Apple cider is the secret ingredient that makes the most incredible moist pork tenderloin! The marinade does double duty as an incredible glaze / sauce, which means few ingredients are required to make this Apple Cider Glazed Pork Tenderloin that’s worthy of a posh dinner party!
Have you ever used apple cider as a marinade before? It’s like a secret weapon broth / stock. Because it’s got so many more layers than just plain apple juice or even broth, which means you don’t need many other ingredients to create incredible flavour!
Just to be clear – I’m talking about alcoholic apple cider. In some parts of the world, including America, “apple cider” refers to a non alcoholic drink made from (this will surprise you 😉 ) apples. In America, alcoholic apple cider is known as hard cider.
It’s like using beer in cooking but easier, because unlike beer, cider doesn’t have wheat undertones that needs to be cooked out. Apple cider tastes much cleaner and a bit sweet, but not overly so, it’s very crisp.
I used Rochdale Apple Cider in my recipe. I feel very honoured that they asked me to sample their cider and if I liked it, to create a recipe using it. I was quite interested to read about how it is made. It’s so pure – made with just apple juice, pure New Zealand glacial water, and yeast. That’s it! Seriously!
No preservatives! It’s GLUTEN-FREE!!! This is a big plus for me because one of my regular taste-tester friends is gluten free. 🙂
So I kicked back and sipped on a chilled bottle of Rochdale cider, contemplating what I could make. And came up with the idea to use it as a marinade….
But in all seriousness, check out how juicy this pork is! Pork tenderloin is notoriously hard to cook so it’s nice and juicy because it’s so lean. But when you brine / marinade pork tenderloin in apple cider….woah! I was amazed at the juices that squeezed out of it as I sliced it!!
Here – see for yourself!
Rochdale Apple Cider. Cook with it. Drink it. The best kind of ingredient there is!!
It was after 12pm when I took these photos. Hence TOTALLY acceptable to have a sip….or two….ok, I finished the bottle. Don’t judge me.
I served this with an Apple & Fennel salad because apple and pork are great mates, and fennel and pork are lovers. So I figured I couldn’t go wrong.
I really do think this is a dish worthy of a dinner party.
But you tell me – what do you think? If this was served up to you at a dinner, would you be pleased? 😉 -Nagi x
Pork tenderloin recipes
-
Also try serving pork tenderloin with this Creamy Mushroom Sauce – just sear/roast pork per this recipe
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Apple Cider Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 lb/500g pork tenderloin
Marinade
- 11 oz/330ml sweet apple cider (alcoholic aka "hard cider") - I used Rochdale Apple Cider (Note 1)
- 1 bay leaf , dried (or 2 fresh)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black Pepper
To Cook
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Mix the Marinade ingredients in a bowl.
- Place Marinade and pork in a large ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator overnight, up to 24 hours.
To Cook
- Remove pork in the marinade from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking (to bring to room temperature).
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Remove pork from marinade (reserve marinade) and place in pan. Sear until golden brown all over - don't let it burn (Note 2).
- Transfer skillet to the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature using a meat thermometer reads 145F/62C. (Note 3)
- Remove pork from skillet onto a plate and cover loosely with foil to rest while you make the sauce.
- Place skillet on the stove over high heat with butter. When the butter is melted, add reserved Marinade and mustard. Whisk until smooth.
- Bring to boil, then turn heat down so it is simmering VERY rapidly, and cook until the liquid becomes syrupy - about 4 to 5 minutes. Adjust salt to taste.
- Remove skillet from the stove, roll pork in the sauce, then remove and slice. Pour remaining sauce in the skillet into a jug and serve on the side.
- I served this with a fennel apple salad on the side. (Note 4)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This post is sponsored by the lovely people at Rochdale Cider from New Zealand! Super crisp and clean, it’s made from glacial water which = extra clean taste. I especially love how crisp it tastes and not too sweet! Not a fan of overly sweet drinks. 🙂 N x
Looks delicious Nagi and yes cider is very good to cook with. i too have been known to cook and drink simultaneously.
That’s why I love cooking with it…. 😉
Dear Nagi. Could you please start including the amount of fiber in your recipes? You are one of the few websites that doesn’t do this. When a diabetic is figuring out the actual amount of carbohydrates in a recipe, you take the number of carbohydrates listed and then either amount of fibre listed is subtracted free the carbohydrate number and that gives you the real number of carbohydrates, for a diabetic to be able to count and track their carbohydrate intake. As you know, this is vital information to a diabetic. There has been quite a few times that I have really wanted to make one of your recipes, but I couldn’t because I was too concerned about the number of carbs in the recipe. I love your creative recipes and get very disappointed when I’m too nervous to make one, because of the lack of the fibre information. Thanks for taking the time to read this email. 🙂 Karen Ouellet.
