Pork Tenderloin And Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Weeknights can be pretty frenetic when it comes to getting dinner on the table.  We might be working mothers, or a single mom or dad, have families with very busy schedules needing to get here or there in quickly. Putting dinner on the table in a timely manner can be somewhat of a challenge. For this reason, this glazed pork tenderloin recipe with a good addition of caramelized sprouts can save you from any “short on time” situation when you have to feed your family or amaze some guests who just dropped by to see you.  

Having raised five children myself, I understand those challenges completely.  I firmly believe that it is very beneficial as a family for everyone to eat together as a group as much as possible. That’s why I am sharing a recipe with you today that is quick and easy to prepare as well as being quite delicious.

You can literally have this on the table in about an hour, an hour and a half maximum.  If you pop some potatoes into the microwave oven to bake or make use of the many prepped and frozen potato and rice dishes available for convenience these days, and perhaps make a salad or another vegetable on the side, you can really be assured that you are not only feeding your family something which is quick and easy, but also hearty and filling.  The fact that it is fairly low fat and healthy is a bonus!

What You Need for This Glazed Pork Tenderloin Recipe

The ingredients list is a very simple one. You will need a decent-sized pork tenderloin fillet, some pretty basic seasonings, pure maple syrup (don’t be tempted to use maple-flavored syrup), Dijon mustard, Balsamic vinegar and a package of fresh trimmed Brussels sprouts.  Pork and Brussels sprouts are perfect partners in my opinion, and they are still in season, which makes them a wise choice. 

If Brussels sprouts are not a family favorite you could also use green beans, or blanched broccoli and cauliflower. You might even be able to use the thicker stems of asparagus if you wish. (I would not use skinny asparagus as it would probably overcook). Also, you might want to check out the recipe for pork and sauerkraut if you want more inspiration on how to cook pork in a fast and delicious way!

My sprouts were well-trimmed when I got them.  I washed them and then removed any discolored or mangy, wilted looking leaves, discarding them. You will need to cut the sprouts in half lengthwise, making sure that each half is held together by a bit of the stem end.  Toss them together in a bowl with a bit of seasoning and some oil. You can now set them aside for a few minutes.

Pork tenderloin is such a beautiful piece of meat and it lends itself to being cooked very quickly and simply.  This cut of pork is also called pork fillet or Gentleman’s cut.

It is a long thin boneless piece of pork, which comes from the muscle which runs along the center spine of a pig above the ribs and belly. Unlike the leg or shoulder, it is not a muscle that is directly used for walking about, which makes for a lovely lean and yet tender piece of meat. 

Pair this pork tenderloin lunch recipe with a fresh white chocolate bread pudding.

You will note however, most tenderloins will have a layer of silver skin, which is a type of sinew, running along one side. I always remove this because it will shrink when cooking and can be a bit on the tough side.

It’s very easy to remove with the use of a sharp knife. Just run the tip of your knife under one end of the silver skin and then grab hold of the piece you have loosened. Wiggle the knife along the under length of it at a slight angle which will remove it quite easily.  You can discard the sinew and continue on with the recipe.

A basic component of this dish is scrumptious Maple Dijon Glaze that you use to brush on the pork prior to grilling it.  This is also very simple to make.  

I tend to do it in my microwave oven, although you can also do it in a small saucepan on top of the stove.  It involves whisking together Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar and then simmering the mixture until it thickens into a glaze. 

I like to use Apple Balsamic Vinegar because of its lovely apple flavor, which goes very well with pork. You can use regular balsamic with no problems or even a white balsamic.

While you’re planning meals, how about a cheesy apple breakfast loaf?

To cook it in the microwave, put the ingredients into a large glass measure.  It will bubble up quite a bit and you don’t want it bubbling over and making a mess.  Microwave it on high, whisking it every 30 to 45 seconds until you get the thickness desired.

In my microwave, this takes between 2 and 2 ½ minutes. What you are doing essentially is evaporating the water in the syrup and condensing the mixture. 

To do this in a saucepan on the stove, place the ingredients into a saucepan and bring the mixture to the boil, whisking.  Reduce the heat slightly and continue to gently boil until it gets to your desired thickness.  You don’t want it really thin or really thick, but somewhere in between, sort of like a drizzle. Set aside to cool a bit until you need it.

Pat the pork dry and place it onto a foil-lined baking sheet. The pork itself is simply seasoned with a mix of garlic powder, dried onion granules, salt, and black pepper.  Mix these together and then sprinkle them all over the pork. 

The pork is cooked by grilling it beneath a hot broiler.  I like to start by broiling the underside of the pork first, so make sure that the underside is upper-most when you begin.

Brush the pork with a portion of the glaze and then place the pan beneath the hot grill element, about 4 to 6 inches away.  Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.

It doesn’t take long; ten minutes maximum will do.  It should look like this. You will find some areas a bit darker than others, depending on their distance from the grill element.  What you see here is perfect.

You can now flip your pork tenderloin over so that the presentation side, or uppermost side, is showing.  Scatter the prepared sprouts around the pork on the baking tray and then brush the pork with more of the Maple Dijon Glaze.  Back under the grill it goes for a further six minutes, at which time both the meat and the sprouts should be cooked to perfection.

Your pork should register an internal temperature of 145*F and be nicely golden brown and the sprouts will also be very nicely caramelized. Leave it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing the pork to serve.

This resting time allows for the pork to re-absorb any juices released while the pork was cooking.  Once it has rested, I slice it into thick slices on the diagonal and transfer it to a heated serving plate, surrounding it with the caramelized sprouts.

I drizzle a bit more of the glaze over the pork tenderloin and then take it to the table to serve, putting any leftover glaze into a sauce dish to serve at the table.

Doesn’t that look tender, succulent and delicious?  I can’t think of anyone that wouldn’t enjoy eating something like this for their supper!

I like to serve it with potatoes, but portions of rice or pasta would also go well.  Today I used some frozen potato Dauphinoise which was excellent.  A salad or coleslaw would also be perfect served alongside.  Today I cooked some frozen corn.  The whole process took no more than half an hour for everything, and I was able to provide us with a delicious and hearty meal that was not only very easy to put together, but incredibly tasty!  That glaze is really lush.  You may want to double it so that you have plenty to share around the table when you are eating it!

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