If you want a dish that has lean, tender meat with delicious flavors, then this recipe is for you! Pork tenderloin is so tender it almost melts in your mouth, plus the addition of the Brandy Cream Sauce will make you wanting to come back for more!
I first came across this recipe from my blogger friend, Jeff the Chef, who posts great recipes under the name Make it Like a Man. However, I decided to vary the recipe a bit, adding some apples and glazed pearl onions, plus cooking the tenderloin in one piece, rather than in medallions.
Since I’m rather a newbie at cooking pork tenderloin, I had to first overcome the mistake that many of us make of grabbing a pork loin at the supermarket, instead of a pork tenderloin. A pork loin is a much larger piece of meat sold with either bone-in or out, and is often prepared as a roast. A pork tenderloin (sometimes called a pork filet) is a thin, boneless cut of meat, and is the more tender of the two cuts.
Pork tenderloin is smaller and thinner than a pork loin. Photo courtesy of Peg’s Home Cooking.
Some Cooking Notes
If you’re baking the pork tenderloin in one piece in the oven, it’s best to truss the pork with kitchen string in order to hold its shape. If you don’t want to do a ‘fancy’ trussing’ (below), you can just wrap the string around the meat in several places and tie it.
Trussed pork tenderloin
After browning the pork tenderloin on the stovetop, place the meat on a bed of minced garlic and chopped onions- then add 1/3 cup each white wine and chicken stock, followed by the sliced apples. Cover with foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes. The meat should still a bit pink inside- do not over-cook.
Pork resting on a bed of chopped garlic and onions
After baking, remove the meat from the pan and prepare the Brandy Cream Sauce. Slice and serve with the glazed pearl onions and apples on the side.
Pre-heat oven to 350 F (180 C). Season the tenderloin with salt, pepper and allspice. If required, truss or tie the tenderloin in several places with kitchen string to hold its shape while cooking. Cut the onion into rough slices and then mince the garlic finely. Over medium heat, saute' the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until soft- about 2 -3 minutes. Peel and core one apple, then cut into thin slices. Arrange the onion and garlic pieces on the bottom of a roasting pan, then place the pork tenderloin on top of the veggies. Arrange the apple slices on top. Pour the white wine and chicken stock on top of the ingredients; cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30-40 minutes until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 160 F- the meat should be a little pink inside. While the meat is cooking, prepare the glazed pearl onions. Peel the onions, then place the olive oil and butter into a fry pan over medium heat. Place the onions into the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until brown, shaking the pan occasionally. Add 2 Tablespoons water to the pan along with 1 Tablespoon sugar. Allow the moisture to almost dry out in the pan, as you occasionally shake the pan. You should see the onions start to glaze as the moisture dries. Set the onions aside. Remove the pork from the oven and transfer to a plate to rest, while you prepare the Brandy and Cream sauce. Strain the cooking juices from the roasting pan- you should have about 1/2 cup of cooking liquid remaining. Add enough chicken stock to the liquid, to reach 1 cup liquid total. Transfer the liquid to a medium sauce pan; whisk over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes until the liquid reduces a bit. Add the brandy and ignite with a long match; wait until the flame dies down then stir in the cream. (Note: igniting the brandy is optional and not essential). Add a little salt to the sauce, if required. To serve, remove the kitchen string from the pork, place on a serving platter and slice into pieces about 1/2 inch thick. Pour the sauce on top of the meat and add some of the garlic pieces from the roasting pan on top. Arrange the apple pieces and glazed pearl onions around the serving platter- serve warm. (Note: serve with some green veggies and rice on the side).Pork Tenderloin with Brandy Cream Sauce, Apples and Glazed Pearl Onions
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9 Comments
angiesrecipes
April 2, 2020 at 5:02 amwow, that’s a FEAST! The pork looks so juicy, tender and packed full of flavours with boozy creamy sauce.
David Scott Allen
April 5, 2020 at 1:47 amI love Jeff’s recipes and this one — with your additions — is really lovely!
Jeff the Chef
April 6, 2020 at 4:50 amThank you so much for posting this recipe! I love what you’ve done with it. This is the kind of meal that fills your house with fabulous, memory-making aromas and is so wonderful to serve to guests. It’d make a marvelous Easter dinner – if only for your immediate household in the midst of this worldwide lockdown! Thank you so much for the shout-out – quite an honor!
Fran Flint
April 6, 2020 at 6:45 amMy pleasure, Jeff! You’re right- this dish makes a great company dish, plus it is relatively easy!
Raymund
April 6, 2020 at 6:41 amWow that looks perfectly cooked! Just by looking at it I can feel the texture already. Love it
Fran Flint
April 6, 2020 at 6:46 amThanks, Raymund. I haven’t heard from you in awhile, but I’ve been tracking your recipes!
Katerina
April 11, 2020 at 4:03 pmThis is a stunner, Fran! I love the presentation, the meat is cooked perfectly and the sauce sounds divine. Jeff definitely has some lovely recipes on his blog!
Fran Flint
April 12, 2020 at 12:01 pmThanks Katrina for your comment!
John / Kitchen Riffs
April 23, 2020 at 1:07 amJeff is such a good — and FUN! — cook. This is a super recipe. And I love using pork tenderloin — so versatile.