Dry Rubbed Roast Pork Tenderloin with a Roasted Garlic & Balsamic Sauce

Dry Rubbed Roast Pork Tenderloin with a Roasted Garlic & Balsamic Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

Today I have a simple and healthy dinner for you. Well, a dinner recipe. I am not standing at your front door with this dish, unfortunately, or fortunately if you don’t personally know me and me standing at your door would be creepy. Well I guess even if you do know me suddenly having me on your doorstep would be creepy even then, but I digress.

Dry Rubbed Roast Pork Tenderloin with a Roasted Garlic & Balsamic Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

This roasted pork loin is what we’re here for! And it is delicious! A basic dry rub is pressed onto the meat before being seared in a pan to lock in the flavor and juices. The meat finishes roasting in the oven then topped with a creamy and tangy roasted garlic balsamic sauce and it’s ready to be served.

Dry Rubbed Roast Pork Tenderloin with a Roasted Garlic & Balsamic Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

Matt and I usually eat fairly healthy, but I was unsure of where pork lies. After some thorough Googling I have deemed this dish a winner. Although there are certainly some cuts of pork that are not doctor recommended, hello delicious bacon and pork belly, a cut like pork loin is lean if you make sure to remove the excess fat. Additionally, it is a great source of protein and vitamin B! Yay vitamins!

Dry Rubbed Roast Pork Tenderloin with a Roasted Garlic & Balsamic Sauce  |  Lemon & Mocha

Dry Rubbed Roast Pork Tenderloin with a Roasted Garlic & Balsamic Sauce
 
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
for the pork
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound pork tenderloin
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
for the sauce
  • 1 head garlic
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper
Directions
for the pork
  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. In a small bowl mix together all the dry seasonings until well combined. Place the tenderloin on a cutting board and sprinkle the rub all over. Rub and gently press the seasoning onto the pork.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tenderloin in the pan for 10 minutes, using tongs to turn the pork and sear each side.
  4. Transfer the pork to the rack of a roasting pan and bake for 20 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 150-155 degrees F. Slice then top with the sauce before serving.
for the sauce
  1. Cut the top off the head of garlic so that almost all the cloves are exposed. Place the head of garlic in a little square of tinfoil and curve up the sides. Lightly drizzle the garlic with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Seal up the tinfoil to make a little packet. Roast for 35 minutes then let cool. Once it's cool enough to handle, squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves.
  2. Blend the roasted garlic cloves and the rest of the ingredients in a small food processor or with an immersion blender until smooth.
Notes
Make sure you note the first step in the sauce recipe (roasting the garlic) before starting the pork.

Pork recipe from The Food Network.
Sauce recipe from For the Love of Cooking.