Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin

I know it's good to stuff our fridges with health food, and eat our precious lady salads, but gosh dang it, sometimes I've just gotta have some meat.  And a lot of it. 

(well... in some form of moderation...)

Normally we don't buy expensive cuts (only one more year of law school/non-salary income...), so when I told Ryan I spent around $8-9 on this delicious morsel of pork tenderloin, he just about died. That's more than we'd spend on a special-occasion-Sunday dinner roast (maybe once a month at most). Then I pointed out that we only ate meat with one meal last week. Totally justified the meat-splurge this week, right?

I think I further convinced him it was a good choice when he saw me hovering over the oven, slowly spooning the honey butter juices from the pan over the beautifully delicious pork tenderloin as it deliciously roasted away. He gave me one of those looks, and I knew I had him in the palm of my hand. Meat/food is a one-way highway to this man's heart. 

The glaze of honey mixed with butter was pure bliss, and the pepper and cajun seasonings were just the tip of the iceberg to the ever-splendid gift of flavor pork tenderloin provides. It's perfectly moist, with deliciously rich bacon undertones. If we're going to go big with pork, tenderloin is our favorite way to go. The taste and texture are equally desirable.

... plus, the leftovers in sandwiches the next day really hit the spot.

 

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Honey Butter Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients: 

4 T butter

2 T honey

1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed

1 t Cajun seasoning

3/4 t black pepper

3/4 C water

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. In an ovenproof pot/pan, heat butter and honey over medium heat until melted.

3. Rub raw pork tenderloin with Cajun seasoning and black pepper. Brown each side in honey butter. Lower heat if honey begins to burn. 

4. Place pot/pan in oven and roast for 15-20 minutes (will depend on the size and thickness of pork tenderloin). Remove pot from oven (very very hot). 

5. Transfer pork tenderloin to a plate or cutting board and cover with aluminum foil. Let sit - always let your meat sit for a minute after cooking. 

6. Add water to pan/pot and stir over medium heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced. 

6. Slice pork on a diagonal and drizzle with sauce before serving. 

Recipe adapted from: Momma Hen's Kitchen

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