One of my favorite meals is pork tenderloin. It’s inexpensive, it cooks up quickly, it tastes wonderful and freezes well, and it somehow feels finer than our regular cuisine, making it ideal for a dinner party or a family weeknight dinner.
However, it took me a long time to figure out how to make juicy, delicious pork tenderloin. You might easily end up with dried-out, bland pork if you don’t use the appropriate technique, but today we’ll show you how to achieve the greatest pork tenderloin in the oven every time.
Everything you need to make a wonderful and tender pork tenderloin may be done in the oven. Continue reading to learn how to roast pork tenderloin in the oven at 350 for the finest meal ever.
Pork Tenderloin Nutrition Facts
Tips on How to Cook Pork Tenderloin at 350
Cooking a delicious pork tenderloin can be difficult, but I have provided all the tips and tricks you will need right here.
Make sure the pork tenderloin cuts are even – Typically, one end of pork tenderloin is significantly thinner than the other. If you cook it the way it is, the narrow side will be dry and overcooked before the thicker side is done. You can use metal skewers to tuck the skinny side up a bit.
Brine the pork tenderloin – A brine contains a lot of salt, which permeates the flesh and makes it juicier. Here’s where you can learn more about bringing pork tenderloin, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt per cup of water is the basic rule. Plus, you will need enough water to totally submerge it, this should be about 4 cups.
You should dissolve the salt in the water in a big bowl. Then the pork tenderloin should be added to the salted water. You can proceed to refrigerate the solution for at least 30 minutes, but ideally 2 hours, after covering.
Some people might do this for about 24 hours, which is excessive for such a little piece of meat. You can rinse the tenderloin after removing it from the liquid. Remove the liquid and discard it.
Seasoning the pork tenderloin – You can season the pork tenderloin with salt, pepper, and other seasonings as desired. Just keep in mind that you’ve already brined the tenderloin with salt, so don’t add any more.
You should place the pork tenderloin in a baking dish that easily fits it without bending it. Place it in an oven that has been set to 350°F, uncovered. Bake for 20-27 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 145°F inside.
Checking for doneness – The temperature inside the pork tenderloin should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit. You don’t want the temperature to rise much higher than that because the pork will become dry.
If it hasn’t reached the safe cooking temperature, you need to continue to cook it until it has. Make sure you keep an eye on the pork as it cooks to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
Sear the pork tenderloin – The flavor of the pork tenderloin is greatly enhanced by searing it. The marinade caramelizes, resulting in a lovely golden brown coating on the outside. It also aids in the sealing of the fluids before baking.
You can add roughly ½ tablespoon of oil to an oven-safe skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Then, drain the excess marinade from the pork tenderloin and lay it in the pan to sear for 3 – 4 minutes until browned. Flip the pork tenderloin after 3 – 4 minutes and sear for another 3 – 4 minutes till golden.
Bake pork tenderloin at 350 – Pork tenderloin, unlike pork butt and pork shoulder, which roast up beautifully and are juicy can still get dry when cooked.
Since it is such a lean cut of meat, this is the case. Cooking pork tenderloin at 350 can consequently be difficult, but not impossible. You need to cook it immediately over high heat until it reaches a temperature of 145°F on the inside.
Make sure you rest the pork tenderloin after baking.
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How Long to Cook Pork Tenderloin at 350
I have heard folks say that pork tenderloin is best cooked at a high temperature. The pork tenderloin can, however, be cooked at 350 degrees F – it will simply take a bit longer to finish cooking.
If you are cooking at 350, the pork tenderloin should be done in 27 to 35 minutes. Make sure the pork tenderloin reaches a temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit on the inside.
| Cook Time | Rest Time | Total Time |
| 30 minutes | 5 minutes | 35 minutes |
Ingredients
- 1 lb. pork tenderloin
- 4 tablespoons of kosher salt
- 4 cups of cold tap water
- Metal skewers
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
Instructions
- You should start the recipe by dissolving some salt in water in a big bowl or ziptop bag.
- You should remember to remove the silverskin from the pork tenderloin and place it in the saltwater solution in a bowl or ziptop bag. You need to also make sure the water thoroughly surrounds and covers the pork tenderloin.
- You should refrigerate this solution for a minimum of 30 minutes, but preferably two hours.
- When you think you are ready to start cooking, you will need to rinse the pork tenderloin after removing it from the liquid. Then proceed to throw away the liquid.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You should tuck the pork tenderloin’s narrow side inside, you can hold it using metal skewers or butcher’s twine.
- Proceed to season to taste with salt and pepper. Remember that the pork tenderloin was already brined in salt, so make sure you don’t add a lot of salt.
- You should place the pork tenderloin in a baking dish that easily fits it without bending it.
- Go ahead and bake the tenderloin uncovered for 20 – 27 minutes until an instant-read thermometer registers 145°F internal temperature.
- You should allow the pork tenderloin to rest for 5 minutes on a cutting board before slicing it into ½-inch slices and serving.
You can watch this video recipe to know how long to cook pork tenderloin in the oven at 350.