Hi Karen! I’m sorry about that, I will try to start remembering to add nutritional information!
Hi Nagi! The pork looks wonderful, but I just want to eat the glaze with a spoon! Your salad is perfect with this…as usual! PS we ate the leftover nachos for breakfast! 🙂
NO!!! Leftover nachos for breakfast?? a) Did not know “Leftover Nachos” was possible. b) Breakfast?? How….what…..???
I must say that I haven’t used any cider or beer much in cooking at all so far, but this looks like such a great way of doing it and I can just imagine how tender and juicy it would make the meat! At work we use ale for a rye & ale loaf which is amazing too. Happy Australia Day Nagi! x
Thanks Claudia!!! Cider is so great to use for cooking, easier than beer because you don’t have to worry about cooking out that wheat taste!
This looks sensational. I agree that pork tenderloin is really hard to cook just right – I’ve had the pleasure of cooking it perfectly every now and again, and when it happens, J Daddy and I both swoon at the tenderness and juiciness of the glorious meat.
I LOVE cider. Cider makes me smile – in the first few months of dating, J Daddy and I would often drink cold ciders on my balcony, on hot balmy summer nights, getting to know each other and talking into the night. It’s a fantastic memory.
Must make this soon. I’ve discovered the BEST butchery in Eastwood, so I’ll be paying them another visit soon to get pork tenderloins. For now, I must be away to get on with my Australia Day ribs!!!
Oooh!! Which one??
Not sure what the name of the butchery is in English, but it’s the butcher at the roundabout next to Ginger & Shallots. Translated, the shop is called “88 Fresh Meat Shop”. We had such tender cuts of meat for our Australia Day BBQ and we are very impressed with the quality and the price.
I would never judge you — after all I am a firm believer in drinking some of the wine as you’re adding it to the food. You simply have to make sure the quality is there and how else will you know if you don’t sip (guzzle) some. Now we’ve sprayed our ribs with apple cider as they are on the grill — YUMMY!! We’ll have to try the cider with the extra kick to it next time. Your photo shots are fantastic. I bet your puppy had a hard time just watching with all of that goodness on the table 🙂 I know I would have had a difficult time just observing and not snitching a piece or two. xxxooo
BA HA HA! You crack me UP Marisa!!! Oooh, I love the thought of spraying ribs with apple cider….how did I not think of that? Normally I just use plain apple juice!
Oh dear gawsh – that pork is juicy indeed! I used to use beer in my chili but then had to curb it because of my daughter’s gluten sensitivity – so thank you for sharing that hard cider or alcoholic apple cider is similar to beer but with the wheat, Nagi!
I didn’t even think of that – thanks for the tip Shashi!
Due to a serious illness my husband is unable to drink alcohol. If I used the alcoholic cider would cooking “burn off” the alcohol?
Hi Frances! I would avoid this because though the sauce will be fine, I would worry about the tiny amount of alcohol absorbed by the pork which does not get cooked out. Can’t taste it, but it will be there – a teeny tiny amount. Please use the non alcoholic cider using the notes in the recipe!
I have some fresh apple cider that I need to use up is there some alcohol I could mix with it to use? Live in the US, so chance of me finding Rochdale cider are slim.
Hi Nancy! If you refer to the notes, there is one for how to use fresh apple cider. Otherwise, any hard cider – sweet apple hard cider – will do just fine!
I can’t find the Rochdale Apple Cider in the US (any suggestions for a alternative?)
Hi Bonita! Any sweet hard apple or pear cider will be perfect for this!! 🙂
Is it ok if I tell you I come by your site to see the pics. They are a work of art. You could make me it shoe leather with your pics! 🙂
There are many much more talented photographers in this world, but I’m really flattered! Thank you Peter! N x
It sounds delicious! I mean both the tenderloin and the apple cider! Glacial water really got me! Will definitely try it. 🙂
BA HA HA! Glacial water….that’s the KEY! 😉
I never knew in some places apple cider came with no alcohol! I love the combination of apples and pork, this recipe a must try.
It’s a classic combo, isn’t it?? 🙂