Island Style Pork Tenderloin
This island style pork tenderloin is both delicious and easy to make. It starts with a spice rub, and is finished with a sweet pineapple glaze baked in the oven. Baked Pork Tenderloin is an easy weeknight meal.
You guys, I love pork tenderloin. It’s moist. It is yummy. And it is so versatile. You can use spices, rubs, and sauces to get almost any flavor you want. Enjoy my recipe!
Lately I have been dying for a vacation. I have been on a few work trips recently for blogging conferences and the like, but not a real kick up my feet, drink a fruity drink, and get some sun on my skin vacation. So this tenderloin is my way of taking a trip to the islands in my mouth. A little vacation from everyday flavors for something exotic and way more fun!
This Island Style Pork Tenderloin comes together in about 30 minutes, making it a great weeknight meal. You can bake up a few potatoes, steam some veggies, and by the time those are all ready to go, so will your pork!
How do I cook a pork tenderloin in the oven?
Cooking pork tenderloin in the oven is a great way to make a juicy, tasty, and flavorful pork tenderloin. However, if you want really amazing pork, follow these steps:
Step one: Season the pork tenderloin
Pork is juicy and flavorful in general, but to get a really amazing island style pork tenderloin, you start with a spice rub. You simply mix up the spices, and rub them all over the pork tenderloin.
Step two: Sear the pork tenderloin on all sides
I love to start my pork tenderloin on the stove top with a nice sear to all sides. Not only will this help to hold the juices in, but it will also give you added flavor. Sear is a caramelization on the exterior, which means FLAVOR.
The tip is you need to use a skillet that can go from stove top to oven so you don’t have to transfer the tenderloin, and that way you won’t lose any of the flavor in the skillet.
Step three: Bake pork tenderloin in the oven
Ensure that your pork is cooked to the right temperature with a meat thermometer. This instant read thermometer has a digital readout, a wide temperature range, a foldable probe, and a detailed meat temperature chart which makes it perfect for all of my recipes.
Just look at that perfectly cooked pork tenderloin!
Pork Temperatures:
The recommended minimum temperature you want to reach when cooking pork is an internal temp of 145 degrees F, which will give you a medium-rare cook.
For a medium tenderloin, make sure you get your internal temp up to 150 – 155 degrees F.
For medium-well, bring your temp up to 155 – 160 degrees F, and lastly for a well done tenderloin, bring your internal temp up to at least 160 degrees F.
What to serve with oven baked pork tenderloin:
My favorite side is some good veggies.
Steaming vegetables is quick and easy with the right tools. This Aroma rice cooker and food steamer is so easy to use with just a button to push, it automatically will keep food warm when it is done cooking, and the inner cooking pot is removable for easy clean up!
An instant pot is also great for this. Try these Instant Pot Au Gratin Potatoes.
Let’s get to the recipe:
Enjoy!
Other Pork recipes you might enjoy:
- Easy Pork Enchiladas
- Easy Pork Carnitas Meal Prep Bowls
- Pulled Pork Pulse Protein Bowl
- How To Perfectly Roast a Rack of Pork
- Pork Loin with Apples, Potatoes, and Carrots
Island Style Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
Spice Rub
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2-3 lb pork tenderloin
- 2 Tbs olive oil
Sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 1/2 Tbs minced garlic
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Mix together the spice rub ingredients and rub all over pork tenderloin
- Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat on the stove top
- Add olive oil, and brown the pork tenderloin for 2-3 minutes on each side in a skillet
- While browning, mix together the sauce ingredients
- Once browned, pour over the pork and put in preheated oven
- Bake for 20 minutes or until interior reaches 145 degrees (medium rare) to 160 degrees (medium)
- Remove from oven and cover and let rest for 5 minutes
- Slice and serve with some of the pan sauce drizzled over the top.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
Pin to your Pork Board on Pinterest:
Courtney says
So easy and delicious – love all the fun island flavor!
Heather Seeley says
This pork looks perfect and that sauce sounds so good! I love the addition of pineapple juice.
Taylor says
LOVE the flavor in the sauce! So yummy!
Carolin says
Great recipe! Super easy and quick. Will definitely be making this again. I did make one small change. I thickened the sauce with a little cornstarch and water after taking the dish out of the oven.
Rachael says
Love it! I am so glad you liked the recipe. And what a great way to speed up thickening the sauce.
Barbara Karr says
Fixing recipe now. I have made a couple of your recipes now and am a big fan! Eazy Peazy is right.But more important the recipes are delicious! Your ingredients are simple and already in the pantry.You make meals easy and stress free. Thanks for sharing. Barb
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Andrea T says
Turned out perfect. All those little flavors work together wonderfully. For a Michigander with a February vacation booked for the Florida Keys, this recipe helped bide the time during a snowy weekend 😉
DawnMarie says
Love this one! Make it in a cast iron pan. Only change was we used the juice from a can of pineapple chunks (perfect measured to what is needed) and we throw the pineapple chunks in there as well. So good.
Added bonus tip…. we make tbe whole package of tenderloins and the second night i cut up the leftover pork, saute some onions, peppers and throw some rice in the pan with the leftover juice and pineapples to make an island fried rice. Delicious, filling and easy. 2 dinners in 1!
Jim says
Sounds so delicious, might try it for supper tomorrow night.
Nancy Casey says
Made this tonight and my family loved it….after I sliced the pork I put it back in the sauce and coated that yummy sauce all over it….they want to know when I will be making it again
Rachael says
Oh I love it. Thanks for sharing, so glad you enjoyed it. That sauce is dreamy.
Gerri Rajski says
This recipe is awesome and I have made it several times and everyone loves it. So easy
Rachael says
Ah I am so glad. We love this pork tenderloin too!
andrew says
excellent! very flavourful.