Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 900 g pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin
- 120 g honey, liquid
- 90 g hot mustard
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar
- 8 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 361 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 25 g
- Zinc
- 4.2 mg
- Water
- 183 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine honey, hot mustard, apple cider vinegar, and fine sea salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk briskly for 1 minute until the salt granules dissolve completely and the marinade is smooth.
Place trimmed pork tenderloins into the medium mixing bowl with the mustard marinade, rolling the meat to coat all exterior surfaces thoroughly. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning once at the 15-minute mark.
Position an oven rack 15 cm (6 inches) below the top broiler element and preheat the oven broiler on high to 260°C (500°F). Line the bottom of a broiler pan with aluminum foil for simplified cleanup.
Lift pork tenderloins from the marinade using tongs, allowing excess marinade to drain back into the bowl for later use, and set tenderloins on the broiler pan grate. Broil for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating each tenderloin a quarter turn every 3 to 4 minutes with tongs, until the surface develops charred patches and an instant-read digital meat thermometer inserted into the thickest center registers 63°C (145°F).
Transfer the broiled pork tenderloins to a cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and allow the meat to rest undisturbed for at least 3 minutes to settle internal juices.
Pour the reserved raw marinade from the mixing bowl into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a rapid rolling boil of 100°C (212°F) and simmer vigorously for 4 minutes while whisking occasionally until the liquid reduces into a glossy, thick glaze, ensuring complete elimination of any raw meat bacteria.
Carve the rested pork tenderloins across the grain on the cutting board using a sharp chef's knife into medallions approximately 1.5 cm (0.5 inch) thick.
Distribute sliced medallions among four warm dinner plates and ladle the hot reduced mustard sauce evenly over the top. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Pork tenderloin is an exceptionally lean cut that dries out rapidly if overcooked. An instant-read meat thermometer is essential; pull the pork at 63°C (145°F) and respect the 3-minute rest.
- Removing the silver skin with a sharp flexible knife prior to marinating prevents the meat from warping and curling during quick, high-heat broiling.
- Boiling the used marinade for a full 4 minutes safely pasteurizes the liquid while evaporating water content to create an unctuous, syrupy pan sauce without adding extra fat.
- English hot mustard delivers sharp nasal heat comparable to wasabi, while spicy brown mustard yields earthy warmth; adjust between the two based on personal spice tolerance.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Cool promptly and store pork and reduced sauce in an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze sliced or whole in an airtight container or heavy freezer bag.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until internal temperature reaches at least 74°C (165°F).
Troubleshooting
Glaze turns black and chars before interior hits safe temperature of 63°C (145°F)
Cause: Oven rack is positioned too close to the broiler element or the broiler heat is too concentrated
Fix: Move the broiler pan down one oven rack level and switch oven to bake at 200°C (400°F) to finish cooking gently
Prevention: Maintain a full 15 cm distance between meat surface and heating coils, rotating tenderloins every 3 to 4 minutes
Reduced mustard sauce remains watery and runs off meat without clinging
Cause: Sauce was removed from the heat before sufficient moisture evaporated
Fix: Return saucepan to high heat and boil for an extra 1 to 2 minutes while whisking constantly
Prevention: Simmer at a steady boil until bubbling slows and the reduction thickens noticeably
Mustard glaze tastes excessively sharp and pungent
Cause: Mustard compounds intensified sharply during reduction or liquid reduced too far
Fix: Whisk 15 ml of warm water and 10 g of additional honey directly into the reduced sauce to soften acidity
Prevention: Reduce only until lightly syrupy and avoid over-boiling past the 4-minute threshold
Cultural Context
Sweet and pungent mustard glazes have long anchored traditional European and North American pork cookery, balancing the natural sweetness and lean profile of the meat with sharp acidity. This contemporary broiled variation condenses classic slow-roasting techniques into a rapid weeknight format that yields restaurant-grade caramelization in minutes.
