Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin

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Take the guesswork out of cooking pork with this Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin recipe! It’s tender, juicy and flavorful, and cooks to your desired level of doneness without drying out!

Pork is on the menu quite a bit for us lately. While we love cooking pork in the Instant Pot, like these Instant Pot Korean pork ribs or these Instant Pot pork chops, the sous vide has quickly become one of our favorite ways to prepare pork. 

As the temperature of the sous vide water bath is controlled, you never have to worry about overcooking or drying out your pork. Even lean cuts of pork, like tenderloin, turn out tender and juicy in the sous vide!

In addition to this pork tenderloin recipe, you’ll also want to try these sous vide pork chops with apple mustard sauce or this sous vide pork loin (so juicy!) and sous vide pork roast. They make a regular appearance on our dinner menu with these honey roasted parsnips!

Check out the sous vide pork tenderloin story!

Why this recipe works

1. It’s almost impossible to overcook or dry out pork tenderloin when you use the sous vide. The controlled temperature of the water bath means the internal temperature of the pork stays at the temperature you set. So, the pork is cooked to your desired level of doneness every time!
2. It doesn’t take very long to cook pork tenderloin in the sous vide. It takes as little as 2 hours to cook, but if you have errands to run or side dishes to make, you can leave it in the water bath for as long as 4 hours without affecting the quality or texture of the pork.
3. It’s perfect for busy weeknights or special occasions. As there is very little hands-on time and the pork cooks quickly in the sous vide, it’s great for a quick dinner during the week or fancy meal with friends on the weekend. And there are so many side options that go perfectly with this pork. (I’ve included a list at the end of this post)!

What is Sous Vide?

Sous vide is basically a method of cooking using what is called an immersion circulator. This immersion circulator circulates water in a temperature controlled water bath at a certain temperature to perfectly cook your food every time.

Because the temperature doesn't change, and it keeps your meat (or dessert, veggies, etc.) at the same temperature, your risk of overcooking becomes very minimal.

To learn even more about sous vide cooking, head over and read "what is sous vide cooking."

What is the Water Displacement Method?

The displacement method is where you slowly submerge a ziplock bag in water pushing the air out of the top of the bag (the bag should be slightly open at the top to allow air to escape).

Use a clip (I use binder clips) to clip the bag to the side to keep it from floating and getting air and/or water inside.

Tools Used

• Anova Precision Sous Vide Cooker
• 12 quart container
• Vacuum sealer
• Vacuum seal bags

Other sous vide recipes to try

We love sous vide cooking, so here are some of our favorite recipes: 

• Sous Vide Veal Chops with Miso Mushroom Sauce
• Sous Vide Flank Steak with Creamy Peppercorn Sauce
• Sous Vide Duck Breast with Orange Glaze
• Sous Vide Lamb Chops with Mint Chimichurri

Ingredients

You’ll need 1 ½ - 2 pounds of pork tenderloin for this recipe (or two tenderloins). This is a lean and tender cut of pork from the pig’s backbone. (They’re long and narrow, and shouldn’t be mistaken for pork loin). For even cooking, you’ll want to ensure your pork tenderloins are roughly the same size.

For the sweet and savory pork marinade, you’ll want both maple syrup and brown sugar. They add sweetness but also help create a caramelized flavor for the tenderloins when they’re seared at the end.

You’ll also want some freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest for the marinade, which adds a pop of citrusy flavor and pairs well with the other sweet ingredients.

To cut through the sweetness, you’ll add a little bit of dry sherry, as well as soy sauce, fresh garlic and apple cider vinegar. (You can use regular vinegar in a pinch).

For the full list and quantities of ingredients, refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step by step instructions

Rub the salt all over the pork tenderloins and let them sit, uncovered, in the fridge overnight.

Heat a sous vide water bath to 134F degrees for rare or medium rare (see table below for more options).

Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine.

Place the pork in a vacuum sealable bag (or ziplock freezer bag if using the water displacement method above) and pour the liquid over the top.

Use the moist setting on the vacuum sealer to seal.

Place in the water bath and cook for 2-4 hours.

Remove the pork from the bag (reserving the bag juices) and place in an ice bath for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process (this also helps to prevent overcooking when searing it).

Heat a cast iron skillet on high heat until almost smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil (or any high smoke point oil).

Sear the pork tenderloins for 45-60 seconds per side, until a brown crust has formed (be very careful not to overcook here).

Remove from the pan and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with reserved bag juice.

Sous vide pork tenderloin temperatures

Temperature	Doneness	Result
134°F	Medium-rare	Ultra tender and juicy (Recommended)
141°F	Medium	Firm but still tender and juicy
151°F	Medium-well	Fully firm and moderately juicy
158°F	Well-done	Dry and very firm (not recommended)

**Pork starts to pasteurize at 130F degrees so there should be no concern about eating it more rare.

Expert tips

1. Removing the air from the bag is an important step that should not be skipped to avoid bacteria entering the bag.
2. The pork tenderloins may float in the water bath. For even cooking, they should be completely submerged. To prevent floating, you can way the bag down with something heavy like a wet towel or this sous vide sinker weight. 
3. If air gets in the bag, just open the bag, let the air out and reseal it.
4. For the best crust, use some paper towels to pat the pork dry before placing it in the hot skillet. 
5. The skillet should be extremely hot before adding the pork so it sears quickly without overcooking.
6. Don't sear the pork tenderloins for more than 45-60 seconds per side as they will overcook. 
7. Omit the sherry in the marinade if you prefer and just substitute with vegetable or chicken stock.
8. If you find your pork tenderloins turn out a little tough, try removing the silver skin. This is a thin membrane often found on the surface of pork tenderloins. It can get tough when cooked.

Common questions

Make ahead and freezing instructions

You can sous vide pork tenderloin in advance and store it in the fridge or freezer for future meals.

Remove the pork tenderloins from the water bath, leave them in the sealed bag and drop them in an ice bath to cool completely. Once cooled, store the sealed bag of pork in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, place the bag of pork in a 134F degree water bath for about 10-15 minutes. Then, sear the pork as per the recipe instructions and serve!

Make it a meal

• We love pork tenderloin served with potatoes like these truffle mashed potatoes or crockpot au gratin potatoes.
• For other sides, mashed sweet potatoes are always a great option, as well as air fryer carrots or honey balsamic Brussels sprouts 
• Rice is an easy and delicious pairing with pork, so try this coconut jasmine rice or Instant Pot cilantro lime rice.
• And for dessert, treat yourself to Instant Pot blueberry cobbler or air fryer cheesecake.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!