Nitrate & Nitrite Free Apple Cider Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin gets a serious upgrade here, seared until golden and roasted to a juicy 145°F before being blanketed in a glossy pan sauce built from fresh apple cider, bone broth, honey, and garlic. The warm spice rub — turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon — gives every slice a gorgeous color and a subtle depth that makes this feel far more special than the effort involved. For anyone navigating nitrate and nitrite concerns, the challenge with pork dishes is usually the cured or processed meats that sneak those additives in; this recipe sidesteps all of that by starting with a whole, unprocessed tenderloin and building flavor entirely from scratch. The sauce is where the magic really happens — apple cider vinegar and a spoonful of honey balance the savory broth into something silky and complex, with fresh thyme tying it all together. Sliced into medallions and spooned with that pan sauce, this is the kind of dinner that looks like it came from a restaurant but came entirely from your own skillet.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 ¼ lb), silver skin removed
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ceylon cinnamon
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
For the sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh apple cider (unfiltered, no added sugar)
- ½ cup bone broth (homemade or aip-compliant brand)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Pat the pork tenderloin completely dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, turmeric, ginger, and Ceylon cinnamon, then rub the mixture evenly over all sides of the tenderloin.
- 2
Heat the coconut oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tenderloin and sear, turning every 2 minutes, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total.
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