Pork tenderloin, especially cooked in a cast iron skillet, is tender, flavorful, and melts in your mouth. This Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin with Shallot Cream Sauce is a game changing pork recipe.
I will be the first to admit, that pork hasn't always been my protein of choice. I love the versatility of chicken and beef, and always found pork to be the lesser versions of those two-- until now. I realized that the reason that I disliked it, was because I was often having it overcooked. Pork, when overcooked, becomes tough and difficult to eat. But correctly cooked pork? That's a whole other ball game.
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Ingredients
- pork tenderloin
- garlic powder
- salt
- dried rosemary
- cracked black pepper
- dried thyme
- olive oil
- butter
- minced shallot
- apple cider vinegar
- stone ground mustard
- heavy whipping cream
- chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine your spices (garlic powder, salt, rosemary, black pepper, and thyme).
- Pat your tenderloin dry with paper towels, and then press spice mixture into the meat until it is fully coated.
- Heat oil in skillet on medium heat. Add in the spice coated tenderloin. Do not touch for several minutes to allow a good crust to form. Do a ¼ turn, and allow the next side to brown. Do this with all four sides.
- Once the outside of the meat is seared, place in an oven safe dish (we are going to be using the cast iron skillet to make the sauce!) and into a preheated oven and cook until desired doneness is achieved.
Note: For this recipe I cooked the meat to medium-well. I personally like medium-rare to medium. I pull it out when the internal temperature has reached somewhere between 145 and 150 degrees. This allows for the possibility of carry over cooking, without the meat getting overcooked.
- While the pork is cooking, it is time to make the shallot cream sauce! We can to use the skillet that the pork was cooking in, because it has lots of flavorful bits at the bottom.
- Reduce the heat down to medium-low, and add in butter. Once the butter has melted, add minced shallots.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes, until translucent.
- Add apple cider vinegar and cook for one minute.Add in heavy cream, chicken stock, and mustard. Whisk to combine.
- Simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce.
- Allow cooked pork to rest for 10 minutes, and slice. Serve with shallot cream sauce.
Why this creamy shallot sauce is perfect for pork?
There are a lot of ways that you could create a delicious shallot cream sauce. This one is made to perfectly accompany pork with the ingredients that are used to flavor it. Both apple and mustard are often seen paired with pork dishes, and both are included here with the addition of apple cider vinegar and ground mustard. Try pairing this pork with regular potatoes or sweet potatoes-- like these air fryer parmesan sweet potatoes! If you want a more veggie-focused side, try this Roasted Brussel Sprouts salad.
Instant Pot Rice Pilaf or Buttery Lemon Herb Rice would also be delicious!
Cooking pork tenderloin in a cast iron skillet
Using a cast iron skillet and then finishing in the oven is such an easy and delicious way to ensure you get a wonderful sear on the outside of your meat, while being able to cater the overall doneness to your liking. Using cast iron has turned pork from a meat that I never cared for, to something I crave. When cooked to medium rare, pork tenderloin has the same buttery smoothness of beef tenderloin but at a lower price point.
Make sure your skillet is nice and hot before you add in the meat, to ensure a good crust. You are going to want to sear it for a few minutes on each side, to lock in the flavor and moisture. Then you can finish it off in the oven, removing it when it reaches your desired internal temperature. The best cast iron skillet I have found is Lodge Cast Iron. I have had it for years, and it only gets better with age. It comes pre seasoned and in a wide variety of sizes. I personally use the 12 inch.
If you have a sous vide machine, you can also make sous vide pork tenderloin or pork loin and finish it off in the cast iron skillet!
Can Pork Tenderloin be pink?
Yes it can! Unlike chicken, pork tenderloin does not have to be cooked all the way, some pink can remain.
- Medium-rare pork 145-150 degrees F
- medium pork 150-155 degrees F
- medium-well pork 155-160 degrees F
- well done pork 160 degrees F
Note: 145 is considered the lowest temperature for pork.
Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin with Shallot Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 2 lb. pork tenderloin
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. dried rosemary
- ½ tsp. cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tbs. olive oil
Shallot Cream Sauce
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ½ tbsp. stone ground mustard
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine your spices (garlic powder, salt, rosemary, black pepper, and thyme).
- Pat your tenderloin dry with paper towels, and then press spice mixture into the meat until it is fully coated.
- Heat oil in skillet on medium heat. Add in the spice coated tenderloin. Do not touch for 2-3 minutes, to allow a good crust to form. Do a ¼ turn, and allow the next side to brown. Do this with all four sides.
- Once the outside of the meat is seared, place in an oven safe dish (we are going to be using the cast iron skillet to make the sauce!) and into a preheated oven and cook until desired doneness is achieved. Around 25 minutes will get you to medium or 150 degrees.
- Using the skillet that the pork was cooking in, reduce the heat down to medium-low, and add in butter.
- Once the butter has melted, add minced shallots. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Add apple cider vinegar and cook for one minute.
- Add in heavy cream, chicken stock, and mustard. Whisk to combine. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce.
- Allow cooked pork to rest for 10 minutes, and slice. Serve with shallot cream sauce.
Donna
This looks so delicious!
Sarah
I'm so glad you think so! We loved it.