Food and Recipes Dinner Pork Tenderloin With Apples 4.7 (6) 6 Reviews A classic combo, reimagined. By Melissa Gray Published on September 22, 2023 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Pork and apples are a fall match made in heaven. This homey, cold-weather dish comes together in your favorite cast-iron skillet, starting off in the oven and finishing on the stovetop for a saucy, apple-forward finish. To keep this pork tenderloin dish from leaning sweet, ground fennel and herbs dial up the savory flavors, delivering a dinner that’s perfectly balanced. Serve it with your favorite Brussels sprouts recipe and you have a perfect fall dinner. Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. ground fennel 1 lb. pork tenderloin, patted dry 4 Tbsp. butter, divided 2 large unpeeled Honeycrisp apples, sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 4 cups) 1 small shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup) 1/2 cup apple cider, divided 1 tsp. grated orange zest (from 1 orange) 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish Directions Prepare pan and oven: Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in oven, and preheat oven to 450°F. Season tenderloin: While oven is preheating, stir together 1 teaspoon of the salt with the pepper and ground fennel in a small bowl. Sprinkle pepper mixture over pork; let stand at room temperature until ready to cook. Bake tenderloin: Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to preheated skillet; carefully swirl to melt butter and coat bottom of skillet. Place pork tenderloin in center of skillet, and arrange sliced apples and shallot on both sides of pork. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; turn tenderloin. Stir apple mixture, and drizzle with 1/4 cup of the apple cider. Return skillet to oven, and bake at 450°F until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of pork registers 145°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, reserving apple mixture in skillet, and let rest 10 minutes. Make sauce: Meanwhile, heat apple mixture and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium until butter is melted, about 1 minute. Stir in zest, thyme, and remaining 1/4 cup apple cider and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium; simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Slice pork, and return to skillet, spooning pan sauce over pork. Garnish with additional thyme. Rate It Print