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A blend of apple cider, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard makes a tasty braising liquid for pork tenderloin that infuses it with flavor as it cooks together with sautéed cabbage, chunks of fresh apple, and bits of smoky bacon. The result is a simple, one-dish dinner that can be served all on its own, or with a side dish of roasted potatoes.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
In case you don’t know us by now, we are real fans of the contrast between sweet and savory flavors in our cooking, and this dish hits those notes just perfectly. Another thing we love about this recipe is the fact that it all comes together in one pan. We generally serve it with roasted potatoes because you can pop them in the oven while you cook everything else, but mashed potatoes are delicious with it too.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- PORK TENDERLOIN: This tender, boneless cut of pork is relatively small, weighing only 1 to 1-1/4 pounds on average, and is often sold in a two-pack. It doesn’t have a lot of marbling, therefore it’s important not to overcook it.
- BACON: We use bacon in this dish to add a note of smoky flavor to complement the sweetness of the apples and sautéed cabbage. We prefer uncured, thick-cut bacon for its meatier texture, but your favorite cut and brand will do just fine.
- APPLES: Diced apple is also a perfect flavor pairing with pork, particularly when you add in the smokiness of the bacon, and the sweetness of sautéed cabbage.
- CABBAGE: Cabbage is a classic pairing with pork, and its texture and flavor lend themselves perfectly to this dish.
- APPLE CIDER: Cider is a nice choice as a braising liquid for this dish as its slight acidity helps infuse the pork with flavor.
How to Make Braised Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Cabbage
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
TRIM AND SEASON THE PORK: Using a sharp knife, trim the silver skin from the pork tenderloin and season on all sides with salt and pepper.
COOK THE BACON AND SEAR THE PORK: Fry the bacon until crisp, transfer to a plate, drain most of the fat, then sear the pork tenderloin briefly on all sides. Set aside.
SAUTÉ THE CABBAGE: Return the pan to the stove, add butter and diced onion, and cook until soft. Then add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant. Add the cabbage, cook until wilted, and season to taste.
ADD THE APPLES: Return the bacon to the pan and continue cooking until the cabbage develops a little color. Add the apple, cider, mustard, and brown sugar, and combine.
BRAISE THE PORK: Nestle the pork tenderloin into the cabbage-apple mixture. Cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 135°F when inserted in the thickest part of the tenderloin. Transfer it to a cutting board and allow it to rest before slicing.
REDUCE THE BRAISING LIQUID AND FINISH THE DISH: While the pork rests, increase the heat on the cabbage mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until any remaining liquid has evaporated and the apples are tender. Transfer the mixture to a serving platter, slice the pork, and arrange it on top. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Recipe Notes
Scale This Recipe for Two Servings
This recipe is written for four servings, but if you for two (or even one), you have a couple of options. The first is to simply cut the ingredient quantities in half. The second option is to put away leftovers for another meal.
If you’ll only be using half of a pork tenderloin, follow the recipe instructions, but be sure to check the pork’s internal temperature after about 7 minutes and monitor it closely to avoid overcooking.
How to Reheat Leftovers
For best results when reheating, store the cabbage and apple mixture in a small casserole dish with the pork slices on top, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 72 hours.
When you’re ready to reheat, remove the pork first, then cover the casserole with foil, and place it in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and arrange the pork on top of the cabbage mixture. Drizzle with a little bit of cider, re-cover, and return the casserole to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes to warm the meat.
Tips for Perfectly Braised Pork Tenderloin
As a general rule of thumb, you don’t want to cook lean, tender cuts of meat in liquid, but this recipe is a delicious exception. Here are a few expert tips to ensure that your braised pork tenderloin turns out moist, juicy, and cooked to perfection.
- TRIM THE SILVERSKIN FROM THE PORK: Silverskin is a thin, pearlescent membrane found on the outside of beef, pork, lamb, and venison tenderloins. Because it doesn’t break down as the meat cooks, it needs to be trimmed away. Remove it by slicing between the membrane and the meat with a sharp knife.
- SEAR THE PORK ON ALL SIDES IN A HOT PAN: Searing adds flavor and helps to seal in the meat juices. For this recipe, we fry our bacon first, then use a little of that fat to sear the pork tenderloin.
