Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Mustard Sauce
With a sauce made from just cream, mustard and a pinch of tarragon, this is one of those recipes where I actually had to restrain myself from adding more ingredients. I thought, “It just looks too simple.” A ridiculous statement, I know. But if it were me reading this recipe, I would be suspicious. “How can such a simple sauce be as good as this lady says?”, I would think. Well, I can do no different from everyone else in the online world and just use lots of CAPS and EXCLAMATION MARKS and write, “This is the BEST pork tenderloin recipe ever!!!!!” to do my best to convince you.😂 I can tell you that I did consider adding garlic and/or eschalots*. I thought about deglazing the skillet with white wine or masala. I pondered even boosting the sauce body with some stock. But I realised it just doesn’t need it. This sauce is terrific as it is. It’s glorious. Sophisticated. Luxurious. <Insert more gushing adjectives here! 😂> And YES it really only calls for cream, mustard and a pinch of tarragon!
- That’s shallots to those of you in the US.
Ingredients in Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Mustard Sauce
So with that, hopefully I’ve convinced you that this really is all you need:
Pork tenderloin – Also called pork fillet, this is a lean and tender cut of meat. When cooked properly, it’s juicy and succulent. Tenderloins range in size from small ones around 300g (10oz) to very large ones weighing up to 700g (1.4lb). (Not in Australia, but I’ve seen ones this large overseas!) An average size is around 450 – 500g (16oz – 1 lb) each;Oil – For searing. Any neutral-flavoured oil is fine here – vegetable, canola, or a mild olive oil;Dijon and seeded mustard – Two different mustards here. They provide the flavour for the creamy sauce, including a welcome touch of tang. They also help thicken the sauce. Dijon is for the creaminess while seeded mustard brings textural pops of mustard flavour as well as a lovely look. I don’t recommend skipping the Dijon mustard, but if you don’t have seeded mustard that’s ok. Just add a bit of extra Dijon mustard to make up;Cream – Full-fat for the best results. Low-fat cream works just fine, but won’t have the same rich and luxurious mouthfeel and flavour; andFresh herbs – A bit of tarragon adds lovely gentle aniseed notes to the sauce, while parsley brings a touch of freshness. I don’t recommend skipping the tarragon because it’s the “secret ingredient” here that adds intrigue to what would otherwise be a pretty pedestrian sauce. Parsley can be skipped on the other hand because it doesn’t contribute as much to the flavour.
How to make Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Mustard Sauce
It’s as simple as: Season → Sear → Bake → Make pan sauce!
Do you really have to cook the pork fillet on the stove THEN the oven?
Yes, for the best results! Two reasons: If you do not want any pink at all, just add 3 minutes to the baking time and target an internal temperature of 68°C/155°F. These internal temperatures are what you should target when you take the pork out of the oven. It will rise by a further 3 – 5°C (5°F) as it rests. (This is called “carry-over cooking”.) Therefore the final internal temperatures are slightly higher. I know it’s frustrating but I can’t give you an exact baking time. Such is the case with pork tenderloin as there are many variables. It depends on the size and width of the pork fillet (these darn pigs, why can’t they all just be exactly the same size??! 😂). Also, heat retention of your skillet (a better skillet = faster cooking). It also depends on how long it took you to sear it and the accuracy of your oven. So to ensure your pork tenderloin comes out perfect every time, I really recommend using an instant read thermometer. I have a Thermapen – more on this cool gadget here;
If you cook the pork tenderloin only in the oven and skip the pan sear, you will miss out on the golden crust and bits, and in turn flavour. 😩
What to serve with this pork fillet
The pork is pictured in this post with a kale salad which is actually this Kale & Quinoa Salad, minus the quinoa. Oh and minus the feta. And I used hazelnuts instead of almonds because I had them. 😂 Alright, so it barely resembles the original recipe at all!! But I did use the raw kale marinating technique and the same lemon dressing. I also used a Cauliflower Mash for a change-up from the usual Mashed Potato that I always reach for. I do think some kind of mash, rice or similar starchy side is essential here, to make the most of that Sauce. Especially because we don’t make loads of sauce, just enough for serving with the pork. So we really do want to capture every drop of it, and a bed of something that will soak up the sauce is ideal! – Nagi x
Choose your sides
Watch how to make it
Life of Dozer
When he’s caught somewhere he is NOT supposed to be! (Also happy that there’s no sign of any of my Dirty Secret Foods in the photo of my pantry. Looks rather virtuous actually! 😂 Lot of canned vegetables and legumes, Asian packets you can’t read, and I even spy a packet of quinoa!)
