Chipotle Pomegranate Glazed Pork Tenderloin! Pork tenderloin is seasoned and seared, brushed with a simple, homemade sweet and smoky glaze and roasted until sticky and perfectly cooked. Yields 6 servings.
I don’t make pork tenderloin often, but when I do, it’s this one.
Seared pork tenderloins are brushed with a simple, homemade chipotle pomegranate glaze and roasts in a hot oven until perfectly cooked. It’s sweet, smoky with the perfect amount of heat. And not only is this recipe perfect for a. cozy week night meal, it’s also special enough to serve at your holiday table. Simply serve with your favorite sides and you have an incredible. and impressive meal with little effort. I’ve gone ahead and linked some of my favorite sides to serve with this at the end of the post.
Prepare to fall in love.
To Make This Chipotle Pomegranate Glazed Pork Tenderloin You Will Need:
- avocado oil – Or other oil safe for high-temp cooking.
- garlic – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
- chipotle peppers and adobo sauce – You will need both the peppers and reserved adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers).
- tomato paste – Lends concentrated rich tomato and umami flavors and helps with thickening.
- unsulphured molasses – For sweetness, depth of flavor and will also deepen the color of the glaze.
- dark brown sugar – Lends sweetness.
- dried mustard – Adds a depth of flavor to the glaze.
- pomegranate juice – I like to use Pom Wonderful. (not sponsored)
- juice of half a lemon – Adds acidity and brightens flavors.
- pork tenderloin – Set out 30 minutes prior to cooking to bring up to room temperature.
Make The Glaze:
In a medium saucepan, add 1 teaspoon avocado oil and 2 cloves minced fresh garlic. Stir often, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.
Next add in 3 minced chipotle peppers, 2 teaspoons adobo (from can of chipotles), 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses, 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard.
Lastly pour in 1 cup of pomegranate juice and the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
Give it a good stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Continue to simmer for 12 to 14 minutes until reduced and thickened.
Pour 2/3 of the glaze into a bowl for serving. Reserving the 1/2 for glazing the pork tenderloin. Set both off to the side and get started on the pork.
Sear the Pork:
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Remove the pork tenderloins from the package and pat dry with paper towel. Season 2 to 2-1/2 pounds of pork tenderloins with kosher salt on all sides.
Next, add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil into a large oven-safe skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
Once hot, sear the pork tenderloins for 4 minutes on all sides.
Remove the pan off of the heat and brush the seared pork generously with some of the reserved glaze.
Roast in your preheated oven for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove and brush the pork with more of the glaze, and place it back in the oven for 10 more minutes or until an instant thermometer reads 140-145°F. The National Pork Board suggests cooking to a final internal temperature of 160 degrees. However, I like mine at 140-145°F.
Transfer the glazed pork tenderloin to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes under tented foil. The internal temperature will rise several degrees during the resting stage.
Finally, slice and top with some of the remaining glaze then serve!
It’s sweet, smoky and the pork is deliciously moist.
What To Serve With Chipotle Pomegranate Pork Tenderloin:
- mashed potatoes
- scalloped potatoes
- green beans
- dinner rolls
- pear and walnut salad, pear and prosciutto salad or winter farro salad
Enjoy! And if you give this Chipotle Pomegranate Glazed Pork Tenderloin recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Chipotle Pomegranate Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- avocado oil
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and minced
- 3 small to medium chipotle peppers (in adobo sauce), roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, from can of chipotle peppers
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2¼ pound pork tenderloins, set out for 30 minutes prior to searing
- kosher salt
Equipment
Instructions
MAKE THE GLAZE:
- In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 teaspoon avocado oil and 2 cloves minced fresh garlic. Stir often for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Next add in chipotle peppers, adobo sauce (from can of chipotles), tomato paste, molasses, brown sugar and dried mustard. Lastly, pour in pomegranate juice and squeeze in the lemon juice.
- Increase heat to medium, stirring often until it reduces and thickens. about 12-14 minutes. Once thickened, pour 2/3 of the glaze into a bowl for serving. Reserving the remaining 1/3 for glazing the pork tenderloin. Set both off to the side and get started on the pork.
MAKE THE PORK TENDERLOIN:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.Remove the pork tenderloins from the package and pat dry with paper towel. Season with kosher salt on all sides.
- Next, add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil into a large oven-safe skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the pork tenderloins for 4 minutes on all sides.
