Lemon Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Cooking at home is the perfect way to spend your free time as it gives you the satisfaction of making your hearty meal.
This lemon garlic pork tenderloin recipe will help you with that.
Pork tenderloin is one of the best cuts of meat that you can get and cook.
It is full of healthy protein and just enough fats to make the meat juicy and tender when it is being cooked.
You can also easily mess up the cooking process, and you will get a lump of tough meat after. That is why you need to learn the basics of cooking this cut of meat.
There are not a lot of ingredients or seasonings needed for this recipe.
The secret to making this delicious meal is to make sure that you do not overpower the flavor within the meat itself.
Seasoning the pork tenderloin is important, of course, but you do not need to smother it with seasonings as they can affect both the flavor and the texture of the meat when it cooks.
Along with these reminders, there are also two recipes that you can follow below to make the best pork tenderloin at home so make sure to get your tools ready and follow the guides.
Grilled Lemon Garlic Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- 1-pound pork tenderloin
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and grated
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
Step 1: Prepare And Clean The Pork Tenderloin
If you have bought a frozen pork tenderloin, place it in the refrigerator and then let it stay there overnight to let it defrost.
You can also speed up the process by leaving it in the sink.
Open the faucet slowly allowing cold water to drip onto the pork tenderloin.
After it has been thawed, get a sharp knife and start trimming off the silver skin from the pork tenderloin.
Trim off some of the fats and leave a thin layer of it to ensure that the pork tenderloin stays juicy and tender when it cooks.
Wash it with cold water and then pat dry with paper towels.
Step 2: Marinate The Pork Tenderloin
Combine the oil, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper in a shallow flat dish.
Mix it well together and then place the pork tenderloin on top of the mixture before rubbing it.
Use your hands to coat the pork tenderloin with the rub and make sure to get it all over the tenderloin.
Cover the tenderloin with a cling wrap and then palace it in the fridge for an hour.
Note: Leaving the pork tenderloin to rest in the fridge will help the rub sink deeper into the meat. It will not necessarily tenderize the meat but it will help get more of the flavors in it.
Step 3: Preheat The Grill
The best way to cook this recipe is by using a charcoal grill to get that authentic barbecue flavor.
You can even add a wood chip into the mix to get some smoky flavors into the pork tenderloin.
Load up the grill with charcoals and then set the temperature to medium heat or around 350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Close the lid of the grill to help distribute the heat evenly inside it.
After it preheats, soak a paper towel in oil and then smear it on the grill grates.
This will help prevent the pork tenderloin from sticking to the grill grates especially in the first stages of cooking.
Step 4: Grill The Pork Tenderloin
After the grill has reached the set temperature and you have coated the grill grates with oil, immediately place the pork tenderloin on the grill grates and then close the lid of the grill.
Every 3 minutes, open the grill lid and turn the pork tenderloin a quarter turn.
After you have turned the pork tenderloin completely over, insert a meat probe into the center of the meat.
Go to the thickest part of the pork tenderloin as it will be the coldest part of it.
Allow the pork tenderloin to grill for another 10 minutes or until the meat probe reads 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once the pork tenderloin reaches the set internal temperature, remove it from the grill.
Let it rest on a cutting board for at least 5 minutes before slicing it and serving it!
Lemon Garlic Pork TENDERLOIN Roast
- 2-pound pork tenderloin
- 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1 tablespoon of lemon zest
- Half teaspoon of salt
- Half teaspoon of pepper
- 2 pounds of baby potatoes
Step 1: Clean And Prepare The Pork Tenderloin
If you have bought a frozen pork tenderloin, make sure to defrost it first by leaving it in the fridge overnight.
You can also let cold water drip onto it on the sink to thaw the tenderloin faster.
Get a sharp and flexible knife and then score one end of the silver skin.
Pull the silver skin by holding it with a paper towel and guide the knife through so you can easily pull it off of the meat.
Wash the pork tenderloin under cold running water and then pat it dry with paper towels.
Let it sit at room temperature to continue defrosting the interior of the pork tenderloin.
Step 2: Marinate The Pork
Mix the oregano, garlic, oil, paprika, thyme, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a large bowl.
Mix it well and then put the marinade in a large zip lock bag leaving half of it.
You can use the other half of the marinade for the baby potatoes later.
Place the pork tenderloin in the zip lock bag with the marinade and then massage the marinade into the meat.
Make sure that the marinade completely covers the pork tenderloin.
Close the zip lock bag and then place it in the refrigerator for an hour to let the marinade seep into the meat.
Step 3: Prepare The Potatoes
Cut the baby potatoes in half and then prepare a cast-iron pan or a regular pan.
Toss the potatoes in the pan with the marinade to coat the baby potatoes properly with the marinade.
Arrange the potatoes properly on the side of the pan and then place the pork tenderloin on top.
Pour the rest of the marinade over the pork tenderloin and get your oven ready.
Note: You can also leave the potatoes as they are and you do not need to cut them in half.
However, cutting them in half will allow the marinade to settle on the softer part of the potatoes.
Step 4: Roast The Pork Tenderloin
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and then transfer the roasting pan with the pork tenderloin and the potatoes in it into the oven.
Close the oven door and let it cook the tenderloin.
Allow the pork tenderloin to roast for at least an hour before measuring the temperature.
Insert a meat probe into the thickest part of the pork tenderloin and measure the internal temperature.
If the internal temperature reads 145 degrees Fahrenheit, that means that the pork tenderloin is cooked and ready.
Remove the pan from the oven and then use tongs to get the tenderloin.
Place it on aluminum foil and then wrap the pork tenderloin with it.
Let the pork tenderloin rest for at least 10 minutes to allow the juices to come back into the meat and make it more tender.
Once done, arrange the potatoes on a large dish, slice the pork tenderloin thinly and then serve!
If you like the post then do not forget to share it on social media!
