Roast Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce is a quick and comforting meal that combines the best flavors of summer in every fork full. The roast pork tenderloin is moist and juicy while the sweet Northwest cherries and fresh thyme complement the flavor of the meat to perfection.
Roast Pork tenderloin with cherry sauce is easy enough to make on a Tuesday night for a hungry family, but fancy enough to serve on a Saturday evening with friends or for a special occasion. You will feel like you are eating out at a fancy restaurant! You will love this easy pork tenderloin recipe.
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Roast Pork Tenderloin
This is one of my regular rotation weeknight dishes. When we lived in France pork tenderloin or "filet mignon de porc" was seen as a rather high end, chic dish to serve. For a reason I do not understand, Pork tenderloin in the USA does not have the same allure, and as such, is surprisingly inexpensive to buy! Much cheaper, and tastier in my opinion, than pork chops and just as satisfying a steak. I love how easy it is to make , in 30 minutes you can have a restaurant worthy meal on the table. My husband loves when I serve this dish!
Fresh Cherries with Roast Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin pairs beautifully with with stewed fruits. The sweetness of the fruit balances so well with the pork, especially if you add in some earthy Herbs de Provence and thyme. The savory flavors are truly a taste of France.
I love the rich consistency of stewed cherries, with the earthy spice of thyme. This is a delicious meal made with simple ingredients that doesn't require much cook time. You will see just how easy it is, cooking pork tenderloin.
Ingredients for 2
- 1 Pork Tenderloin (weighing about 1.15 pounds in total)
- 1 tbsp Herbes de Provence (if you don't have Herbes de Provence you can use fresh rosemary and thyme)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- fresh cracked black pepper (a few turns of the pepper mill)
- 2 cups of fresh Northwest cherries
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves (remove the leaves from the stalk by scraping your fingernail along the stalk from the underside)
- 2 tablespoons of butter
Recipe card is at the bottom of this post. This blog post was sponsored by Northwest Cherries. Thank you for supporting my small business.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- First, let's season the pork tenderloin. This can be done the night before and left to marinate in the fridge if you wish, however I often do this immediately before cooking to be honest. Remove the pork tenderloin from the package and pat dry with a paper towel. I always hear Julia Child's voice in my head when I pat the meat dry. It won't sear properly if you don't!
- Set in a bowl and sprinkle with the Herbes de Provence, olive oil, salt and pepper. Make sure each filet is fully coated. Set aside.
- (Please make sure to secure your cutting board before you start cutting - you can do this with a damp paper towel or with jar gaskets like I do)
- Slice the cherries. If you have a cherry pitter, use that, it makes it so easy. I don't have one, surprisingly, so I slice around the pit making 4 slices. I like to leave the sweet cherries in big pieces as they look so pretty.
- Slice the ends off the garlic and then, using the flat side of your knife, press down with your palm to smush the garlic - the peel will come right off (Le Chef's tip - no fancy gadgets needed). Slice thinly.
- In an oven safe pan (like a dutch oven) heat a tbsp of olive oil over medium heat on the stove.
- Place the pork loin in the oil. Give it a quick sear 3 minutes (or until golden brown) on each side (each of the 4 sides of the loin should be browned). Flip over using a pair of kitchen tongs.
- Remove the pan from the burner and place in the middle rack of the preheated oven, uncovered for 15 minutes with 1 tbsp butter sliced on top in thin slices.
- The meat will still be slightly pink inside - it will continue to cook as it rests. This is the key to juicy pork tenderloin. The seared outsides locks all the moisture inside. It is delicious! If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should read 145 degrees right out of the oven.
Make the Cherry Sauce while the meat is resting
- Remove pan from the oven and extract the pork tenderloins and set on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. If you don't let the tenderloin rest, all the juices will run out of the meat when you cut it and you will be left with dry pork. Not good.
- Now is the time to make the cherry sauce. Put the oven pan back on the burner over medium heat. Add the remaining tbsp of butter and the garlic, cherries and thyme to make a quick pan sauce..
- Use a rubber spatula to gently scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan - this is where all the flavor is!
- Simmer for 10 minutes until the cherries are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Turn off the heat and serve immediately.
- If you are serving with wild rice (like in the photo) I recommend cooking your rice to package instructions before you begin the meat as cooking time can be longer.
