Tender and juicy cast iron pork tenderloin gets a flavor blast from the super easy blackberry jam BBQ sauce! Delicious and ready to eat in under 30 minutes!
Simply seasoned pork tenderloin is seared and roasted in a cast iron skillet, then topped with an easy sweet and tangy blackberry barbeque sauce that begins with store-bought seedless blackberry jam. So easy and so good!
Another great use of a cast iron skillet is for my Garlic Butter Pork Chops with Zucchini. Buttery garlic flavor infused pork and zucchini with just one pan!
Why This Recipe Works
My top 3 reasons you'll love this cast iron pork tenderloin!
Quick cooking method - by searing the pork tenderloin over very high heat, then finishing it in a very hot oven, it cooks to the safe temperature of 145F in only 8-10 minutes! While it's roasting, make the blackberry barbeque sauce.
Tender and juicy - as mentioned above, you'll sear the pork tenderloin before roasting it in the oven which locks in the juices, making it very tender and juicy.
Blackberry BBQ Sauce - this highly flavorful sauce begins with a jar of seedless blackberry preserves. Simply add a few more pantry ingredients and warm it on the stove. It literally takes about 7 minutes to make! Serve on top of or on the side of the baked pork. Also delicious on chicken, ribs, and even biscuits and toast!
What Goes in It
Pork Tenderloin - do not substitute with pork loin, which is different than pork tenderloin and will take longer to cook and is not as tender.
Seedless Blackberry Preserves - provides the perfect amount of sweetness and tang to the homemade BBQ sauce. If you happen to have some homemade blackberry jam, that will work perfectly, too. Just be sure it's seedless.
Ketchup and Stone Ground Mustard - these common ingredients add a big splash of flavor when combined with the preserves.
Light Brown Sugar - adds a touch of molasses flavor to the sauce.
Red Wine Vinegar - common BBQ sauce ingredient because of the tangy flavor it provides.
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - adds just a hint of heat (leave this out if you want).
How to Make It
(1) Salt and pepper the pork tenderloin, then place into a hot skillet. Sear all sides for 2 minutes each.
(2) Place into a 425F oven for 8-10 minutes. Test pork for 145F. Remove and cover with foil to rest. Note: cooking pork to 145F is the USDA definition of medium-rare. See this Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart from foodsafety.gov. Remember, the pork will continue to cook as it rests, covered in foil, while you make the sauce.
(3) While the pork is resting, prepare the sauce.
(4) Slice the pork tenderloin into medallions and serve with blackberry barbeque sauce on top or on the side.
Safe Cooking Temp for Pork
The USDA recommends cooking pork to 145F (medium rare), 160F (medium), or 170F (well done. I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer.
What Goes with Pork Tenderloin
Lots of different vegetables and salads pair well with pork tenderloin. Here are some of our favorite side dishes to serve with pork:
Frequently Asked Questions
Pork tenderloin should be a pink to red color with some fat marbling. A pork tenderloin weighs approximately 1 pound. The package sometimes contains 2 pork tenderloins.
For the absolute best flavor and texture, cook it hot and fast! Tenderloin is naturally tender, so it doesn't need to cook slow over a long period of time.
Cooked pork should be eaten within 3 days. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Since they are both different cuts of meat and not the same size, it's best not to substitute one for the other for this recipe.
Recipe Tips
- I used a one-pound pork tenderloin but you can very easily use 2 one-pound pork tenderloins since they usually come packaged that way.
- Use a high heat tolerant oil such as canola or peanut oil. I don't recommend extra virgin olive oil because it will scorch.
- Use a digital meat thermometer to make sure the pork reaches 145F. Immediately remove the pork from the oven and the skillet to slow down the cooking process. It will still continue to cook while it's covered with foil.
- Store leftover blackberry BBQ sauce in its original container in the refrigerator.
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Recipe
Cast Iron Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
Pork Tenderloin
- 1-½ tablespoons canola oil or peanut oil (divided) use a high heat cooking oil
- 1 pound pork tenderloin not pork loin
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Blackberry BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup blackberry preserves, seedless save the jar for later use
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Coat the pork tenderloin with ½ tablespoon of oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large cast iron skillet. Turn the heat to medium-high. When the skillet is hot, sear all sides of the tenderloin for about 2 minutes or until slightly browned.
- Place the skillet with the pork into the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 8-10 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin reaches 145 degrees F, then remove from the oven. Note: cooking pork to 145F is the USDA definition of medium-rare. See this Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart from foodsafety.gov. Remember, the pork will continue to cook as it rests, covered in foil, while you make the sauce.
- Transfer the pork to a serving platter or cutting board and loosely cover with foil.
- While the pork is resting, prepare the sauce by adding all of the blackberry BBQ sauce ingredients to a small pot. Blend with a whisk over medium heat just until warmed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl or dish.
- Cut the pork tenderloin diagonally into ½-inch slices (medallions) and serve with warm blackberry BBQ sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy to my readers. I'm not a nutritionist and I don't guarantee the accuracy of this data. The data may differ according to the brands I used versus the brands you use. To calculate the data yourself using your brands, try using an online nutrition calculator or app.
Scott says
Good simple recipe but if you want it medium rare you need to take it out of oven and rest it at more like 138 as it will be 145 when ready to slice.