Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Apples and Onions
Peter Brady (doing his best Humphrey Bogart impression in 1971) was onto something when he immortalized the combination of pork chops and applesauce. Pork and apples is a fantastic combination in this recipe, given to us by faithful Scramble recipe tester Debbie F. Recipe tester Nikki Wolf wrote, “This dish was fabulous! It was a hit with all five of us. The pork was super juicy and the topping was delicious. My 5-year-old daughter ate three pieces of pork because she liked it so much. My 8-year-old son saw onions and was hesitant, but he loved it once he tasted it.”
Ingredients
- 1 lb. pork tenderloin
- 1 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. fresh or dried rosemary
- 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
- 2 apples peeled and sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking dish that’s just large enough to hold the pork with nonstick cooking spray. Put the pork in the dish, rub the oil over it and season it with the salt, pepper, and half the rosemary, rubbing them on to coat it evenly.
- Bake the pork for 20 – 25 minutes until it is just cooked through or reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When it is bubbling, add the apples and onions, stir to coat, and sauté them, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, 8 - 10 minutes.
- Add the sugar, cinnamon, and remaining rosemary and continue to cook until the apples and onions are nicely browned, 5 – 8 more minutes.
- Add the vinegar and scrape up any remaining bits in the pan for about 30 seconds.
- Slice the pork and serve it immediately with the apples and onions right on top of the pork or on the side, seasoning with additional salt if necessary.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Rub the inside of the slow cooker with the oil, or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Place the apples and onions in the slow cooker, then drizzle their tops with the sugar, cinnamon, and vinegar. Place the tenderloin on top, season it with salt, pepper, and rosemary and cook it on low for 5 - 7 hours or on high for 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 hours. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Combine the salt, pepper, and half of the rosemary, rub the oil and seasonings onto the pork and refrigerate, peel and slice the apples (it’s okay if they brown as they will be browned when they are cooked), slice the onion, combine the sugar, salt, and remaining rosemary.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Serve with plenty of freshly ground pepper.
Tip: Do you feel that in an effort to eat healthfully, you eat so much chicken you may start clucking? Try to work pork tenderloin into your menu more often. Unlike some other cuts of pork that are fairly fatty, pork tenderloin is as lean as skinless chicken breasts.
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 236, Total Fat: 11g, 16%; Saturated Fat: 4g, 17%; Cholesterol: 82mg, 27%; Sodium: 204mg, 8.5%; Total Carbohydrate: 12g, 4%; Dietary Fiber: 1g, 4.5%; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 24g
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