Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Cider Sauce
Coated with a flavorful spice rub of cinnamon, ground coriander and brown sugar, and served with a sweet-tart, cranberry-cider sauce, these quick-cooking pork tenderloins are an easy entrée to make for company. For those of you who want a slightly more complex blend of flavors, we’ve included a variation on the sauce that adds fresh orange flavor and replaces the cider with port wine.
Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Cider Sauce
These roasted pork tenderloins are coated with a flavorful blend of brown sugar, cinnamon and coriander and served with a sweet-tart cranberry-cider sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins, 1-3/4 to 2 lbs each
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce:
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups fresh, whole cranberries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium shallot, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and coat a shallow roasting pan with nonstick spray. Trim any excess fat and silver skin from the tenderloins.
- Combine the cinnamon, coriander, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the tenderloins on all sides and rub it into the meat until well coated. Transfer to the prepared pan and set aside.
- Combine the apple cider, cranberries and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the cranberries have “popped” and the mixture has thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Using a hand-held immersion or conventional blender, purée the cranberry-cider mixture until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the saucepan.
- Note: You can skip the puréeing if you like the bits of whole cranberry in your sauce. It’s good either way.
- Heat the butter over medium heat and sauté the shallots until soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the flour. Continue cooking, stirring continually, until the mixture is golden, 3 to 4 minutes longer, then stir in the reserved cranberry-cider purée. Reduce the heat to low to keep warm.
- Roast the tenderloins until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the roasts registers 140°F (for medium), 18 to 22 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before carving.
- To serve, carve the tenderloins, drizzle with some of the sauce and pass the remainder at the table.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Cranberry-Orange Port Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups port wine (a ruby port works well)
- 2 cups fresh, whole cranberries
- Zest and juice of 1 medium orange
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 medium shallot, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
Preparation:
- Combine the port wine, cranberries, orange zest, orange juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the cranberries have “popped” and the mixture has thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the alcohol flavor of the port has mellowed to your liking. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Using a hand-held immersion or conventional blender, purée the cranberry-port mixture until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the saucepan.
- Note: You can skip the puréeing if you like the bits of whole cranberry in your sauce. It’s good either way.
- Heat the butter over medium heat and sauté the shallots until soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the flour. Continue cooking, stirring continually, until the mixture is golden, 3 to 4 minutes longer, then stir in the reserved cranberry-port purée. Reduce the heat to low to keep warm while you roast the pork.
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