Name: Braided Pork Tenderloin
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 lb. pork tenderloin (2 - 1 lb tenderloins); 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon onion powder; ½ teaspoon cayenne; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon Rosemary; 1 teaspoon Thyme; 2 teaspoons olive oil; 3/4 cup jelly (peach, apricot, or orange marmalade); 3/4 cup BBQ sauce; 4 cloves garlic (minced)

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Braided Pork Tenderlion is braided, seared, and finished with a sweet and smoky BBQ jam sauce that is fancy enough for Sunday dinner but easy enough to make every night.

Love pork tenderloin? Make sure to try our Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions.

Two braided pork tenderloins covered with a bbq and jam sauce.

Braided Tenderloin

Do you ever want to make a dish that looks fancy but is secretly so simple? Then this braided pork tenderloin recipe is for you.

Perfectly seasoned with a sweet BBQ sauce that coats every nook and cranny of the sliced pork tenderloin, this recipe feels special enough for entertaining or Sunday dinner, while simple enough for a busy worknight meal.

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Pair it with Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes for the perfect meal.

Ingredients

Pork tenderloin
Olive oil
Peach jelly
BBQ sauce
Garlic cloves, minced
Spices: smoked paprika, onion powder, cayenne, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme

Recipe Tips

Try a variety of orange, apricot or peach marmalades
Use your favorite bbq sauce to personalize the sauce
Don’t forget to remove toothpicks!

How to cook braided pork tenderloin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Trim excess fat and silverskin from the tenderloin. Rinse the pork using cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Using a sharp knife, evenly slice each tenderloin lengthwise into three sections, keeping one end intact.

Pork tenderloin cut into three strips on a cutting board.

In a small bowl, mix together paprika, onion powder, cayenne, salt, pepper and rosemary. Using this dry rub combination, sprinkle the the spices over the tenderloin.

Next, carefully braid the three strips of tenderloin and secure the end of the braid with toothpicks. This will help keep the meat together throughout the cooking process.

Braided and seasoned pork tenderloin on a wooden board.

On the stovetop, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in olive oil and sear the tenderloin braid for about two minutes per side, or until lightly browned.

Transfer the seared tenderloin braid to a baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Braided, seasoned and seared pork tenderloin in pan.

In a small saucepan, stir together the fruit jam of your choice, BBQ sauce, and minced garlic. Whisk together to blend ingredients and warm over low-medium heat for 5-7 minutes.

Pour the sauce evenly over the tops of the braided tenderloins in the baking dish. Set aside a small amount of the sauce to use for plating the pork.

Bake the tenderloins in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Use a digital meat thermometer to ensure that the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

Sliced pork tenderloin on a wooden cutting board drizzled with sauce.

Move pork to a cutting board and allow the tenderloin to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Is it better to cook pork tenderloin fast or slow?

Pork tenderloin is best cooked for shorter periods. Searing the edges of the meat helps retain the pork’s juices, while the quicker cooking times are enough to reach the desired internal temperatures.

Other Pork Tenderloin Recipes

Pork tenderloin is as lean as a skinless chicken breast and much more flavorful. We love to cook it in a variety of dishes, including Crock Pot Cranberry Pork Tenderloin, Szechuan Pork Tenderloin, and even Pork Stroganoff.