Dutch Oven Pork Tenderloin
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If you love one pot dinners with big flavor, this Dutch Oven Pork Tenderloin belongs on your table! Juicy pork tenderloin is slathered in a brown sugar spice rub, then roasted on top of potatoes, carrots, onions, and sweet peppers in a savory homemade gravy. It's hearty, flavorful, and ready in under an hour!
Recipe at a Glance
- It's a complete one-pot meal: Pork and vegetables cook together in a rich homemade gravy, so you don't need a bunch of side dishes.
- The pork stays juicy and tender: Searing the tenderloin first locks in flavor, then the dutch oven finishes it easily in the oven.
- Ready in under an hour: Tastes like Sunday supper, but is simple enough for a weeknight dinner!
I love cooking in one pot because it makes dinner feel homemade and comforting without leaving me with a sink full of dishes. This Dutch Oven Pork Tenderloin is one of my favorite ways to turn simple ingredients into a hearty meal my family asks for all of the time!
If you love one pot meals, be sure to try my savory recipe for Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes, as well as this hearty Shepherd's Pie and Irish Soda Bread.
Key Ingredients
You only need a handful of key ingredients to make this pork tenderloin in a dutch oven. To see the entire list, visit the printable recipe card below.
- Pork tenderloin: This recipe uses about 2.5 pounds, typically packaged as two long, thin tenderloins.
- Chicken broth: Creates the base for the homemade brown gravy and adds savory flavor.
- Potatoes: Small russet potatoes work well because they hold their shape while roasting.
- Carrots: Cut them into chunks so they cook evenly with the potatoes.
- Brown sugar: Gives the pork rub a slightly sweet, caramelized flavor.
- Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder: Creates the savory flavor of the rub.
Step by Step Instructions
1. Preheat the oven and season the pork. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pat the pork tenderloins dry with paper towels, then season them on all sides with the brown sugar spice rub. Let the pork sit while you prepare the Dutch oven.
2. Sear the pork tenderloin. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned pork tenderloins and sear them on all sides until nicely browned. This step adds a flavorful crust and gives the gravy those delicious browned bits that make it taste homemade. Remove the pork from the Dutch oven and set it aside.
3. Make the brown gravy. Add the chicken broth to the Dutch oven and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. These little bits are packed with flavor and will become part of the gravy. Whisk the cornstarch with the appropriate amount of liquid until smooth, then stir it into the broth. Continue cooking until the gravy begins to thicken.
4 - Sauté the vegetables. Add the potatoes, carrots, and onions to the Dutch oven. Stir well and sprinkle veggies with a dash of salt and Italian seasoning. Add sliced sweet peppers on top.
5 - Place roast on top of root vegetables in dutch oven and close the lid. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees when using a meat thermometer. Remove pork and wrap in aluminum foil so it can rest.
6. Raise oven temperature to 400ºF and place pot back into the oven for 15 more minutes until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
7. Serve from one pot: Slice the pork into medallions and place on top of vegetables. Serve with the roasted potatoes, carrots, onions, sweet peppers, and plenty of that savory brown gravy.
Recipe FAQ
Pork tenderloin is a long, narrow, very lean cut that cooks quickly. Pork loin is wider and thicker and requires a different cooking method and timing. For this recipe, use pork tenderloin, not pork loin.
You can, but keep in mind that pork chops are not as tender as a tenderloin. Substituting meats might cause the recipe to turn out tough.
A dutch oven is made of cast iron which retains heat and cooks meat quicker than a crockpot or slow cooker. Since a tenderloin requires a short cooking time, a dutch oven is the best choice.
Debi's Tips
- Tenderloin has a pink hue when sliced. That quickly fades to white once it rests.
- Don't skip the searing step. Browning the pork before it goes into the oven adds a deeper layer of flavor and leaves those tasty browned bits in the bottom of the Dutch oven for the gravy.
- Use a meat thermometer. Check the thickest part of the pork with an instant-read thermometer and remove it from the oven when it reaches 145°F.
Storage Guide
If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, you can make wonderful hot pork sandwiches! Just pile the pork on top of your favorite bakery roll.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
To reheat, it's best to do so in a microwave on a low setting. Reheating meat for too long will make it chewy and tough.
More Dutch Oven Recipes
Try these other dutch oven recipes that are sure to be a big hit with your family!
- Dutch Oven Corned Beef (with video!)
- Mexican Shredded Beef
- Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy
- Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
- Broccoli Cheese Chowder (with video!)
