Here’s why I turned my oven on to 450 degrees during this blistering heat wave. 

It’s all due to a bargain at the grocery. Pork tenderloins were on sale – buy one, get one. So I brought home 2 packs with 2  tenderloins each. I planned on freezing them, but had forgotten that my refrigerator freezers were packed tight. (My big freezer had given up the ghost a couple weeks prior). 

I decided high roasting all 4 was the best plan, so that’s what I did. I had some leftover barbecue ribs rub which I used to season the pork. And you know what? The kitchen really didn’t heat up that much, since the meat cooked in about 20 minutes or so. The pork was juicy and tender and I had plenty to share with neighbors.

I served it with a quick basmati rice pilaf – all I did there was sauté a bit of the rub in a little olive oil in a saucepan, added rice and when it turned golden, I poured in chicken broth. By the time the pork was done, rice was, too. 

High roasted pork tenderloin 

Ingredients

Pork tenderloin, trimmed 

Olive oil

Barbecue rub or favorite seasoning

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450.

You can do as many tenderloins as you want with this recipe. After trimming, rub all over with olive oil. Then sprinkle on the rub or your favorite seasoning, patting to make it stick. I used a couple teaspoonfuls for each side. 

Place in roasting pan and if you want some pan juices, pour a little broth or white wine around the meat, not on top. Roast until temperature reaches 140-145. (Poke an instant read thermometer into center.) Meat may still be a bit pink, but safe to eat.
Remove from oven, tent with foil and let sit a few minutes for juices to redistribute. 

Slice thickly on diagonal.

My master barbecue rub

Really good on all kinds of meats. Sprinkle some on grilled veggies, too.

Mix together:
1/3 cup garlic powder

3 tablespoons chili powder blend 

3 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pepper

2-3 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons allspice

To give it more of a “kick”:  add 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Pork tenderloin vs pork loin

For the most part, they can’t be subbed one for the other. 

Pork tenderloin is skinny, and small and does best with a high roast; loin is a lot bigger with a bit more fat on top and can be cut into pork chop like pieces. It roasts up juicy when roasted at a lower temperature.