Blackberry Balsamic Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Veggies

This Blackberry Balsamic Pork Tenderloin recipe comes complete with not one, but two gorgeously roasted veggies to go alongside. And what’s more – we’ll whip up a glossy, buttery pan sauce to smother everything with just before serving. I love recipes like this because they really do always seem to fit in nicely at just about any occasion – they’re evergreen and you simply cannot have too many wholesome, square meal recipes in your arsenal.

Fresh carrots, crispy golden potatoes, herby thyme. Juicy pork tenderloin. Tender onions. The cast of characters today is humble, simple, and familiar. You don’t need anything more than this. The beauty of recipes like this is that they’re timeless, and so very valuable for all of their timelessness. You can serve this up on individual plates or pile it all onto a platter and go for a family-style approach, as I’ve showed here in the photos. Either way, it’s all good, right down to the last drop of that glorious pan sauce.

How to make the best pork tenderloin

Pork tenderloin, maybe after chicken thighs, is the protein I tend to cook most often. It’s unbelievably easy, forgiving, relatively lean, and highly versatile. From grilling and broiling to pan-searing and roasting, you can really have your way with a pork tenderloin, but for my money – today’s method is the best of the bunch.

1. Sear it, then roast until done. You don’t HAVE to sear pork tenderloin before you roast it, and honestly sometimes I skip this step. But today’s searing actually does two things for us. Firstly, it creates a tasty, fetching crust all over the pork which serves to help seal in the juices at the meat cooks. Also – and most importantly – the searing on the stovetop will actually create the first layer of flavor in the pan sauce that we’re whipping up today. So, skipping the sear isn’t really in the cards today. But fear not! It’s very simple, and is nothing more than putting the meat in a hot pan with a little oil and allow it to brown a bit before transferring to the oven.
2. Higher heat is king. You may have heard that 350 degrees F is the universal baking temperature for all the things. I think this assertion holds true for most baked goods, sweets, treats and the like. But for applications where the oven’s heat is needed to both cook and break down the proteins in meats – higher heat is better for the job. So, you’ll notice that I have you setting the oven to 425 degrees today.
3. Rest is best! As with any and all meat cookery, you want to avoid slicing into this pork tenderloin too soon. After it has had a chance to rest for about 8 to 10 minutes (after it’s left the oven), then and only then! Should we go slicing into it. This small yet important window of resting time gives the juices a chance to redistribute throughout the meat, thus preventing them from just flowing right out onto your cutting board.

What you’ll need to make this Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Pan Sauce

1.25 to 1.75 lb. pork tenderloin

Olive oil, as needed

Salt and pepper, to taste

5 or 6 large carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces

24-oz Yukon Gold potatoes diced into ½-inch pieces

3 tsp fresh thyme leaves, divided

1 cup of diced onion

1/4 cup plus 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

¼ cup seedless blackberry jam (such as All Fruit spread)

4 TBSP butter

How to make this Blackberry Balsamic Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Veggies

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Adjust the racks to the top and middle positions. 
2. Toss the potatoes and carrots on a large baking sheet and drizzle with enough oil to lightly coat. Season generously with salt and pepper (aout 1 to 2 tsp of each), and sprinkle with 2 tsp of the thyme. Roast on the top rack for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, pat the pork dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork and sear on all sides until golden brown, takes 5 to 6 minutes total (it will finish cooking in the oven).
4. Take the veggies out of the oven, give them a toss, and scoot them over to make room for the pork. If you have to use a second sheet, that’s all good. Transfer the pork tenderloin to the baking sheet (don’t wipe out the pan) and put the baking sheet back in the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes. The pork and veggies should finish up at the same time. Allow the pork to rest for 8 to 10 minutes, before slicing into 1/2-inch-thick medallions.
5. Now, whip up the quick pan sauce. In the same pan in which you seared the pork, add about 1 TBSP oil and set the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion and the rest of the chopped thyme. Cook, stirring, for about 3 or 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock, the balsamic, blackberry jam, and a good pinch of salt (you want it really well-seasoned, so just taste as you go) and lots of fresh black pepper. Stir/scrape up the bits of pork and their drippings and allow the sauce to gently simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly reduced. 
6. Turn off the heat, add the butter, and stir to melt. Serve the sliced pork and veggies with the balsamic blackberry sauce spooned over top. 

If you like the looks of this Blackberry Balsamic Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Veggies, you might also enjoy:

Raspberry Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops

Roasted Honey Garlic Pork Loin with veggies

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