READY IN 45 mins

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Plum Reduction

Read Reviews (25)

"A nice cozy meal for when the nights get colder. It is great with orzo and walnut pilaf! I just happened to have spare blueberry juice, but any juice would work." — ziprose

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil.
Season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat until the oil shimmers; gently lay the tenderloin into the hot oil. After about 1 minute, gently loosen the meat from the bottom of the skillet, if necessary. Cook until the pork is seared a golden brown color, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to the lined baking sheet.
Roast the seared tenderloin in the preheated oven until a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork reads at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), about 15 minutes. Remove the pork from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing into medallions.
Cook the plums, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, honey, and blueberry juice in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the plums are soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the sauce to the saucepan and simmer until reduced and thickened to the consistency of apple butter, about 5 more minutes. Spoon plum sauce over the sliced pork to serve.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 15 mins
COOK 30 mins
READY IN 45 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Aug 30, 2010

I doubled all the sauce ingredients except the plums. I used four bone-in pork chops because I didn't have a tenderloin. I seared the chops on both sides, removed and kept warm on plate under foil, then deglazed the pan with the balsamic vinegar, adding the brown sugar and honey, and finally plums; I let the sauce cook for 15 minutes to reduce, stirring often, then added the chops back in for another 10 minutes or so, coating them with the sauce. I did not puree/blend the reduction. It's nice to have a chunkier, more chutney-like texture with meat. Also, it's essential to reduce the ingredients to allow the full flavor to come through; a reduction brings the essential flavors out and concentrates them. Just thickening the sauce with cornstarch is NOT the same.

—DANIELA92

See full review »

Most Helpful Critical Review

Jul 25, 2012

Not crazy for this dish.

—annhardt

See full review »

31 Ratings

See other versions of this recipe!

Aug 18, 2010

This is an excellent dish and very easy to prepare. The reduction was delicious and made a beautiful presentation drizzled over the tenderloin medallions. I served it with skin-on garlic mashed red potatoes and farmer's market fresh green beans for a delightful summer evening feast.

—Seher

See full review »

Aug 30, 2010

My husband called this his new favorite pork tenderloin! We've experimented with many rubs, marinades, etc., but this one is tops! I made the recipe as written except for the optional blueberry juice (because I didn't have any). He has requested this as his birthday dinner, which is next week. Thanks, ziprose, for the fantastic recipe!

—Bobbie Jo

See full review »

Oct 03, 2011

This was incredible! I used exactly what the recipe called for, but decided to double the sauce ingredients minus the plums (read in a previous review). The balsamic gave the sauce a wonderful bite, and kept it from being overwhelmingly sweet. I did not add the optional blueberry juice, but I would have if I had it. It's also a nice choice because it's not too labor intensive: once the pork goes into the oven, it doesn't take very long for the sauce to reduce properly. All in all, an deceptively simple meal that yields the look and taste of a restaurant quality dish!

—Kate

See full review »

Aug 16, 2010

This came out so much better than I'd anticipated. It's very quick and easy to do. The only thing I did differently was add half a teaspoon of cornstarch to the sauce to thicken it since I didn't want to wait for it to reduce. Will try it out with the girlfriend for sure.

—Travaldo

See full review »

Dec 21, 2010

This way of cooking a tenderloin couldn't have been easier, but with fabulous results. It took just a little longer to get to 150 degrees internal temperature, but you'll want to watch carefully for it, since that temp yields a tender, not dry result. I served mine with the cranberry red wine sauce from AllRecipes recipe called, "Roast Beef Tenderloin with Cranberry-Red Wine Sauce" and served fingerling potatoes to accompany. The meal got rave reviews!

—Nanita

See full review »

Nov 09, 2010

Delicious - I substituted a pear for the plum and used white grape juice

—cmalexis

See full review »

Edit

Glad you liked it! Your friends will, too:

Did you tweak the recipe? Edit and save your own version of it!

Edit this recipe

More Recipes Like This See all

Bacon Pork Tenderloin

Apricot Pork Tenderloin

Mustard Pomegranate Pork Tenderloin

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Vinegar

Pork Medallions with Balsamic Vinegar and Capers

Parsley and Parmesan Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Sac Valley Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Sweet and Sassy Pork Tenderloin

Apple Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Nutrition

Calories
176 kcal
9%

Carbohydrates
12.3 g
4%

Cholesterol
49 mg
16%

Fat
6.1 g
9%

Fiber
0.4 g
1%

Protein
17.7 g
35%

Sodium
139 mg
6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Plum Reduction

Serving Size: 1/4 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 176
Calories from Fat: 55

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 6.1g 9 %
** Saturated Fat 1.4g 7 %
Cholesterol 49mg 16 %
Sodium 139mg 6 %
** Potassium 334mg 9 %
Total Carbohydrates 12.3g 4 %
Dietary Fiber 0.4g 1 %
Protein 17.7g 35 %
Sugars 11.8g
** Vitamin A 2 %
** Vitamin C 4 %
** Calcium 1 %
** Iron 9 %
** Thiamin 63 %
** Niacin 63 %
** Vitamin B6 32 %
** Magnesium 8 %
** Folate < 1 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.