Roasted Pork Tenderloin (with Mostly Dried Herbs)

Looking for a easy recipe to feed the whole family? How about something roasted, so that you don't have to worry much about cleaning before and afterwards. Pork perhaps? It's a great source of protein. On top of that, this recipe mainly calls for dried herbs, if you've already had a wide variety of dried herbs at home, you can even skip the hassles gathering fresh ingredients.

Roasted pork tenderloin with mostly dried herbs -

Ingredients?

• 2 lbs pork tenderloin
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 small bundle fresh flat leaf parsley (can be substitute with dried version)
• Some olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme 
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

How?

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/175 degrees Celsius. Line a baking sheet with foil. Remove pork tenderloin from the fridge and rest in room temperature for about 10 minutes. 

Peel and chop the garlic cloves. Finely chop the parsley, separate the leafy section and the stem section.

To make the herb mixture, take a bowl and transfer chopped garlic over. Also add in chopped parsley stem, dried thyme, dried oregano, dried rosemary, and smoked paprika. Mix till blended.

Rub the pork with about 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of black pepper all over. Use more salt and pepper if needed.

Take a large pan or a skillet, drizzle enough olive oil to coast the entire surface. Turn to medium heat and wait till the oil warms up.

Transfer pork tenderloin over and sear till slightly browned on all sides, including the edges. Do not move the pork in the beginning. Let it sear for a short moment before turning the meat, this can reduce the chance of sticking.

Once ready, transfer seared pork to the baking sheet, on top of the foil. Generously rub the herb mixture throughout, including the bottom. Evenly arrange some cold butter on top.

Wrap the foil and seal the ends. 

Into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, plus or minus 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the pork tenderloin. Of course you can use a thermometer for a more accurate result. One easier way is to stick a fork to the thickest part of the pork and see if it comes out clean and no pinkish juice flows out.

Remove the baking sheet from heat and open up the foil. Let the pork tenderloin rest for about 10 minutes.

Slice and drizzle some remaining pork fat/juice all over. 

Garnish with chopped parsley leaves before serving.

To make roasted pork tenderloin a more balanced meal, after baking, you can simply add in some chopped root vegetables to the remaining pork fat. Sprinkle few more pinches of salt and re-enter the oven to bake the veggies. You can easily prepare a nice and nutritious meal for the whole family. The best part? Since most cookings are done in the oven, cleaning? A piece of cake.

Extended reading:

Easier way to Chinese crispy pork belly