Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Recipe

There isn’t much in the world that can compare to a delicious pork tenderloin – the leanest, most tender part of the pig. Pork is tender meat that’s simple enough for an easy dinner at home paired with dry white wine, as well as the centerpiece roast of a dinner party you’re hosting.

However, the lean nature of tenderloin means it can easily be overcooked. When that happens, it can feel like you’re chewing gum, instead of biting into juicy, flavorful tender pork.

But don’t worry, I’m going through how long to sous vide pork tenderloin (between 1 and 4 hours) depending on your desired doneness level. Plus a super easy recipe!

If you want to get the most quality out of your pork tenderloin, sous vide is the way to go. It’s the most foolproof method to consistently cook and serve ultra-tender, juicy pork tenderloin that’s packed with tons of flavor.

Let’s get into all about how to sous vide cook pork tenderloin.  

Why Cook Pork Tenderloin Sous Vide?

Pork tenderloin is similar to beef tenderloin, which is the meat of a loin chop that’s very popular in the U.S. It’s made of the same parts as beef tenderloin, which include tenderloin and top round.

Pork tenderloin is lower in saturated fat, and it’s also a source of iron and calcium, as well as folic acid. It’s one of the most affordable red meat on the market.

Pork tenderloin is mildly flavorful and also very lean. It doesn’t have fat to keep it juicy as it cooks. Lean is the key word here because it’s easy to overcook and end up with tougher cooked meat. When it’s overcooked it will taste dry and chewy. 

Because pork tenderloin is so easy to overcook, using the sous vide to cook it is the way to go here. It allows the minimal juices to stay with the meat and also allows you to add spices to build the perfect flavor for your pork tenderloin.

Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Time and Temperature Chart

Let’s start with a breakdown chart of the suggested temperature and cook time for the doneness and perfect flavor results you want.

You may wonder why the cooking time is a wide range. Whether you cook it for one hour or four, the difference between the two will be virtually indistinguishable.

However, after four hours is when the texture of the meat begins to change. Anything over four hours will likely be too soft.

How to Sear

• First you’ll want to carefully pat your pork tenderloin dry using paper towels.
• Heat up olive oil in a cast iron skillet on your stove, until the oil starts to lightly smoke. 
• Place your pork in the hot pan using a pair of tongs.
• Add your butter, and the other half of your herbs, garlic and shallot for extra flavor. Cook everything in the pan for about 30 seconds, tilting the pan every so often and using a spoon to baste your meat with the herb butter, simple sauce in the large skillet.
• Flip it to cook the other side for 30 seconds to one minute.
• Take your pork out of the skillet and place it on a rack on top of a tray lined with a baking sheet.
• Reserve all the drippings left in the heavy skillet and pour it on top of your pork.

Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Let’s move on to the full recipe.

Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest and tastiest parts of the pig. This sous vide tenderloin recipe will be one that you'll want to repeat often for friends and family.

5 from 1 vote

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Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb Whole Pork Tenderloin
• 2 Cloves of garlic
• 2 Shallots
• 1 tbsp Olive oil or any other vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp Unsalted butter
• Kosher salt or coarse sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Sprigs of fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, or fresh thyme)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your sous vide water bath to your desired doneness level. Refer to the time and temperature chart below.
• Use salt and pepper to season the pork tenderloin. Chop or slice your garlic and shallots, then distribute evenly together with half of the herbs and place in the bag. Place your meat in the bag and seal airtight.
• Place your prepared bag (with the meat and herbs inside) into the water bath for the time recommended in the chart below.
• Once it’s fully cooked, remove your meat from the container and bag. Check the internal temperature to make sure it’s 145ºF to be safe to consume. 
• Prepare your paper towels and carefully pat your pork tenderloin dry. Heat up your olive oil in a cast iron skillet on your stove, until the oil starts to lightly smoke. 
• Place your pork in the hot pan using a pair of tongs. Add your butter, and the other half of your herbs, garlic and shallot for extra flavor. Cook everything in the pan for about 30 seconds, tilting the pan every so often and using a spoon to baste your pork with the herb butter, simple sauce in the large skillet.
• Flip the pork tenderloin to cook the opposite side.
• Take your pork out of the skillet and place it on a rack on top of a tray lined with a baking sheet.
• Reserve all the drippings left in the heavy skillet and pour it on top of your pork.
• Let it rest for 2 minutes – then slice it up and serve.