- DON’T USE TOO MUCH LIQUID: Pork tenderloin only needs a small amount of liquid for braising. Here we’ve chosen to complement the other ingredients by using apple cider, but depending on the flavors you’re going for, chicken broth, white wine, or even orange juice are possible options.
- DON’T OVERCOOK: Because these tenderloins are small in diameter, about 10 minutes of braising time is usually adequate to bring the meat to medium doneness. Use an instant-read thermometer to test your pork and remove it from the heat when it registers 140°F.
- ALWAYS LET THE MEAT REST: Whether braised, roasted, or grilled, always let pork tenderloin rest for 5 minutes or so before carving so the juices are reabsorbed into the meat.
Discover More Simple Pork Recipes
If you enjoy sweet and savory flavors like the ones in this dish, you may want to try our pork and butternut squash skillet dinner or one of the recipes below.
Braised Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin, 1 to 1-1/4 lbs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 4 to 5 cups chopped green cabbage, about 1/2 medium head, cored
- 2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Chopped parsley for garnish, (optional)
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, trim the silver skin from the pork and season on all sides with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Fry the bacon until crisp in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate, then drain the pan, leaving some bacon fat for searing the pork.
- Return the pan to the stove and add the pork tenderloin. Sear on all sides, about 2 minutes total, then transfer to a plate and set aside while you cook the cabbage.
- Lower the heat to medium, and add the butter. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant (do not brown).
- Add the cabbage, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper and cook until wilted, stirring often 5 to 6 minutes. Add the bacon to the pan and continue cooking until the cabbage is lightly caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes longer.
- Stir in the apple chunks, cider, Dijon mustard, and brown sugar and combine well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Return the pork tenderloin to the pan, nestling it into the cabbage-apple mixture. Cover and cook over medium heat until an instant-read thermometer registers 135°F when inserted in the thickest part of the tenderloin, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- While the pork rests, increase the heat on the cabbage mixture to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until any remaining liquid has evaporated and the apples are tender.
- To serve, transfer the cabbage mixture to a serving platter. Slice the pork, arrange it on top of the cabbage, and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
Scale This Recipe for Two Servings
This recipe is written for four servings, but if you for two (or even one), you have a couple of options. The first is to simply cut the ingredient quantities in half. The second option is to put away leftovers for another meal. If you’ll only be using half of a pork tenderloin, follow the recipe instructions, but be sure to check the pork’s internal temperature after about 7 minutes and monitor it closely to avoid overcooking.How to Reheat Leftovers
For best results when reheating, store the cabbage and apple mixture in a small casserole dish with the pork slices on top, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 72 hours. When you’re ready to reheat, remove the pork first, then cover the casserole with foil, and place it in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and arrange the pork on top of the cabbage mixture. Drizzle with a little bit of cider, re-cover, and return the casserole to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes to warm the meat.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe just directed! But I have mixed pork from diet and used turkey kielbasa instead. Simply delicious!
We are a no sugar (or sugar substitutes) family. In your opinion, if I leave out the brown sugar, will it significantly change this recipe? Could I add some cut carrots to add to the sweetness without adding sugar? Thanks! It looks wonderful.
Hi Traci,
I think you can just omit the brown sugar as the diced apple and cider provide enough in terms of sweetness. The brown sugar just helps to caramelize the cabbage.
Sounds delicious but can you make this recipe in the oven also?
Made a double batch. It was fantastic! Wife and I loved it. Lunch leftovers for work… the guys at work will be jealous.
Hi Chris,
I’m glad to hear you liked this easy recipe. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Served with garlic mashed potatoes, and added two apples. THIS WAS AMAZING. My game night friends all devoured it!
Hi AJ,
Glad to hear the dinner was a hit – thanks for letting us know.
Delicious! Substituted a bit of extra butter instead of bacon, used a Gala Apple instead of Granny Smith , and instead of brown sugar, used 1tsp of molasses and 1 tsp of maple syrup.
Made the changes because those were the ingredients I had on hand. Super!
Great recipe! Lends itself to onhand creativity!
Hi Mary,
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe and I think the molasses/maple syrup combination was a great idea! Thanks for taking the time to share your variations.
I made this last night! It was delicious and a success with my 2 year old and hubby. Thank you!
Hi Lauren,
So glad to hear you liked the recipe and appreciate you taking the time to let us know!