PORK TENDERLOIN WITH APPLE CIDER GLAZE

If you’re looking for an impressive holiday recipe that is deceptively easy and wonderfully affordable, look no further! I love cooking with pork tenderloin because of its versatility and price tag. It’s so much cheaper than beef, yet it can still pack quite a punch. This sweet, tangy apple cider glaze pairs perfectly with pork and makes excellent use of this seasonal staple!

Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1 pork tenderloin

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

• 1 sprig rosemary, stem removed

• 2 sprigs thyme, stems removed

For the Apple Cider Glaze:

• 1 c dry white wine (or white cooking wine)*

• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 1 c apple cider (also called pressed apple juice)

• 1 c chicken broth

• Koser salt, to taste

• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• 4 tbsp cold butter, cut into chunks

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Trim fat and silver skin off of pork. Season generously with kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to skillet and heat until rippling and almost smoking.

3. Add sliced garlic and herbs to oil and sauté until fragrant. Add pork to pan and sear until browned on all sides. Remove pork to a foil-lined baking sheet and place in oven. Roast 10 minutes, then flip and continue to roast until internal temp reaches 160º.

4. While pork is roasting, make apple cider glaze.

5. Remove and discard the garlic and herbs left in the skillet, being careful not to scrape off the browned bits from the bottom of the pan (it’s okay if you don’t get all the garlic/herbs out!). Return pan to heat and add wine. Scrape up the browned bits from the pan and allow the wine to boil until alcohol is cooked out and liquid is reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes.

6. Add apple cider and chicken broth, and continue to boil on medium heat until reduced by half. Once reduced, add herbs and whisk in dijon mustard. Remove from heat, and whisk in cold butter, one tablespoon at a time. Add salt if necessary.

7. When pork is finished cooking, remove from oven, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Add any juices from the cooked pork to the glaze. Slice tenderloin into 1.5-inch slices, and serve with the sauce spooned over top.

*NOTE:

• If you are against cooking with regular wine, you can buy cooking wine at most grocery stores. Keep in mind this will change the flavor slightly, and you will likely not need to add any salt to the sauce. If you don’t want to use cooking wine either, you can just replace the wine with chicken broth (this will, once again, change the flavor of the sauce, but it can still be done with success!).