Pork Tenderloin Marinade
Marinades that make pork tenderloin worth it — honey garlic pork and pineapple skillet, brown sugar pork tenderloin, honey glazed pork — for busy weeknights.
★ dinner
dinnerHoney Garlic Pork and Pineapple Skillet
A flavorful skillet dish combining tender pork, sweet pineapple, and a savory honey garlic glaze, served over rice or quinoa.
Ingredients
- 300 grams (2 cups) fresh pineapple, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 150 grams (1 medium) red bell pepper, chopped
- 15 grams (3 cloves) garlic, minced
- 85 grams (1/4 cup) pure honey
- 60 mL (1/4 cup) low-sodium soy sauce
- 15 mL (1 tbsp) apple cider vinegar
- 15 mL (1 tbsp) toasted sesame oil
- 5 grams (1 tsp) fresh ginger, grated
- 680 grams (1.5 lbs) pork tenderloin or loin chops, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 15 grams (2 tsp) cornstarch
- 5 grams (1 tsp) garlic powder
- 5 grams (1 tsp) onion powder
- 6 grams (1 tsp) kosher salt
- 3 grams (1/2 tsp) black pepper
- 30 mL (2 tbsp) neutral cooking oil
- 10 grams (1/4 cup) green onions, thinly sliced
- 5 grams (1 tbsp) fresh cilantro
- 5 grams (1 tsp) toasted sesame seeds
- 300 grams (2 cups) steamed white rice or quinoa
Instructions
- 1Season the pork: Toss the pork cubes in a bowl with cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
- 2Whisk the sauce: In a small jug, combine honey, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and sesame oil; set aside.
- 3Sear the pork: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the pork until golden brown on all sides.
- 4Sauté the peppers: Add the red bell peppers to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.
- 5Caramelize the pineapple: Stir in the pineapple chunks and cook for another 2 minutes until they develop a slight char.
- 6Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- 7Glaze: Pour the prepared honey garlic sauce into the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 8Thicken: Toss everything continuously for 2-3 minutes until the sauce reduces into a thick, sticky glaze that coats the pork and fruit.
- 9Final check: Ensure the pork is cooked through and the pineapple is tender and warm.
- 10Garnish and serve: Remove from heat, top with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve over steamed rice or quinoa.
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Open in Pepper →A Good Marinade Does The Work
Pork tenderloin is lean and cooks fast, which is exactly why it needs a little help. A few spoonfuls of honey, soy sauce, or brown sugar sitting on the meat for an hour turns a plain cut into something the whole table asks about.
Cooks on Pepper reach for these when they want dinner to feel like more than it took — mix the marinade in the morning, come home, and it's twenty minutes to the table.
Every recipe here leans on pantry stuff: the Honey Garlic Pork and Pineapple Skillet, brown sugar marinated pork tenderloin with smoked paprika, Honey Glazed Pork Tenderloin, and an Asian-inspired pork tenderloin with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.
Quick Tips
- 1
Marinate at least an hour
Thirty minutes will flavor the outside, but 1 to 4 hours in the fridge gets it through the meat. Don't go past 8 hours with acidic marinades or the texture turns mushy.
- 2
Pull the silverskin off
Slide a thin knife under that shiny white strip and peel it away in strips. It never softens, and it makes the tenderloin curl as it cooks.
- 3
Sear before you roast
Get a skillet hot, sear the tenderloin 2 minutes per side, then finish in a 400°F oven about 15 minutes.
- 4
Cook to 145 degrees
Check the thickest part with a thermometer and pull it at 145°F. A little pink in the center is exactly right.
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