Sweet Cherry Sauce recipe
Sweet Northwest cherries add a delicate sweetness without any added sugar. Simply add the cherries, thyme and garlic to the pan drippings and reduce for 10 minutes while the meat is resting. A perfect sauce for pork that doesn't require any additives.
If you like the combination of roast turkey and cranberry sauce over the holidays, you will love pork tenderloin and cherry sauce!
How to serve the Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce
The roast pork and cherries are great are on their own however I think this dish pairs beautifully with wild rice. The nuttiness of the rice is the perfect accompaniment. My Kids also love Mashed potatoes with this dish too.
Add a half cup of cooked wild rice to the center of your dish. Slice pork into half inch thick slices and place over the wild rice. I like to serve about 3-4 slices per person.
Spoon ¼ cup of cherry preserves over the pork.
If you prefer you can also present on a serving platter to serve family style.
Variations
You can make many variations with Pork Tenderloin. Once you have the searing and oven roasting technique down, feel free to change out the ingredients:
- Apples and Sage - a delicious recipe one of the most popular on my blog!
- Butternut Squash: Replace the apples with cubed butternut squash for a delicious fall dish. Make sure to cook the squash fully while the meat is resting.
- Mustard and Potatoes: Spread 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard over your pork tenderloin while marinating. Par boil chunks of potatoes until almost fully cooked (about 10-15 minutes) and replace the apples in the recipe with the potatoes. This is a German classic dish!
- Fresh Figs: Pork Tenderloin and Fresh figs go together beautifully! Replace the apples with the Fresh Figs, cut in half, and replace the sage with fresh thyme.
Wines that are delicious with Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce.
I love to serve Rosé wine with this dish. A crisp dry, Provençal Rosé such as goes beautifully. A Beaujolais, such as a Saint-Amour goes beautifully as well if you prefer red wine. Pinot Noir also pairs beautifully.
How to keep
Store the roasted pork tenderloin in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating in a non-stick pan with a little butter to make the meat and cherries moist and succulent again. Microwaving the pork tenderloin will dry it out.
Pork Tenderloin is a white meat that is quite lean and is a good alternative to steak (and also is considerably cheaper too). In Europe it is a prized cut of meat - often referred to as Filet Mignon of Pork. In the US we also call it Pork Filet, Pork Steak or Gentleman's Cut. The shape is long and lean and it is easy to cook and cut. You can find Pork Tenderloin at your local grocery store or butcher in either packs of one or two. Pork tenderloin is a lean meat with mild flavors and quick to cook so perfect for a busy weeknight.
Pork tenderloin is very versatile. I love to sear it in the pan and then finish it in the oven for the best results, just like in the Roasted Pork Tenderloin with cherries recipe. Pork tenderloin is also enjoyed in sandwiches or on its own with mustard and pickles. BBQ Pork tenderloin is also very tasty.
Pork tenderloin should be cooked until the internal temperature reaches 145F or 62C. After resting it should reach 150F or 66C.
Sweet Northwest cherries add a delicate sweetness without any added sugar. Simply add the cherries, thyme and garlic to the pan drippings and reduce for 10 minutes while the meat is resting. A perfect sauce for pork that doesn't require any additives.
Other Le Chef's Wife Recipes you will enjoy
Main Dishes
Roasted Duck Magret with Apples and Squash
Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Sage
Super Simple French Roast Chicken Recipe
Simple Rosemary Roast Rack of Lamb and Potatoes
La Poule au Pot - the easiest way to cook a whole chicken
Side Dishes
Haricots Verts (French Green Beans)
Fresh Fig and Goat Cheese Salad with amazing honey dressing
Creamy Butternut squash Soup with Crispy Sage
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and a comment on the recipe - I LOVE to hear from you!
Bon Appetit,
Le Chef's Wife
ABOUT LE CHEF'S WIFE
Bonjour! I am Anina Belle. I translate the fancy cooking of my Michelin-star trained French Chef Husband, Le Chef, into easy to make dishes that busy people with no culinary training (like me!) can make at home. We have two young kids (6 and 3) and I own a marketing company in addition to this blog. I strongly believe that even busy people deserve to eat well at home.
