Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Warm Mushroom Salad
This is a wonderful transition dinner from summer to fall, winter to spring, and every day in between. I love it because it is incredibly flavorful, light, and the prep has easy built-in intervals that make cooking perfection practically effortless. It’s a great one for dinner parties—both a show-stopper and crowd-pleaser. You could also use chicken instead of pork and love it all the same (just adjust the roasting time down).
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tbsp. mild Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
- 1 medium pork tenderloin (about 1-1.5 lbs.)
- 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. mild Dijon mustard
- 8-10 oz. sliced cremini or baby bella mushrooms
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/2 c.)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, divided
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. honey
- 5 oz. fresh baby spinach or arugula leaves (or blend)
-
Put the first 7 Pork Tenderloin ingredients minus 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large ziplock bag. Gently squeeze the outside of the bag to combine the ingredients. Add the pork tenderloin to the bag and securely seal the bag. Briefly massage the marinade into the pork until it is fully coated. Put the bag in the fridge and let the pork marinate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. Half your prep is done!
-
Take the marinated pork from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (see TIP A for why this is important). Heat the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork tenderloin in the skillet and discard remaining marinade. Brown the pork tenderloin on all sides (about 2 minutes per side). Then transfer the skillet to a pre-heated 375° oven for the pork to finish roasting for an additional 18-22 minutes or until light pink on the inside (140-145° at the thickest part). When done, immediately remove the pork from the pan and tent it with aluminum foil to rest for 10-20 minutes (see TIP B for why this is important). Return the skillet with juices and brown bits to the stovetop.
-
Bring the skillet with juices and brown bits up to temperature over medium-high heat. Add the sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and mustard and combine scraping-up the brown bits as you go. Add the sliced mushrooms, shallot, 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, and pepper and sauté for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Once done, pull the skillet from the heat.
-
Just before serving, mix the lemon juice, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, extra virgin olive oil, and honey in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the arugula and toss to coat. Transfer the arugula to a large serving platter and top with the sautéed mushrooms, shallot, and sauce. Slice the pork tenderloin into 1/2-inch pieces and arrange on top of the salad. Enjoy!
TIP A: When cooking meat, the step most easily forgotten is letting the meat come to room temperature before you expose it to any heat. This is particularly important when you are grilling or searing the meat or working with thicker cuts that you want to cook to a precise temperature (a.k.a. done, but still juicy and tender). Not only does cold meat take longer to cook, it also tends to seize-up when it hits a hot pan or grill. The risk of these two things combined is a finished product with a tough, over-cooked exterior and raw or under-cooked interior. To avoid this risk, always let your meat rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before cooking.
TIP B: The other step often—not necessarily forgotten—but hard to do is letting your meat rest (tented) after it is cooked. Once that meat is out of the oven or off the grill, you can't wait to cut into it! I know, I've been there. But doing so can cause your meat to lose a lot of the its flavorful juices and cool rapidly. Let it rest for 10-20 minutes to reabsorb those juices. In the end, you'll be a lot more satisfied with that first bite (and every bite thereafter). Patience!
Jordan · September 24, 2017
I made this yesterday for some friends who
came over who are serious foodies, and it was a HUGE success. The pork was so tender and flavorful, and the combo of the mushrooms and arugula was a really innovative touch. Highly, highly recommend this recipe!
off-script recipes · September 24, 2017
Jordan, so happy it was a success!