Keyword Pork, Pork Tenderloin

Is Pink Pork Safe?

When it comes to meat, eating any sort of animal, even fish, beef or poultry raw poses some risk, but pork is now almost as safe to eat raw as beef, and probably safer than raw beef in terms of risk to one’s health.

However, it is important to remember that all pork products are not created equal, and you need to choose well-cooked pork that has been cut correctly and is being cooked thoroughly to minimize the chances of illness.

Sous vide cooking is a perfect combination of heat and time for safe food preservation, which makes this one of the most versatile techniques in food preparation. When the temperature of the pork reaches around 130°F (54°C), bacteria are dying.

No matter how long it’s been in the water bath, it’s getting safer and safer to eat it. When exposed to a higher temperature, the rate of destruction is even faster.

Can you Sous Vide Frozen Pork Tenderloin?

Yes, you can sous vide frozen pork tenderloin! One of the best things about sous vide cooking is the ability to prep meals ahead of time and freeze them until you need them.

Using a vacuum sealer (we prefer the FoodSaver FM5200) allows you to safely freeze your meat and simply pull it directly out of the freezer to cook!

The only thing you’ll need to change is the time it cooks for. You’ll need to add one hour to the cook time (so cook for 2-5 hours).

Sides for Pork Tenderloin

Carrots that are buttery and crunchy are great, as are brussels sprouts that are crispy. You could also serve mashed potatoes or a potato salad.

Another delicious side dish to add to your list would be a fresh-cut salad that’s been tossed in a light dressing. 

Leftover Pork Tenderloin Ideas

We know you are likely to have some leftovers, so here’s a few ideas!

• Make a sandwich on toasted, crusty bread the next day. Mix mayonnaise and barbecue sauce, put a little of it on the bread, then place the meat on top. Enjoy!
• Cut up the pork tenderloin and top it on a salad with greens, tomato and avocado.

Sous Vide Equipment Needed

For those who aren’t sure about what equipment might be needed, I’m including it here.

Sous Vide Immersion Circulator

A sous vide immersion circulator is essential to producing great results easily. The precision cooker heats and circulates the water around your cooking pot, maintaining an even temperature throughout the cooking time. 

You can look at the Breville ChefSteps Joule or the Anova Precision Cooker lineup for the top cookers. (My personal favorite and the one we use is the Anova Precision Cooker.)

Sous Vide Container

You’ll need a container to cook your meat in. You can use a polycarbonate container or a large pot, depending on how many you’re cooking for. 

If you’re cooking a large batch of sous vide prepared food, always use a bigger container. Overcrowding your container can lead to undesired results and uneven cooking. A lid or sous vide balls will also help to stop water evaporation.  

Vacuum Seal or Zipper Lock Bag

When sous vide cooking with, you’ll need a vacuum seal bags or ziplock bag to cook your food in. The less air in the sous vide bag, the more consistent the water cooks your meat.

Vacuum sealed bags from vacuum sealer machines produce the highest quality results, but there are other options too. Zip lock freezer bags, reusable silicone bags and even canning jars can more or less do the job. 

The key is to remember to remove as much air as possible from the bag either through the water displacement method with a zip lock bag or just by using the humble straw.

Final Thoughts

There you have it, my best way to sous vide pork tenderloin. You’ll be able to sous vide frozen or fresh too, that’s part of the beauty of cooking sous vide. All that’s left is to enjoy your pork tenderloin! 

Check out these other great recipes:

• Sous Vide Pork Chop Recipe
• Keto Sous Vide Egg Bite 
• Sous Vide Salmon Recipe