Roast Pork Tenderloin with Asian Glaze
The entire combination of this tender and juicy roast pork tenderloin with asian glaze is at once simple, exotic and elegant.
A few months ago, I shared one of my favorite recipes for a brown sugar spiced pork tenderloin and just the thought of it has my mouth watering, but this delightful version with an Asian-flavored twist ranks right up there in deliciousness.
What I love about pork tenderloin is that it is so meltingly juicy and tender and with the right seasonings, the flavor can skyrocket to other-worldly proportions.
In this recipe, the pork is briefly marinated and then roasted in the oven.
An effortless glaze (the same ingredients for the marinade, actually!) is boiled on the stove and once the pork is cooked, rests for a few minutes, and is sliced – the tasty meat is drizzled with the soy-sugar glaze and the entire combination is at once simple, exotic and elegant.
While pork tenderloin can sometimes be a pricier cut of meat, when I find it on sale, I stock up and store in the freezer just for recipes like this.
What to Serve With This
(By the way, I served this alongside a should-be-tasty recipe for rice pilaf, pictured with the pork, but don’t bother asking for the recipe, it was actually terribly frightening. However, if you are looking for other ideas, the pork would be delicious with this or this or this.)
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Asian Glaze
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of excess fat and any thin silver skin
- 1 scallion, green onion, white and green parts, thinly sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a small roasting pan (or use a 9X13-inch baking dish) with foil and lightly oil the foil. This is important because the glaze has a high sugar content and will scorch during roasting.
- Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon ginger, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper in a self-sealing plastic bag and mix to dissolve the sugar. Add the pork tenderloins and close the bag. Toss the meat in the bag to coat it with the marinade. Marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
- Remove the pork tenderloins from the marinade and place in the roasting pan. Drizzle about half of the marinade over the pork. Discard the remaining marinade. Roast for 15 minutes. Baste the pork with the marinade in the roasting pan. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer reads 150-155, about 25 minutes more. The marinade will eventually thicken and scorch, but the foil will protect the pan, so don’t worry. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes.
- While the pork is resting, bring the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon ginger, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 minced garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan.
- Cut the roast pork crosswise on a slight diagonal into thin slices and arrange the overlapping slices on a platter. Drizzle the hot marinade over the pork, sprinkle with the scallion, and serve immediately.
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Recipe Source: adapted from Kitchen Life by Art Smith
Hi Mel,
What is the total the weight of the pork loin in proportion to the marinade recipe? I have one whole 8 lb pork loin all tied up in string to work with.
Thank you.
The original recipe is for about 3 pounds of pork.
I have made this many times. The difference between the marinade and the sauce is negligible, half a clove of garlic. I make the whole thing, 2/3 for the marinade and 1/3 for the sauce.
This is so incredibly delicious! I love every single one of your recipes and this one is no different. My husband has asked for it 3 times in the past week so I’ve experimented with slightly different variations to mix it up a bit. I grilled the pork tenderloin instead of roasting it in the oven and it turned out amazing. I’ve also tried the same marinade with chicken and it was delicious too! Definitely a keeper at our house. Thanks, Mel!
Thanks for including your cooking variations, Rebecca – glad you and your husband love this one!
additional info????
I made this recipe for two and used half the amount of pork but made the full amount of marinade and sauce. In step three you are asked to baste the pork after 15 minutes, but the marinade was cooked onto the foil and couldn’t be used to baste. I used the half I had been told to discard. I served it with plain steamed rice. It was delicious and tender. I making it again tonight.
Made this last night and it was really good ! It’s definitely one of my favorite pork tenderloin recipes. And I can’t wait to try it with chicken as well.
This was great. I made it exactly as written and wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you!
This was fantastic! I made it with boneless pork chops baking them for 30 min and basting them half way. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for another yummy recipe!
We just had this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. 🙂
I made this for dinner today & it was great! Thanks for all your great reciepes! I made the french rolls & the pumpkin blondies today as well. Your recipes are always a hit with my 5 little ones! I’ve made several things from your site since I found it back in Aug & thought I should let you know how great the food is. I’ll hopefully be trying the granola & apple/pumpkin muffins tomorrow.
Brittany – I’ve never marinated it longer than the 3 hours so I can’t be sure how it would fare. Pork usually does ok being marinated longer but since I haven’t tried it with this recipe I can’t be completely sure…if it were me, though, I’d probably give it a go and see how it works out.
Question…. What if you let it marinade longer than 3 hrs? I want to prep the dinner before work but I nervous to let it marinade all day..would that be ok?
Mel- I’ve tried this recipe quite a few times both with the tenderloin and the pork loin and every time it was AMAZING!!! Love it!!! Thanks for posting!
I made this for dinner on Sunday. It was fabulous!!! Thanks for a recipe I know I’ll make again and again!
Thanks, Kellie Jo – I’m so glad this was a success. Thanks for letting me know.
I made this last night, another hit! What a great tasting glaze, much thank!
Thanks, Erin – I’m so glad you liked this!
I can’t wait to try this!
What’s the deal with you and pork these days? I’m not complaining–it all looks phenomenal and I happen to have plenty of pork in the freezer–but it seems like you are on a “the other white meat” streak.
This looks wonderful. You are amazing in the kitchen!! A few months back you posted your meal planning ideas. Have you ever considered posting your completed meal plans each time? I would love that! I love to cook, but I am not original and have a hard time coming up with menu plans. Thanks for considering it!
Hi linnlee – yes, I’ve thought about it but I don’t post every recipe that I try from my menu plans since some are disasters. I would have to tweak the menu plan to be recipes that have worked and are already posted…I’ll be sure to publicize if I ever go that route! Thanks for the suggestion.
Pork tenderloin is one of my new favorite things to make! I’ll have to try this glaze, it sounds delicious.
I have been needing another go-to pork tenderloin recipe. I’m sure yours is tops! thanks!
I do the same with pork tenderloin – usually I can get 3-4 on sale and keep them in the freezer. It is one of our favorite meals! This sounds fabulous.
I love pork tenderloin, and this one with the asian glaze looks especially yummy! I am sure the marinade would be equally as good with chicken, don’t you think? Thanks for sharing, Mel! 🙂
Kim – yes, this marinade would probably work just fine with chicken!