This recipe for pepita and herb crusted pork tenderloin combines the flavors of Asia with Autumnal favorites like pumpkin seeds, rosemary, sage and thyme. Impressive enough to serve at a holiday party but satisfying enough for a weekday meal, this tenderloin is the perfect dish to have in your back pocket all winter long. While the original recipe calls for steaming the tenderloin in the oven with chicken stock, here we sear it on the stove top and then put it in the oven to finish for a crispier crust.
What You Will Need:
- cutting board
- cast iron skillet
- citrus zester
- food processor
- 1 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1 package holiday mix fresh herbs (includes 2 tablespoons rosemary, 2 tablespoons sage, 3 tablespoons savory, 2 tablespoons thyme)
- 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
- 2 tablespoons white wine Dijon mustard
- 2.5 pounds pork tenderloin
Steps:
We combined our fresh herbs, orange zest, pepitas, garlic, and a pinch of salt in the food processor and pulsed until well ground.
Then, we dumped our crust mixture out onto a clean cutting board so that we’d be ready to roll once the pork was finished.
With our crust mixture ready and waiting, we started in on the pork. We heated the cast iron skillet on the stove top with two tablespoons of oil. We rubbed the pork loin with five spice powder, then placed it in the cast iron skillet to get a good sear.
After searing, we removed the tenderloin from the skillet, rubbed it with mustard, and rolled it in the pepita and herb crust. Yes, it’s a little messy, but don’t let that intimidate you!
Then, we returned the tenderloin to the cast iron skillet and put it in the oven to finish cooking through. It took us about twenty minutes to get out tenderloin up to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (which is a little rare, but we like it that way). If you want your tenderloin more well done, keep it in the oven a little longer.
When the tenderloin is done, remove it from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Tent it with foil and let it rest ten minutes. Then, slice and enjoy!
One Comment
Yes, you roasted the loin to 145 not the 160. I had an friendly disagreement with a butcher. His stand was still 160 because hogs don’t sweat. Hence they don’t get rid of the impurities in their bodies. Really??