One of my favorite cuts of meat is the pork tenderloin. I love how versatile it is and how it takes well to various types of preparation and cooking methods. In some ways, it’s better than a pork chop, which can be tricky for many cooks – one false move and you can end up with dry, chewy chops, and a table of sad eaters.
Pork tenderloin almost always stays moist and succulent, even if you forget to take it off the heat for just a few minutes. It’s very forgiving that way. It also goes well with many flavors. Best of all, it doesn’t break the bank.
I figured that pork tenderloin would be a great first meat to prepare with the new grill. It would allow us to test both the searing and grilling capabilities. It’s not like a piece of steak that takes mere minutes on the grill. While yummy, what fun is that? I wanted an opportunity to really be able to see how the grill would perform. After all, it’s probably going to take a little while to get used to all its nuances.
So for the grill’s inaugural firing, I decided to prepare Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloins. The Lynx Grill handled it beautifully! Perfectly seared and evenly cooked, the tenderloins were juicy and flavorful. But this can easily be made without a grill, and I have include instructions for that version as well. Either way, you’ll be left with tasty morsels of pork that are kissed with smokey garlic flavors. And if you happen to have any leftovers (hardly the case in our house), they make an awesome filling for burritos the next day!
Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin
- 4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)
Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. If you like or have the time, marinate overnight. If not, no worries, it will still be great!
Grill preparation:
Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Try to let it rest before slicing.
Oven preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add pork, and brown all over, about 4 minutes.
Transfer pan to oven. Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and try to let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.
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From Stokholm to Minneapolis, yes, all over the world. I found this on Pinterest as well. Making it tomorrow night for my boyfriend’s 40th bday. And the 2nd one for my brother & his wife who have a 7day old baby. This looks easy and wonderful, thank you!
I made this the other night, too bad it turned out too salty, next time half the salt and it’ll be perfect
[...] of the day”…YUM!!! You can make it too, it was SUPER EASY! Get the info here, at kitchenconfidante.com. I just added some salad (I like dried cranberries, walnuts and a poppy seed dressing) and some [...]
I just wrote a post about this pork tenderloin. what a great recipe. Thanks for sharing and making my dinner so yummy last night. When you get a chance check it out.
My husband and I made this tonight – it was SO GOOD! Great flavors, and very simple to make.
Making this tonight, can’t wait! Just out of curiosity, what accompaniments did you serve with it?
Hi Erica! I hope I caught you in time before your dinner. Well, we love this pork dish with a variety of sides. Rice pilaf, grilled potato fries, a salad, pasta salad, bean salad – these all work well. I also love serving simple balsamic mushrooms, sauteed. Any fresh or steamed veggies. This is awesome with fresh corn. I hope that helps, and enjoy!
Excellent, thank you! Well dinner is over and the plates are spotless! Extremely moist and tasty. I must admit I found it a little salty (I used a coarse kosher salt) so will make a slight adjustment next time. Thanks so much for sharing this winning recipe
[...] tried an absolutely amazing grilled pork tenderloin marinade off of Pinterest the week before, so I suggested we give it a go on chicken [...]
This looks amazing and want to make for tonight, but only have thick cut pork chops, do you think it will work out on chops instead of a tenderloin? Will definitely have to cut the cooking time.
Hi Angela, thank you – absolutely, they will work on your thick pork chops. Try to marinate a bit longer and definitely adjust your cooking time. Pork chops do tend to dry out more easily than tenderloin. But the flavors will be fantastic. Good luck, I hope you enjoy it
This recipe is a keeper! I did heed the advice of other commentators and only added 2 teaspoons of salt. My loin was about 4 pounds, so I did have to cook it a little longer to reach 160 degrees, but it was soft, moist and delicious. Thank you!
[...] 2/2 ~ Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin from Kitchen Confidante. This is a must make. It’s easy, elegant and yummy. Serve it with a green veggie and [...]
Used this to marinate some Axis tenderloins overnight. It was amazing. Thank you!
Thank you Pinterest! My husband and I made this on Friday night and it was SO GOOD! We are a family of 3, so we had plenty of leftovers to eat it for lunch the next day. Thanks for the great recipe, and I’m so glad to have discovered your site!
Just made ours with a few adjustments. I left out the salt, browned in a skillet on all sided then wrapped in bacon. Just in case a PORK loin isnt enough PORK. Bacon makes everything better, right? Grilling them tonight!!! Thanks for the recipe!
[...] to Stephanie, I saw this amazing recipe for Grilled Balsamic Garlic Encrusted Pork Roast from Kitchen Confidante on Pinterest (where else?). It looked super easy, and I was kind of getting sick of chicken. Plus I [...]
I could not find small pork tenderloins, so I opted for a larger pork tenderloin and cut in a close half. I am feeding four people so I think this size will work out wonderfully. I have in marinating in the fridge as we speak. I wish there were a picture of what it looks like before it is cooked. I am worried about the garlic. I have to hand chop everything. I chopped it as small as I could get it. Hopefully the garlic cooks down some. Anyway, I am very excited to try this. I am going to pair it with green beans and hasselbeck potatoes that I also found here on pinterest.
[...] Buffalo Chicken Rolls Soup: Rich and Creamy Tomato Basil Soup Entree: Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloins Dessert: Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Homemade Peanut Butter [...]
Made this for our Valentine’s dinner here in Domodossola, Italy. Make it with chicken breast (it was on sale) and cooked it in the oven. Turned out great! Cook time was a little longer (1/2 hour or so). I think searing it before cooking made a big difference. Yum. This one’s a keeper.
But next time I gotta try it with pork. I think it will be even better.
Oh my God, this is my favorite. The photo looks awesome. I’m drooling now.
Question – if you do it in the oven, do you use a roasting rack?