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.
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karen bowman says
I have looking for something real good to do to a pork loin I just found it! thank u
Rachael says
Thank you for stopping by.
Christina Aleman says
This is great to serve for a family dinner. It looks delicious and tender. Can’t wait to try it.
Jennifer says
I have a boneless pork rib roast. 2 1/2 lbs. Assuming I can apply this recipe to it? What do you think?
Rachael says
definitely!
Mrs White says
This looks and sounds delicious ? When you say Garlic Granules, does that mean powder or salt? Thanks !!
Gail says
Made this the other night for diner. We loved it! Very flavorful…served with Jamaican pigeon peas and rice and roasted veggies. Thank you for the recipe!
Rachael says
That sounds like an awesome meal, thanks for sharing!
Ashley says
Thanks for the recipe! My family LOVED it! It was perfect with a cheesy broccoli casserole & glazed yams!
Rachael says
So glad to hear it! Thank you for sharing.
Elizabeth Faber says
This was fabulous!
Rachael says
Thank you Elizabeth, so glad you liked it.
John Kiss says
Delicious! I varied a bit got the pineapple juice from a can of chunk pineapple, almost a cup drained out and after the pineapple chunks sat in a bowl, the rest of the cut appeared. I put the chunks in the pan with the pork and sprinkled a handful of shredded coconut on the tenderloins as they went into the oven. I don’t think the coconut did anything more than pretty it up, but the baked pineapple made a good side. Wonderful recipe!
Rachael says
Thank you John, I love your additions. This is a regular meal at our house. We love it too.
Nicole says
Hi! I’ would love to make this in my slow cooker with some potatoes, Just wondering how long and high or low temp? Recipe sounds delicious!!
Nicole says
I am also wondering ifni can do juice from an orange instead of pineapple
Lori Hammond says
The pork loin was so moist and flavorful. I will be making it again.
Curious Chef says
Really tasty and easy to make. This has become a regular at my house!
Jaritza says
Hi. Made this last weekend. Followed recipe exactly. Everyone love it. I would add lots more garlic and a bit more salt for my tastes. But i will definatley make again.
Rachael says
Thank you! I am also a garlic lover, so I am on board with adding more here!
Shelly says
Making this tonite, does anyone have any ideas for side dishes that would compliment the spices on the pork?
Rachael says
We love it with scalloped potatoes, or a nice spinach salad.
Shelly says
I’m always looking for new ways to make pork tenderloin and this one is a keeper! My family loved it.
Rachael says
Thanks Shelly, we love this recipe too, My family really enjoys it, so I am glad to hear yours loved it.
Regina says
The olive oil is not part of the rub ingredients. Recipes says to add olive oil to pan for hrowning. This may cause confusion as oil is listed under rub ingredients. Also the sauce needs some sort of thickening agent like cornstarch otherwise it will never thicken. Otherwise recipe produces a nice pork loin. Thanks for sharing.
Terrie says
I love that this recipe didn’t require lengthy marinade time, as many tenderloin recipes do. I needed it fast, and this was terrific! I agree with Regina that the sauce needed thickening. I did that at the end while the pork was resting on the cutting board…a little potato starch slurry over med-hi heat did the trick and it was delicious. We made a couple other adjustments for taste – added a bit of dry mustard to the rub, and less sugar but more garlic in the sauce, plus some minced fresh ginger which played really nicely with the pork and pineapple flavors. Thanks for making dinner easy!
Kimberly says
This is so aromatic and flavorful – heaven!
Erin says
Absolutely love pork tenderloin and this sauce is amazing!