Who else is tired of turkey??? Pork tenderloin is one of our favorite weeknight proteins. It’s inexpensive, fairly lean, and easy to prepare. It can lend itself well to many different flavor profiles, but we especially like the combination of pork tenderloin with apples. And what goes better with apples than bourbon!

We start by give the pork tenderloin a quick sear in a cast iron skillet (this Lodge skillet is going to be featured in our gift guide later this week!). Then, add in the onion, garlic and apples to soften a bit before baking in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. The nice part about working with a cast iron skillet is that it goes straight from stovetop to oven easily, cutting down on clean up. Anything to cut down on the amount of dishes to wash after dinner is a win in our book.

Once the pork is done – we add some chicken stock (vegetable stock is fine too) and bourbon to the pan drippings, along with a good pad of butter to create the gastrique. Add in the kale and saute gently. It might seem like a lot of kale, but it will shrink down a lot once it wilts. Then simply add back in the pork and apples and serve!

This is a pretty hearty meal on its own, but if you’re feeling extra hungry, it pairs perfectly with some herbed roasted potatoes or carrots and a bourbon cocktail while you’re at it. We’re partial to a classic Old Fashioned ourselves!

Pork Tenderloin with Kale and Bourbon Apple Gastrique

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2 people

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 Pork Tenderloin Approximately 1 lb
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 onion Thinly, sliced
• 2 Small Gala or Fuji Apples Cored and sliced into wedges
• 2 Cloves garlic Smashed
• 4-5 Sprigs Fresh thyme
• 1/2 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1/4 Cup Bourbon
• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 1 Bunch Kale Roughly Chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher salt plus more to taste
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Season pork tenderloin generously with salt and pepper
3. Add olive oil to skillet over medium heat. Sear pork tenderloin about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove from pan and let rest.
4. Add the onion, apples, garlic, and thyme to the pan and stir gently.
5. Place the tenderloin back on top and place skillet in oven. Cook about 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reads 145F.
6. Remove the skillet from the oven. Set the apples and pork aside to rest.
7. Add the chicken stock and bourbon to the pork drippings in the skillet and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about half (about 5 minutes). Then add butter and stir until melted and well combined.
8. Add the chopped kale to the simmering sauce. Toss the kale in the sauce and stir until wilted, about 2 minutes.
9. Return the apples and pork tenderloin to the skillet and simmer for another 1-2 minutes. Salt to taste and serve.