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–+ servings
Sliced sous vide pork tenderloin on a white plate with a bed of fluffy whipped mashed potatoes.

Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin

Sous vide pork tenderloin is tender, juicy, and unbelievably moist. Finished off with a quick sear in hot butter for a golden skin and a slight crisp then served with your favorite sides.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
0 minutes
Total: 1 hour 45 minutes
Yield:4 servings

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • Sous vide immersion circulator
  • Cutting board
  • large food-safe vacuum sealing bags or large sealable food-safe plastic bag
  • vacuum sealer optional, see Notes for alternative
  • Paper towels
  • Large skillet
  • Tongs
  • Meat thermometer optional but recommended
  • Sharp knife

Ingredients

  • 1 whole pork tenderloin approximately 1-1 ½ pounds
  • salt to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 2-4 sprigs fresh herbs of choice thyme, rosemary, oregano, etc.
  • 1-2 cloves garlic peeled, smashed
  • 2 tablespoons butter see Notes

Instructions

  • Fill large pot or other large, heat-resistant container with water. Insert sous vide immersion circulator and set to 140° Fahrenheit. Note: pot must be deep enough that water level falls between minimum and maximum indicators on circulator.
  • Place whole pork tenderloin on cutting board. Generously season each side of tenderloin with salt and pepper to taste.
    Overhead view of uncooked pork tenderloin, seasoned with salt and black pepper, resting on a white plate on a wooden table.
  • Transfer seasoned pork tenderloin to food-safe bag. Add fresh herbs and smashed garlic, then remove as much air from bag as possible with vacuum sealer or water displacement method (see Notes) and seal bag shut.
    Overhead view of seasoned, uncooked pork tenderloin in a gallon ziploc bag with fresh herbs and smashed garlic.
  • Once water bath is preheated to 140° Fahrenheit, place sealed bag in pot, making sure tenderloin is entirely submerged in water. Weigh bag down with weights or silverware attached to bottom of bag if needed. Food must be fully submerged to cook properly.
    Overhead view of pork tenderloin in a gallon ziploc bag, lowered into a large pot with water and a sous vide circulator.
  • Cook tenderloin in water bath for 1 to 2 hours, depending on desired doneness. See Notes for specific cooking times.
  • When preferred cook time is finished, carefully remove bag from water bath. Remove pork tenderloin from bag and pat tenderloin completely dry with paper towels. Set tenderloin aside.
    Overhead view of cooked sous vide pork tenderloin on a large white plate on a wooden table.
  • Heat large skillet on stove over medium-high heat. Once pan is warm, add butter. Let butter melt completely, swirling pan periodically to coat bottom of skillet with butter.
  • When butter is melted, add pork tenderloin to skillet. Sear tenderloin 3 to 4 minutes, then flip tenderloin over and sear other side 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat until pork tenderloin is golden brown on all sides.
    Overhead view of sous vide pork tenderloin in a large skillet, seared until golden brown on top.
  • Transfer seared tenderloin to cutting board and let tenderloin rest, untouched, 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, slice tenderloin and serve immediately with desired sides.

Notes

  • Water Displacement Method: Place your ingredients in an appropriately-sized sealable food-safe bag and seal the bag halfway across the top. Heat the water with the sous vide immersion circulator as instructed, then slowly lower the half-sealed bag into the heated water. The temperature difference outside the bag will force the air out of the bag – you should see the plastic cling to the food. Once the food is entirely submerged and the air is all out, seal the bag completely and continue with the cooking.
  • Make it Paleo: Use ghee or neutral oil instead of butter.
  • Make it Dairy Free: Use a plant-based butter, or use neutral oil instead of butter.
 

Cook Times & Results

  • For medium-rare pork tenderloin, cook at 140°F for 1 hour. Pork should reach 140-150°F internally.
  • For medium pork tenderloin, cook at 140°F for 1 ½ hours. Pork should reach 150-155°F internally.
  • For medium-well pork tenderloin, cook at 140°F for 2 hours. Pork should reach 155-160°F internally.
We don't recommend cooking beyond medium-well for this recipe. Pork tenderloin is a lean meat and cooking it too long can make it dry and tough.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1serving | Calories: 256cal | Protein: 35g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 674mg | Total Carbs: 0.3g | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.01g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 2mg
Recipe By:Sam Guarnieri