Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Mustard Sauce

An Easy Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Pork tenderloin is a great cut of meat when you are craving a lean and tender main dish. It holds onto moisture, can be cooked quickly or slowly, and is very cost friendly.

I'm always on the hunt for an easy pork recipe to change up the chicken and beef routine. One that brings a lot of flavor, but that isn't difficult to make. The creamy mustard sauce that you will serve with this tenderloin is perfect for a special occasion and easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

Honey Mustard Sauce Ingredients

All of the simple ingredients for the sauce are pantry staples around here. You can certainly substitute the dried spices for fresh garlic and a shallot if desired. 

• Dijon Mustard
• White Wine 
• Onion Powder
• Chicken Stock
• Heavy Cream
• Honey
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Minced Parsley

Pork Tenderloin Seasoning

• 2 - 2 pound pork tenderloins
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Mustard Powder
• Paprika
• Olive Oil

Making The Mustard Cream Sauce

1. Set a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. 
2. Add the butter, white wine, dijon mustard, spices and stir until well combined.
3. Bring the mixture up to a boil and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the chicken stock and honey. Bring the sauce back up to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook the sauce for 10 minutes while the sauce reduces. 
5. To finish the sauce, add the heavy cream and check the sauce for seasoning. If needed, add salt or pepper.
6. Turn off the heat and add fresh minced parsley if desired.

The sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks. The overall thickness of your sauce depends of how much you reduce the chicken stock while it's cooking and the thickness of the heavy cream. 

How to Cook a Perfect Pork Tenderloin

The best part of this delicious recipe is that you have several choices for your cooking method. You can take it outside and throw it on your grill or pellet smoker. You can make it a sheet pan dinner and make it in your oven. The choice is yours. 

To prepare the pork tenderloin, follow these steps:

1. start by trimming the pork tenderloin and removing any excess fat and silver skin.
2. season the tenderloin on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. 
3. lightly drizzle with olive oil
4. Cook the pork tenderloin until it reaches an internal temperature of 145F. 

Now the pork is ready to cook using one of the methods below.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Set your grill to medium-high heat or 375F and leet it preheat for about 10 minutes. Lay the tenderloin directly on the grill grates and cook for 9-10 minutes. Flip the pork loin and cook for an additional 9-10 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145F on an instant-read thermometer.

Lower and Slower Smoked Tenderloin

Much like the grilled method above, you can set your pellet smoker temperature to 275-275F, depending on how long you want this to take. I like to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin and cook it until it reaches 115F, flip it, and cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 145F. Remove it from the smoker and let it rest before slicing. 

Oven Roasted Pork Tenderloin

If you want to make this in the oven, you certainly can. You'll cook the seasoned pork tenderloin in the oven on a sheet pan and make the sauce on the stove. 

Just set the oven to 375˚F. Season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper.  

Stove to Oven Method

If you want to get a good sear on the outside of your tenderloin, you can start it in an oven-safe skillet and finish it in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. While the oven heats, set the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tenderloin on each side for 4-5 minutes until you have a golden brown crust. Then pop the whole thing in the oven and finish cooking until the tenderloin has reached an internal temperature of 145˚F.

How to Serve Pork Tenderloin with the Mustard Sauce

After the pork tenderloin has reached 145F, remove it from the heat and let it rest. To serve, cut the tenderloin until 2-inch slices and transfer it to a serving plate. Pour the creamy mustard sauce over the sliced pork and serve. 

Making this a Meal

Pork tenderloin cooks quickly which makes it the perfect weeknight dinner. Here are a few easy side dishes and vegetable suggestions so you can feed your beautiful family in no time.

• Roasted Potatoes
• Green Beans
• Easy Au Gratin Potatoes
• Sweet Potatoes
• Mac n Cheese
• Brussels sprouts

Related Recipes 

If you are a fan of pork and need more easy recipes I have a few options for you. My favorite grilled pork chop recipe are my brown sugar and bourbon glazed pork chops that I make on my pellet smoker.