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Roast Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce
Description
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce is a quick and comforting 30 minute meal that combines the best flavors of summer in every fork full. The roast pork tenderloin is moist and juicy while the sweet northwest cherries and fresh thyme complement the flavor of the meat to perfection
Ingredients
-
- 1 Pork Tenderloin (weighing about 1.15 pounds in total)
-
- 1 tbsp Herbes de Provence (if you don't have Herbes de Provence you can use fresh rosemary and thyme)
-
- 2 tbsp olive oil
-
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
-
- fresh cracked black pepper (a few turns of the pepper mill)
-
- 2 cups of fresh, sweet, Northwest cherries
-
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
-
- 1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves (remove the leaves from the stalk by scraping your fingernail along the stalk from the underside)
-
- 2 tablespoons of butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- First, let's season the pork tenderloin. This can be done the night before and left to marinate in the fridge if you wish, however I often do this immediately before cooking to be honest. Remove the pork tenderloin from the package and pat dry with a paper towel. I always hear Julia Child's voice in my head when I pat the meat dry. It won't sear properly if you don't!
- Set in a bowl and sprinkle with the Herbes de Provence, olive oil, salt and pepper. Make sure each filet is fully coated. Set aside.
- (Please make sure to secure your cutting board before you start cutting - you can do this with a damp paper towel or with jar gaskets like I do)
- Slice the cherries. If you have a cherry pitter, use that, it makes it so easy. I don't have one surprisingly so I slice around the pit making 4 slices. I like to leave the sweet cherries in big pieces as they look so pretty.
- Slice the ends off the garlic and then, using the flat side of your knife, press down with your palm to smush the garlic - the peel will come right off (Le Chef's tip - no fancy gadgets needed). Slice thinly.
- In an oven safe pan (like a dutch oven) heat a tbsp of olive oil over medium heat on the stove.
- Place the pork loin in the oil. Give it a quick sear 3 minutes (or until golden brown) on each side (each of the 4 sides of the loin should be browned). Flip over using a pair of kitchen tongs.
- Remove the pan from the burner and place in the middle rack of the preheated oven, uncovered for 15 minutes with half of butter sliced on top in thin slices.
- The meat will still be slightly pink inside - it will continue to cook as it rests. This is the key to juicy pork tenderloin. The seared outsides locks all the moisture inside. It is delicious! If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should read 145 degrees right out of the oven.
- Remove pan from the oven and extract the pork tenderloins and set on a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. If you don't let the tenderloin rest, all the juices will run out of the meat when you cut it and you will be left with dry pork. Not good.
- Now is the time to make the cherry sauce. Put the oven pan back on the burner over medium heat. Add the remaining tbsp of butter and the garlic, cherries and thyme to make a quick pan sauce..
- Use a rubber spatula to gently scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan - this is where all the flavor is!
- Simmer for 10 minutes until the cherries are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Turn off the heat and serve immediately.
- If you are serving with wild rice (like in the photo) I recommend cooking your rice to package instructions before you begin the meat as cooking time can be longer.
Puhh Watt says
"Absolutely wonderful! This roast pork tenderloin with cherry sauce blew my mind—tender, succulent meat coupled with a vivid cherry reduction is perfect comfort and elegance in one.
GREG LAROSA says
Hi Anina, made this last week. Was delicious! Cherries and pork tenderloin is a great match. When making the sauce I added a little Luxerado Cherry Liquor to make a bit more sauce. Worked very well.
Thanks for the great recipies!
Greg
Puhh Watt. says
The combination of sweet Northwest cherries and earthy thyme creates a sauce that's both rich and balanced, elevating the tender pork to new heights. Herbes de Provence adds a delightful aromatic touch, reminiscent of the French countryside. The recipe is straightforward, with clear instructions and helpful tips, making it accessible even for novice cooks.
Tim Voigt says
It’s a shame cherry season ended so soon. I was able to grab the last of the last shipment from our local Whole Foods to make this lovely dish again (and again)! Until this iteration, I was unable to get the volume and thickness of your sauce as pictured in your description (sauce envy). So, I added a generous pour of chicken broth after the butter, garlic and thyme. It helped sop up all the drippings and gave me better liquid volume. I cooked the cherries for twice the suggested time at a slightly lower temperature. Then I added a cornstarch slurry to give it stature. I’m sure you would have been proud! It’s a favorite dish.
Anina Belle Giannini says
Sounds absolutely delicious! I have a pork tenderloin with apples and sage recipe that you will enjoy as well. Every season brings more beautiful recipes. You may also really enjoy the duck magret with fresh figs. Bon Appétit!