Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Pear Sauce: Double Duty Dinner
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Pear-Spiced Pork Tenderloin is a delicious, juicy and tender way to enjoy a favorite autumn dish, not once, but twice. Warm hints of fall spices like cinnamon are sweetened with brown sugar and subtly heated with cayenne and chili powder. It’s a richly flavored dish that stands alone as pork tenderloin one night and becomes a family favorite pulled pork on another.
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Double-duty dinners are a home cook’s dream. Two for the price, or effort, of one. Excellent to freeze for later use.
And pork tenderloin is an excellent choice for double duty dinners. It’s juice and tender when cooked low and slow.
This meal is perfect for chilly days of autumn when pears and cinnamon and warm spices are on your mind!
Here’s what you need for this Double Duty Dinner!
How Many Servings in Pork Tenderloin
A 2-pound pork tenderloin will make about 4 servings as a main course. Plan on about 1/2 pound per serving.
When making a double duty dinner, you will want to purchase a pork tenderloin that’s enough for two servings per person. One for the main meal, which I serve sliced and enough for the second meal of shredded pulled pork.
Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Pear Sauce
Ingredient measurements are in the recipe card below, but here are the simple ingredients you will need to make two dinners from one!
- Pork tenderloin: Get the size that best suits your needs for two dinners.
- Spiced Pear Juice: I’m using R.W. Knudsen Spiced Pear Juice, which is a mix of pear and apple juice spiced with ground cinnamon. If you don’t have this available, you can easily substitute apple juice or cider (cider would be my preference).
- Seasonings: Brown sugar, salt, pepper, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, chili, garlic, and onion powder
- Fresh pear: peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
How to Make Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Pear Sauce
Easy, step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below, but here is a quick overview:
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees and place pork tenderloin in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
- Create spice rub and rub it into the tenderloin and pour juice over the top.
- Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove foil and add the chunked pear, return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until the pork is tender, cooked through and easily shredded.
- Serve half of the pork tenderloin for one meal and shred the remaining for the second meal.
How to Use Shredded Pulled Pork in a Meal
Shredded pork is a versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of delicious recipes and meals. Here are five ways to use shredded pork:
- Pulled Pork Sandwiches: Make classic pulled pork sandwiches by piling shredded pork onto soft hamburger buns. Top with coleslaw and your favorite barbecue sauce for a satisfying meal.
- Tacos or Burritos: Use shredded pork as a filling for tacos or burritos. Add toppings like diced onions, cilantro, salsa, cheese, and sour cream for a tasty Mexican-inspired meal.
- Pork Fried Rice: Incorporate shredded pork into a homemade fried rice dish. Sauté the pork with vegetables, rice, and soy sauce for a quick and flavorful stir-fry.
- Pork Quesadillas: Create mouthwatering quesadillas by placing shredded pork between tortillas along with shredded cheese and other fillings like sliced jalapeños, onions, and bell peppers. Cook until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are crispy.
- Pork and Noodle Soup: Make a hearty pork and noodle soup by adding shredded pork to a flavorful broth along with cooked noodles and vegetables. Garnish with green onions, bean sprouts, and a squeeze of lime for a comforting bowl of soup.
These are just a few ideas to get you started, but the possibilities are endless when it comes to using shredded pork in your favorite recipes.
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A Double-Duty Dinner: Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Pear Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 1/2 cup spiced pear juice like R.W. Knudsen or substitute apple cider
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- freshly cracked pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 pear peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and place pork tenderloin in a 9 x 13-inch pan.
- Mix brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in a separate bowl and rub into the pork tenderloin and then pour pear juice over the top.
- Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove foil, add chunked pear and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes, until the pork is tender, and cooked through.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I’m having trouble finding a recipe for your spiced pear juice. Could you pass it along please
The pear juice I’m using in this recipe is R.W. Knudsen Pear Juice, which is essentially a mixture of pear and apple juice spiced with cinnamon. If you don’t have that on hand, you can substitute apple juice, or apple cider which is even better!
I have had the pleasure of eating both of these at your house and they are both delicious. Now that I have the recipe, I will definitely be using these this fall.