One of the things I absolutely love about this recipe for Fast and Easy Balsamic BBQ Pork Tenderloin is that there is virtually no waste. The pork is cooked in the marinade. Then, the marinade and juices from the meat are reduced in a pan and finished with honey to make its own barbecue sauce.
The sweetness of the honey is balanced by the vinegar. And the combination of garlic, herbs and Cajun spice all come together to deliver an amazingly flavorful sauce.
I like to serve this easy BBQ pork recipe with a side of Bold 30-Minute Baked Mac-n-Cheese. These two recipes are kinda like that perfect couple we all know. They’re simply meant to be together.
If I’m looking to round out the meal, I will often pair these two dishes with a side of Easy 5-Ingredient Sweet and Sour Greens, Jalapeno Cheddar Corn Muffins, a little Bless Your Heart Sweet Tea for a proper Southern-Style spread.
Jump to RecipeTable of Contents
Why the tenderloin and not pork shoulder?
Fast and Easy Balsamic BBQ Pork Tenderloin in its own honey barbecue sauce is a quicker, leaner version of a summer classic.
Traditionally, BBQ pulled pork is made from a fattier cut – the pork shoulder. Pork shoulder is a fairly economical cut of meat, so you can feed a large crowd without busting your grocery budget for the month. It also makes the best BBQ pork.
The additional fat and connective tissue breaks down during the cooking process and gives the meat its succulent, melt-in-your mouth, buttery texture. If you’re looking for an indulgent pulled pork experience, use the pork shoulder instead of the tenderloin.
However, if you want to go a little leaner, the tenderloin is your friend in this recipe for Fast and Easy Balsamic BBQ Pork Tenderloin.
The optimal temperature for a pork tenderloin
I grew up on the standard of cooking pork until it reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. The dry, leathery pork chops of my youth tainted my opinion of this meat for years. That’s probably why I never really developed a taste for it until I was much older. Even as a young home cook, I held to this standard. I was fearful that if I dropped even a few degrees below the recommended temperature, I would develop a fatal case of trichinosis. Nope, better not to risk it and certainly worth not having to suffer through another dry pork chop.
And then my world opened up.
In 2011, Consumer Reports published an article that would change my view of pork forever. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had updated its food preparation guidelines, announcing that pork prepared to an internal temperature of 145 degrees was safe to eat. Through testing, they found that the external temperature of the cooked pork was high enough to kill off any bacteria that may reside on the surface of the meat. This was a major shift in thinking.
Additionally, the lower cooking temperature made it easier to prepare leaner cuts of pork without risk of it becoming dry and tough. And that is exactly why we can turn a leaner cut of meat into a pulled pork delight in this recipe for Fast and Easy Balsamic BBQ Pork Tenderloin.
Cajun spice brings just the right amount of heat in this Fast and Easy Balsamic BBQ Pork Tenderloin
I like a little heat in a barbecue sauce. Not so much that you lose your sense of taste, but just enough to bring a little warmth and flavor to the meat. I prefer Slap Ya Mama HOT Cajun Seasoning to add flavor to the sauce in this recipe for Fast and Easy Balsamic BBQ Pork Tenderloin. You can find it in the spice section in most major grocery store chains. This little red spice blend delivers amazing flavor and a respectable amount of heat to any dish, and it really elevates this marinade. I recommend starting off with just 1 teaspoon. If you want more of a kick, increase the amount to 2 teaspoons.
Fast and Easy Balsamic BBQ Pork Tenderloin
Course: EntreeCuisine: American BBQDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes35
minutesIngredients
- For the balsamic marinade
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 – 2 tsp. hot Cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dried basil
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 cup honey (set aside)
- For the pork tenderloin
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed.
Directions
- Marinating the pork
- Rinse and pat dry the pork tenderloin. Trim off any tough connective tissue. Set aside.
- In an oven safe baking dish, combine all of the marinade ingredients – except for the honey. The honey will be used after the pork has cooked.
- Add the pork to the marinade and toss it to ensure it’s completely covered in the marinade. Allow to rest in the refrigerator overnight (8 hours minimum).
- Cooking the pork
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Remove the marinating pork from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
- You will cook the pork in the marinade. If using a glass baking dish, cover it tightly with aluminum foil (or Dutch oven with the lid on) and place the pork in the oven.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 – 35 minutes, or until the pork has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- Remove the pork from the cooking juices and allow it to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes.
- Once the pork has rested, use two forks to pull it apart. Set aside until ready to toss with the BBQ sauce.
- Making the BBQ sauce
- Pour the marinade into a small sauce pan. Skim off as much of the oil as you can and discard. You will have approximately 1 1/2 cups of liquid remaining.
- Over medium-high heat, reduce the marinade by 50 percent. You should have approximately 3/4 cup of liquid after reducing it on the stove. This will take approximately 15 – 30 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of honey to the reduced marinade liquid. Stir until completely dissolved and reduce the heat to a simmer until ready to serve.
- Toss the pork in 1/2 cup of the sauce. Serve the remaining sauce on the side for dipping or drizzling.
Notes
- A Dutch oven works perfectly for this recipe.
- Although this recipe calls for cooking the pork in the oven, you can still get a good smoky flavor by doing a quick finish on the grill. Before shredding the meat, prepare the sauce as instructed above. Bring your grill to an internal temperature of 500 degrees F. Brush the tenderloins with the finished BBQ sauce and place directly over the heat for a total of 1-2 minutes. Rotate the meat so the sauce caramelizes on all sides. You can then shred the meat, sauce and serve.
- It’s important to reduce the marinade first before adding the honey. Don’t skip this step. If you add the honey at the same time you reduce the marinade, you risk burning the sugars in the honey and your finished sauce will be bitter.
