down to room temperature before storing.
- To reheat, you can use the microwave or in a skillet over medium heat.
- To freeze, make sure the pork has fully cooled down to room temperature before freezing. You can store the pork in an airtight container or sealable freezer bag. It will last 2-3 months frozen.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Recipe originally shared December 2012.
Absolutely wonderful flavour! Will be making this again!
Excellent Recipe ! A delicious blend of ingredients …. And easy to make !
So glad you enjoyed it!
A lovely flavorful recipe that’s simple to make.
Best recipe ever for juicy pork! You eill not be disappointed.
Can you make this in a Ninja cooker oven it sears and bakes like a oven
I don’t see why not!
Made this tonight and it did not disappoint! My two teenage/young adult daughters are very picky eaters. I wasn’t going to serve their portion with the reduced sauce, but they tried and loved it. Served it with carrots cooked with brown sugar and butter, rice, and broccoli (we try for all the colors on our plate).
Any suggestions for cooking this in an instant pot? I didn’t leave any stars yet because we haven’t made this
I would still sear the meat as instructed first on the Saute mode then you can cook it on high pressure for 5 minutes, then let it naturally release pressure.
Just made this recipe and it was delicious, not really cooked a lot with pork tenderloin but this will be added to my menu, instructions were spot on, thank you Jo 🤩
My pleasure, so glad you liked it!
Thanks for this recipe. It was easy, made with simple ingredients and we loved it! I will definitely be making it again.
Great easy fast!!!! One pan! Delicious everyone enjoyed
This recipe was a crowd favorite at a dinner party I just had. The most tender, juicy pork tenderloin I ever had. Had guests saying that it felt like being at a 5-star restaurant how delicious it was 💖
Best comment! Thanks so much for letting me know!
I have to say GOOD JOB! really GOOD JOB! Tried thIS recipe for my wife . She said ….EXACT WORDS ( I would go to a restaurant and pay for this ) I’m the man thank you . Easy to follow thought it would be to spicy as is has a kick next time I’ll do a drop less cayenne. And I added extra honey glanulars but WOW THANK YOU
Glad you guys enjoyed it!
Made this last night for my family. My wife and 3 kids are tough critics, This one is a hit! Looks like it may make the regular rotation
So glad you guys liked it!
Love your recipes but this is the first time I’ve been inspired to write a review. Our family is not big pork eaters but this recipe is amazing. I’ve cooked it twice in the last week and it’s a huge hit. I follow it exactly and it’s the perfect blend of sweet and spicy and so easy to do on a weeknight but tastes like a special meal. Awesome!
I’m so glad you liked it and thank you for taking the time to review it. 🙂
I recently stumbled across Jo Cooks.com while looking for a recipe for left over ham. I was hooked after using the Leftover Ham and Bean Soup! This Cajun Honey Pork Tenderloin was AMAZING! I followed the recipe exactly — the flavor was so good and I feel like the recipe is literally fool proof! I served the pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes made with sour cream and cheese — perfect quick meal! I’m a huge Ina Garten fan as her recipes ALWAYS turn out. Joanna is no different — I’ve made 4 Jo Cooks recipes thus far and each one is a WINNER!
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes!