Try this tender pork tenderloin finished with a sweet chili honey glaze that has a little heat and a ton of flavor. It is one of those dishes that you will remember.
Origins of This Dish
First, I need to give credit where credit is due. This Pork Tenderloin with Chili Honey Glaze recipe was adapted from a recipe by Bobby Flay on the Food Network. I modified the spices a bit for my taste, but the inspiration came from Bobby’s original recipe. I live in Austin, Texas and am fond of the Tex-Mex influence in Bobby Flay’s cooking.
Honestly, I do not know why a chili honey glaze works so incredibly well in this dish, but it does. It you only can make one pork tenderloin in the next 20 years, make this one. You will not be disappointed.
Glaze
The glaze is surprisingly simple to make. It has only five ingredients and three of them are peppers. They just needs to be stirred together, no cooking required. How easy is that? While I’m not sure that you would want to eat this glaze with a spoon, it is outrageously good on a pork tenderloin.
Season the Pork Tenderloin
The seasonings are as simple as the glaze. It’s just salt, pepper and a few chili powders. Mix it together then rub the tenderloin with a bit of oil. Sprinkle the mixture on both sides and rub it in. It’s now ready for the cast iron skillet.
Sear the Pork Tenderloin
Sear the tenderloin in a hot skillet with a bit of vegetable oil. Stick to vegetable oil or something similar, not olive oil. The reason is that olive oil has a low smoke point and is not suitable for searing in a hot pan. This calls for a heavyweight pan so get out that old cast iron skillet. Yes, you will have to clean it, but it’s worth it.
Bake the Pork Tenderloin
After the tenderloin is seared, finish it in a hot oven at 425˚F to an internal temperature of 140˚F. I did mine in a wood fired oven, but a conventional oven will work just fine. Let it rest then cut and serve with as much of that glaze as you can put on it. Every drop is gold, don’t waste it. Enjoy.
Favorite Side Dishes
Some of our other favorite side dishes are:
- Corn Ribs
- Homemade Canadian Bacon
- Texas Style Creamed Corn with Poblano Peppers
- Creamed Corn Without Cream
- Barbecue Baked Beans
- Kosher Dill Pickles
- Grilled Garlic Bread
- Easy Pork Recipes
Watch the video on YouTube
Pork Tenderloin with Chili Honey Glaze
Ingredients
Glaze
- 3/4 cup honey
- 2 tsp ancho chili powder
- 2 tsp New Mexico chili powder
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbs Dijon mustard
Pork Tenderloin
- 2 pound pork tenderloin trimmed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp New Mexico chili powder
- 2 tbs canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- Take the pork tenderloin out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Season the tenderloin on both sides with salt, pepper and the chili powders.
- Heat oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the pork tenderloin to the skillet and sear on all sides until a crust has formed (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and brush both sides with a little bit of the glaze.
- Place the skillet in the oven and roast the tenderloin until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the tenderloin reads 140°F (about 12 minutes).
- Remove the roast and place it on a cutting board and top with more glaze and cover with foil. Let it rest 10 minutes. Cut 1/2″ slices, top with more glaze and serve.
