Pork Tenderloin

Roast pork loin in a caramelized onion and apricot sauce.

May 21, 2007

pork tenderloin with apricot onion sauce, Gallagher

Roasted pork tenderloin is served with a sweet sauce made of apricot jelly and caramelized onions.

Pork tenderloin recipes like this one couldn't be easier. While the pork loin is roasting, you can prepare the sauce.

This pork loin roast recipe makes an excellent main course for a dinner party or holiday gathering. Serve it with fresh green beans with sea salt, butternut squash and browned butter smashed potatoes, and a cool whip jello salad. If you want to add a tasty appetizer, try vegetarian pot stickers, goat cheese tarts or zucchini and prosciutto roll-ups.

You can even make this recipe a day in advance. Just cook everything completely, but don't slice the pork tenderloin. Refrigerate the sauce and the roast pork loin separately. Then, just before serving heat the sauce in the microwave and the pork tenderloin in the oven at 325 for about 10 minutes until warm. Let the pork loin roast rest 10 minutes before cutting, then serve.

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apricot and Caramelized Onion Sauce

2 pork tenderloins, (about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds total weight)
2-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
2 medium onions
2 Tbsp. apricot jelly
zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In an oven-safe skillet, heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the pork tenderloins with salt and pepper. Brown pork loins in the skillet on all sides, about five minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the pork loins reaches 145 to 150 degrees. Remove from the oven and allow the pork loins to rest for 10 minutes. This will bring the temperature of the pork up to 155 to 160 degrees.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions 1 to 2 minutes, then reduce the temperature to medium-low. Allow the onions to cook 15 to 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally, to make sure they don't burn. Add the apricot jelly and orange zest to the caramelized onions. Cook another 3 to 5 minutes until the jelly melts. Slice the pork loin diagonally and serve with the apricot onion sauce.

Serves 6.

Per serving: 402 calories, 27 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 91 mg cholesterol, 8 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 31 g protein, 0% vitamin A, 8% vitamin C, 2% calcium, 7% iron