- Remove the pan off of the heat and brush the seared pork generously with some of the reserved glaze, then roast on the middle rack in your preheated oven for 10 minutes.After 10 minutes, remove and brush the pork with more of the glaze, and place it back in the oven for 10 more minutes or until an instant thermometer reads 140-145°F.NOTE: The National Pork Board suggests cooking to a final internal temperature of 160 degrees. However, I like mine at 140-145°F. The internal temp will rise as the pork rests.
- Transfer the glazed pork tenderloin to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes under tented foil.
- Cut into 1/2-inch thick slices and top with some of the reserved glaze then serve!
Notes
This recipe was originally posted on March 10, 2011 and has been updated with clear and concise instructions, new photography and helpful information.
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Looks wonderful! I love anything with POM! 🙂
Wow, this looks awesome! Pork tenderloin can be so bland, but it works SO well with chipotle. Love the smoky-sweet flavor combo!!
Thank goodness I do always have chipotle peppers for when my guy gets a hankering for that Chipotle Spiced Beef Macaroni and Cheese on my blog. Maybe this could be added to his chipotle pepper rotation. Sounds so yummy!
Hi Laurie! It's been a while since my last visit and I am glad that today was the day … I have a little pork loin in my fridge and everything but the Pom juice … easily rectified. This looks soo delish! I can't wait for dinnertime!
oh wow! that looks so good Laurie – yumm 🙂 And are those new pots and pans I see? love it!!
That looks like an AMAZING dinner! I am really excited about that glaze, I need to try that
I love when recipes call for chipotle and brown sugar. Heck, the whole meal looks amazing!
This looks AMAZING. Oh my gosh I'm hungry!
Beautiful photos of a fabulous pork recipe…thanks!!!!
this looks delish! i haven't prepared much pork tenderloin in the past…but i will definitely be trying this one out! yumm.
This looks sublime! I freeze my leftover chipotles and am looking for a way to use up the last few. Thanks for sharing! : )
Fantastic recipe, going to bookmark it. You've made my mouth water so much. Congrats on the top 9 today!
OH MY GOSH! I just looked through your last 50 posts. Everything you do looks exquisite. Your combination of ingredients is perfect, and your presentation is really thoughtful.
Holy yum! I bet I could use that half used bottle of pomegranate syrup in my pantry for something like this! Thanks for the idea!
Looks amazing! this recipe is officially printed and will be made for dinner this week for sure. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds delicious! Great photos too 🙂
This sounds so delicious! I love all of the flavors here:) When you get a chance, stop by and pick up a couple of awards at my blog:)
I have been dying to try some pom in my cooking. This looks wonderful and I am a fan of a great pork tenderloin.
I just posted my pork tenderloin recipe. I went for a wild blueberry red wine sauce.
I love chipotle, never tried using pomegranate, a good option to try out.
HAVE to try this recipe!
My Father-in-Law was notorious for cooking pork tenderloins. The only downfall to this was he would make a gravy with it all the time! After he passed away, I wished I had asked him how he cooked his tenderloins, since I had never cooked one before. The day I saw this post I was soooo excited. Let me tell you; this was the BEST tenderloin I have ever had. It was moist, juicy and the flavors
This one is a big hit in our house – although I admit I went 4 chipotles this time and got a little resistance from our 10 year old. It's my favorite way to make a pork loin, and the pictures help me a lot since I am a novice cook. Thanks friend!
I made this glaze tonight for dinner but made salmon instead of pork. Oh, my gosh– it might have been one of the greatest things I've ever tasted! Thank you so much for sharing!
I have made this for pork tenderloin and for chicken. Amazing on both!!! Thanks for the recipe.
So my friend Laurie, a yummy afterburner for this fab meal is using the leftover chipotle sauce as the base for flatbread pizzas. I used Trader Joe’s whole wheat pitas, grilled some onions with leftover red wine (scandelous, I had leftover wine) and some shredded grilled chicken breast (more leftovers). Add some cheese and baked until melted. Eat. Sing your praises.
Trying this recipe right now!!! Looks so yummy. The boy and I love sweet and spicy sauces. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
I made this last night and it was really easy! The flavor was tasty and they came out perfectly cooked.
Oh good Kelli! I’m so glad 🙂 <3
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As a lifelong cook myself, I have to admit that I am thoroughly envious of you for having developed this fabulous recipe! I made this today for lunch and it really was perfectly delicious! I only used honey instead of molassess, which I did not have. Definitely will make this lots more. Thank you!
Thank YOU, Camila! Your kind words mean so much!