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Recipe Card
Dutch Oven Pork Tenderloin
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
DRY RUB
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon steak seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
PORK TENDERLOIN
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2.5 pound pork tenderloin (2 long roasts)
- 2 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 large onion sliced in chunks
- 1 pound fresh carrots sliced in chunks
- 6 small russet potatoes cubed (leave skins on)
- 6 mini sweet peppers sliced
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, mix seasonings together to make a dry rub. Pat the pork tenderloins dry with paper towels, then season them on all sides with the brown sugar spice rub. Let the pork sit while you prepare the Dutch oven.1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon steak seasoning, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ½ cup brown sugar
- Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of the dutch oven and sear the pork tenderloins over medium heat on all sides using large tongs. Remove tenderloins and cover with foil while you deglaze the pot.2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2.5 pound pork tenderloin
- Deglaze the bottom of the dutch oven by pouring in the chicken broth and scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon over medium high heat. Add cornstarch mixture to the pot and stir until a brown gravy thickens.2 cups chicken broth or stock, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 Tablespoons water
- Slice onions, carrots and potatoes and place in the bottom of the dutch oven with the gravy. Stir well and sprinkle veggies with a dash of salt and Italian seasoning. Add sliced sweet peppers on top.1 large onion, 1 pound fresh carrots, 6 small russet potatoes, 6 mini sweet peppers, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Place roast on top of root vegetables in dutch oven and close the lid. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees when using a meat thermometer. Remove pork and wrap in aluminum foil so it can rest.2.5 pound pork tenderloin
- Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees and place pot back into the oven for 15 more minutes until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Slice pork into ¼ inch medallions and place on top of vegetables. Serve straight from the pot while pork is still warm.
Notes
- The dutch oven used for this recipe had a capacity of 6 quarts.
- The pork tenderloin used in this recipe came in 2 long pieces that were very thin. If your meat is thicker, plan to cook it longer.
- Use a meat thermometer for best results. Insert it into the thickest part of the meat.
- Remove pork roast from oven when temperature reaches 145 degrees.
- Pork will continue to cook while it rests.
- Tenderloin has a pink hue when it is sliced. The color quickly fades to white once it rests. If you prefer pork to be well done with no pink, bake it for an extra 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
Best recipe I've found for pork tenderloin. Super tender and easy to make in one pot. This will be on our list for Sunday suppers from now on!
Thanks Christy! That's amazing!
The most perfectly cooked and flavorful tenderloin EVER! THANK YOU! Followed recipe exactly! Had the second half left next day - added extra rub before putting away first night and left on foil with small amount of leftover juice wrapped in foil in refrigerator. Removed from refrigerator and let rest 30 mins. Placed in remaining onions, sweet peppers, potatoes, etc., and "gravy"' left over in dutch oven. Preheated oven to 250°F and let preheat. Once preheated, dropped temp to 175°F and warmed slow and steady for about 30 mins until desired food temp (I like my food on the not warmed, but hot). You can also add extra vegetables but be sure to let them cook at regular temp 400°F for approximately 2/3 of the time, then drop temp to 175°F to heat leftover tenderloin and finish cooking added vegetables.
Thanks Heather! So happy you loved it!
Can I use cabbage instead of peppers? we like boiled dinners when it's cold out
Sure! Cabbage sounds like a great substitute!
My hubby hates cabbage, but I LOVE it! Sounds like a good idea for us to have the best of both worlds! He gets his dinner, and I add the cabbage and enjoy the leftovers! Thanks for the inspiration!!
The recipe looks amazing! Have you ever cooked the pork tenderloin from frozen? Would the cooking time or temperature change in any way? Thanks
Hi Liz. I have never cooked meat from its frozen state. I always thaw it out first to give it a chance to taste as great as possible. When it's frozen, it may not cook properly and be raw in the middle. I recommend thawing pork tenderloin in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before cooking.
I thawed the roast in the fridge yesterday and today. Glad I did! I just took it out of the oven and letting it rest. It smells amazing. It's an easy recipe. Thanks for sharing it. I looked through some of your other recipes and saved the traeger smoke pork tenderloin. That will be the next one I try! I love smoking meats on my traeger! Thanks for again this recipe, I just tried it and is mashing!
Yay Liz! That's such great news! So glad you let it thaw and it turned out the way you wanted! 🙂
Can't say enough good things about this recipe. It was amazing from start to finish. Going on our weekly meal plan rotation!
Did not have peppers in house and used 3 potatoes but delish. Cut up pork and placed back in gravy. Very much like a stew.
Thanks Sharon! So glad you liked my pork tenderloin recipe!
I’ve given all my cast iron dutch oven pans to the grandchildren who cook! They just got too heavy for me - so do you think my fantastic slow cooker would do the job? Recipe looks delicious!
Hi Nana. I don't use a slow cooker to cook meat because my dutch oven does a much better job. But you could try it if you like! 🙂
So good! I didn’t follow this to a T but the timing recommendations were perfect. Thanks!
That's awesome, Hannah! I love it when recipes work out!
I don’t have enough thumbs to give it thumbs up, it was great
Awesome! Thanks for that great review Larry!
Great recipe, just remember to remove the silver skin if the pork tenderloin has it still on. I also added a little citrus paprika and replaced some of the stock with 1/2 cup of red cooking wine.
Killer.
Wow! Thanks for the great review! Sounds like you made some awesome additions! 🙂
That sounds and looks fantastic, Debi. Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Carol! I hope you love it!
I've never thought about cooking pork tenderloin in a dutch oven. What a great idea! It looks divine. Can't wait to try this recipe.
Thanks Delores! Let me know how it turns out when you make it!