Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
This easy sous vide pork tenderloin recipe is one of my family’s favorite ways to enjoy pork. It’s a foolproof cooking method to yield juicy and moist meat every time.
Since getting a sous vide machine, it’s been fun to change up our household dinners with something different. Sous vide pork tenderloin is on regular rotation because it’s so simple but tastes so fancy. I keep the seasonings minimal to let the pork’s natural flavor shine and a quick sear before serving locks in all the juices!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- A fool-proof cooking technique. Pork tenderloin is not a cheap cut of meat, and you certainly don’t want to ruin it. With this cooking technique, you get perfectly cooked pork with minimal cooking time.
- Perfect texture. Honestly, I think cooking pork tenderloin this way yields the juiciest and most tender meat (even more so than a grilled pork tenderloin or air fryer pork tenderloin).
- Easy. Sous vide sounds super fancy and complicated, but really, it’s such an easy technique; even my non-foodie family members could cook it up on a whim!
- Easy to customize. Season the meat with your favorite marinade or sauce and cook it up!
Ingredients needed
- Pork tenderloin. I prefer to get my pork loin from a butcher because they often have the skin intact, and you can request them to remove it there and then. Grocery stores tend to provide it skinless, which can actually dry out the meat before even cooking.
- Garlic. Crush the garlic cloves to help release more flavor.
- Thyme. Use a few sprigs of fresh thyme to make the pork aromatic.
- Shallots. Sliced onions add a mild flavor to the pork. You can omit them if you want to or use white onion instead. This onion variety yields a more mild flavor, but you can use. white or yellow onion if that is all you have on hand.
- Butter. To sear the pork after cooking it in the sous vide machine. You can use olive oil or another cooking oil, but let’s be real- butter tastes better.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste.
How to sous vide pork tenderloin
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the sous vide machine to 140F degrees. Pat dry the pork with paper towels.
Step 2- Season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper.
Step 3- Vacuum seal. Place it in a vacuum seal bag with thinly sliced shallots, crushed garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs. Seal the bag using a vacuum sealer.
Step 4- Sous vide. Place the bag with the pork tenderloin in the water bath, ensuring it is fully submerged. Cook for at least 45 minutes.
Step 5- Sear. Heat butter in a cast-iron skillet or pan on high heat. Sear the pork tenderloin on all sides for about 2 minutes.
Step 6- Slice and serve. Slice the pork tenderloin and serve immediately.
How to sous vide pork without a machine
While the sous vide cooker itself makes things easier, it’s actually very easy to cook the pork without it.
Start by filling a large pot with water, then mount the thermometer to the side. Next, heat the water to the desired temperature and adjust the heat to keep the temperature steady. Now, prep the pork as instructed, then submerge it in the water bath. Cook the pork, sear it, then serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Be careful not to overcook the pork when searing it. Two minutes in total is enough to get a nice color on the cut from all sides.
- You’ll know the pork is fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 145F. Because we are searing it, you can remove the pork from the sous vide machine once it reaches 140F.
- Rest the pork. With any kind of meat-heavy recipe, I like to rest the meat for a few minutes to let the juices redistribute before slicing.
- Be generous with the seasoning. Using a proper amount of salt and pepper is essential in bringing out the natural flavor of the pork.
Variations
- Use more aromatics when searing the pork tenderloin. A few cloves of garlic and a sprig of fresh rosemary (or other fresh herbs) added to the skillet will further enhance the flavor of the pork.
- Sear with a sauce. To amp up the flavor, I sometimes sear the cooked pork in BBQ sauce or some Dijon mustard. It forms a subtle crust and traps the juices in for one juicy pork tenderloin.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to five days.
To freeze: Place the cooked and cooled pork in a shallow container. Store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To reheat: Microwave portions of the pork for 30-40 seconds or warm up in a non-stick skillet until hot.
Frequently asked questions
You can sous vide pork at temperatures of 130 to 160F degrees for 1 to 4 hours. Sous vide pork at 130F degrees if you are aiming for the medium-rare level of doneness and 150F degrees if you like it cooked to medium-well.
It is not safe to eat pork at 138 degrees. To avoid health hazards, it is recommended to eat pork only when its internal temperature is 145 to 160F degrees in the thickest part.
If your pork is frozen, you must thaw it completely, pat it dry, then season it. Cooking the pork from frozen will yield dry and gummy meat.
More sous vide recipes
- Sous vide egg bites
- Sous vide chicken thighs
- Sous vide salmon
- Sous vide steak
- Sous vide pork belly
- Sous vide flank steak
Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small shallot thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat the water bath using the Sous vide machine to 140F.
- Season the meat with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Place the meat in a vacuum bag with garlic, shallot, and thyme. Seal the bag with a vacuum sealer.
- Place the bag with meat in the water bath, totally submerged in water and cook for at least 45 minutes.
- Remove the pork tenderloin from the bag and discard the herbs.
- Add butter to a non-stick skillet and sear the pork on all sides.
- Slice and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published November 2022, updated and republished December 2024
I just bought a Sous Vide awhile ago. I’ve not used it yet. I never wanted one because the idea of cooking in plastic bothered me, even with lower than boiling point temps. But I’ve collected a lot of silicone bags and am going to try cooking in them.
Please do, Karey- we have a ton of them 🙂