Roast Pork Tenderloin with New Potatoes
Did you know that pork tenderloin has fewer calories than chicken breast with skin? I only found this out recently. So when we get bored with chicken, we can safely choose pork tenderloin instead. It cooks very quickly, but you have to be careful how long you roast it: too little and it's rare, too much and it's dry. But don't worry, this recipe contains all the steps and timing needed for preparing a succulent and delicious roast pork tenderloin. As a side dish I chose new potatoes, since they're in season, though some boiled green beans on the side wouldn't hurt either.
If there are only two of you like us and you don't finish all the tenderloin in one meal, here's what I do with the leftovers: the next day I slice the remaining tenderloin thinly (you can use an electric slicer) and make sandwiches with it... a healthy alternative to deli meats.
Ingredients
1 kg new potatoes
1 pork tenderloin (about 500g)
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 heaping teaspoon mustard
1 garlic clove
salt, pepper
7 tablespoons oil
Servings: 3-4
How to prepare roast pork tenderloin with new potatoes
- Clean the tenderloin of membranes and fat (everything white) and rub with salt (a bit more than you would normally use). Let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Crush the Herbes de Provence in a mortar and mix with paprika, pepper to taste, mustard and crushed garlic. Add 5 tablespoons oil and mix well.
- Scrub the potatoes with a metal sponge. Cut the larger ones in half and leave the small ones whole.
- Pour a few tablespoons of the seasoning over the potatoes, sprinkle with salt and mix well to coat. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan in a single layer. Pour 100ml water (along the edge of the pan so you don't wash off the seasoning) and cover with aluminum foil.
- Roast the potatoes in the oven at 220°C for 25 minutes.
- 10 minutes before the 25 minutes are up (while the potatoes are roasting), heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet.
- Rub the tenderloin with the remaining seasoning. Place it in the skillet (be careful to tuck the thin tip of the tenderloin underneath to achieve a more uniform thickness; see photo 3 - close-up). Sear the tenderloin for about 2 minutes (until lightly browned) on one side, then flip and brown the other side. Finally, turn it on its sides and sear for 30 seconds each.
- Remove the pan of potatoes from the oven and remove the foil. Place the tenderloin on top and return the pan to the oven (without foil this time) for another 10 minutes.
- After the 10 minutes, the tenderloin will be done. Check the potatoes.
- If they're done, remove the entire pan and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- If the potatoes aren't ready yet, remove the tenderloin to a plate and cover with foil; continue roasting the potatoes until done. - Slice the tenderloin thin and arrange in the center of a platter. Place the roasted potatoes around it.
Cleaned tenderloin
Seasoned potatoes in the pan
Frying the tenderloin on the first side
Flip and fry on the second side
Frying the lateral sides
Put the tenderloin over the potatoes and roast
Roast Pork Tenderloin with New Potatoes
