Description
his Butterflied Cranberry Orange Pork Tenderloin Recipe is the perfect holiday or next family gathering dish! It is easy to make, and the cranberry orange sauce is absolutely delicious. The pork tenderloin is butterflied, so it cooks quickly and evenly. The cranberry-orange sauce is made with cranberries, orange juice, and a touch of light brown sugar.
Ingredients
- - 1 ½ lbs. pork tenderloin, patted dry
- - Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- - 2 teaspoon avocado or extra virgin olive oil
- - ½ cup orange juice
- - 1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- - 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- - ¼ cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- - Place the Butterflied pork tenderloin in a large bowl. Drizzle oil over the top of the pork and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- - Mix together orange juice, mustard, brown sugar and rosemary. Set aside.
- - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork tenderloin to the skillet. Cook on one side for 5-6 minutes or until it is well browned. Flip and cook on the other side for 5 minutes more or until it is just cooked through. Remove the tenderloin from the pan and place it on a cutting board that has a rim. Cover it with foil lightly to keep it warm.
- - Pour the orange juice mixture into the skillet. Add any accumulated meat juices from the cutting board. Add cranberries and cook, stirring until they are reduced by half (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in butter just until it melts.
- - Take some meat and slice it thinly. Place it on a serving platter. Spread cranberry-orange sauce over the meat. You can also add some fresh rosemary if you like.
Notes
Butterflying pork tenderloin allows it to cook quickly and evenly, making it a simple, easy weeknight meal choice. To butterfly, place tenderloin on a large piece of plastic wrap on cutting board. Make a slit, cutting lengthwise down the middle, being careful not to cut all the way through. I find best results are achieved when you cut ⅔ of the way through, leaving ⅓ of the overall thickness of tenderloin. Open the tenderloin like a book. Cover with a 2nd sheet of plastic wrap and pound it out with the flat side of a meat mallet or press it out with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Butterflied pork pairs well with many flavors, but my personal favorite is cranberry orange. The sweetness of the cranberries balances out the richness of the pork, and the orange provides a lovely citrusy brightness. Plus, it looks pretty on a plate! This dish is sure to please everyone at your table. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
