Pork Tenderloin with Pan-Roasted Grapes
Seared pork tenderloin roasts with grapes and finishes with a glossy pan sauce for a quick dinner with savory depth and a little fruit sweetness.
Prep 15 min · Cook 35 min · Total 50 min · Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup red grapes, halved
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Directions
- Set an oven rack in the middle position and preheat to 400°F. Fit a rack onto a rimmed baking sheet and keep it nearby. Blot the pork well with paper towels, then sprinkle it with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
- Warm the oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet; cast iron is the preference here. Once the oil is shimmering, lay in the pork and cook the first side until it develops a golden crust, about 3 minutes. Turn and roll the tenderloins as necessary, searing the remaining sides the same way.
- Scatter in the grapes, move the skillet into the oven, and roast until an instant-read thermometer in the pork registers 140°F, 5 to 8 minutes. Take out the tenderloins and place them on the prepared rack. Cover loosely with foil and let them rest.
- Leave the grapes in the oven until they look darker and a little collapsed, 7 to 8 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to lift out the grapes. Move the skillet to the stovetop.
- Set it over medium heat. Add the shallot and thyme sprig, then stir often until the shallot starts to look translucent, about 1 minute. Pour in the wine, raise the heat to medium high, and let it bubble until it has reduced by about half; stir now and then, scraping the browned bits from the pan, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in the broth; let it cook, giving it the occasional stir, until the liquid is down by about half, 1 to 2 minutes. Pull out and discard the thyme sprig. Whisk in the butter, adding one piece at a time and waiting until it disappears into the sauce before adding the next. Taste, then adjust with salt and pepper.
- Cut the pork crosswise into slices 1/2-inch-thick, then serve right away with the roasted grapes and sauce. Add additional fresh grapes and the basil on top.