The Best Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin

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 tenderloin is an amazing cut of meat. The sous vide method has quickly become one of our favorite ways to prepare the most tender pork, like these sous vide pork chops, sous vide pork sirloin roast and this sous vide pork loin.

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

Using a cast iron skillet is the best way to sear the pork to ensure it doesn't dry out and stays tender and juicy.

Why you'll love this recipe

1. It’s almost impossible to overcook or dry out pork tenderloin when cooking sous vide. The controlled temperature of the water bath means the internal temperature of the pork stays at the temperature you set. So, you get tender pork every single time! Works to make sous vide beef tenderloin as well!
2. 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.
4. We use ingredients to amp up the flavor of the pork, which can otherwise be a little bland.

Ingredients for this sous vide pork tenderloin recipe

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

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, which we use to make this sous vide pork roast).

For even cooking, you’ll want to ensure your tenderloins are roughly the same size.

Freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest is used for the marinade, and 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).

Step by step instructions

Step 1: Rub the salt and pepper all over the pork and let it sit, uncovered, in the fridge overnight.

Step 2: Use a sous vide machine (AKA the precision cooker) to heat a sous vide water bath to 134°F for rare or medium rare (see table below for your desired temperature).

Step 5: Place in water bath and cook for 1 to 4 hours (I typically cook for 2 hours for the best results).

Step 6: Remove the pork from the sous vide bag and reserve the bag juices in a small saucepan to make a pan sauce. Pat dry with paper towels for the surface of the pork is as dry as possible (this helps it sear faster).

Step 7: Preheat a cast iron pan on high heat until almost smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil (or any high smoke point oil).

Step 8: Place the pork in skillet and sear for 45-60 seconds per side, until a brown crust has formed (be very careful not to overcook here).

Step 9: Remove from the pan and allow the pork cool for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with the reserved bag sauce (see below). There is no need to allow the pork to rest when cooking sous vide.

Step 10: Simmer the reserved bag sauce in the saucepan about 5 minutes. If the sauce is too salty, you may need to add chicken stock to even it out.

Sous vide pork tenderloin temperatures

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

Recipe tips

1. The pork 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, use sous vide magnets or this sous vide sinker weight. Remove as much air as possible from the bag to prevent it from floating.
2. If air gets in the bag, just open the bag, let the air out and reseal it.
3. For the best crust, use some paper towels to pat it dry before placing it in the hot skillet. 
4. The skillet should be extremely hot before adding the pork so it sears quickly without overcooking.
5. Don't sear the pork for more than 45-60 seconds per side as it can overcook. 
6. Omit the sherry in the marinade if you prefer and just substitute with vegetable or chicken stock.
7. Remove the silver skin before cooking if your pork has it. This is a thin membrane often found on the surface of tenderloins (it's a bluish iridescent color).
8. Add 45 to 60 minutes to the cooking time for frozen pork.

Cooking and serving options

• Add 1-2 teaspoons of whole grain Dijon mustard (or any kind of mustard) to the marinade for some extra tang.
• Add aromatic fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme to the bag when cooking.
• Serve it with this favorite homemade barbecue sauce (or any bbq sauce).
• Use soy sauce, honey and garlic powder to make a garlic soy marinade.
• Serve it with some of our favorite side dishes like sous vide sweet potatoes, honey roasted parsnips, cheesy cauliflower bake, or air fryer cornbread.

Common questions

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