If you haven't cooked pork tenderloin in a while, you are missing a real treat. When cooked correctly, pork tenderloins are moist and tasty. Tenderloins also cook relatively quickly and are lower in fat than many other pork meat cuts. In fact, according to the National Pork Board, cooked pork tenderloin contains slightly less fat than a piece of cooked skinless chicken of the same weight.

Cooking Pork Tenderloins

Use a meat thermometer when cooking pork tenderloin so that you can get the right degree of "doneness." Since pork tenderloins are usually "thin" cylinders, this meat cut is easy to overcook. You have several different choices about how well-done that you would like your pork to be.

If you like your pork a little pink, cook the tenderloin to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and then let the meat sit for about 5 minutes. If you lean towards a less rare piece of tenderloin, remove the meat from heat when the temperature reaches 150 degrees. Serve after the pork sits for 5 minutes for a juicy, tender meal. For well-done pork, let the temperature reach 155 degrees and remove from the heat. The meat should still sit for about 5 minutes or until the thermometer reaches 160 degrees.

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Garlic and Rosemary Recipe

(Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com)

2 lbs Pork Tenderloin

3 cloves of minced garlic (or 3/8 teaspoons garlic powder)

1 tablespoon of fresh chopped rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

Salt and pepper as preferred

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If you are using dried spices, mix all the spices together. If using a combination of fresh and dried spices, crush the spices together using a mortar and pestle if possible. Cut slits into the top of the tenderloin using a knife. Rub the spices into the slits. Coat the outside of the tenderloin with the olive oil, adding any leftover spices that you may have. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the temperature/doneness that you prefer. Add the wine to pan juices and mix over heat. Serve juices over your tenderloin.