This is guaranteed to be one of your favorite air fryer recipes. While we are using a lean cut of meat, you will end up with juicy pork tenderloin thanks to this cooking method. This is the easiest way with the best results to cook pork. The high heat cooks the outside to brown and crispy perfection with a moist and juicy inside. And all you have to do is rub it with some seasoning and oil before putting it in the fryer to cook.
Ingredients needed:
You are only going to need some spices, seasonings, and a few other ingredients to prepare this mouthwatering meal in less than 30 minutes. Scroll down for the exact amounts but here are the ingredients you will need:
- Pork tenderloin: Approximately 1.25 to 1.75 pounds. This is a lean cut of pork that is very tender when cooked properly.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark are both fine.
- Smoked paprika: You can use regular but smoked gives it that delicious smoky flavor.
- Ranch and Italian seasonings: Store-bought or make your own.
- Spices: We used cinnamon, salt, pepper, ground mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne powder.
- Olive oil: To rub on the meat.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
How to make air fryer pork tenderloin from scratch?
- Mix: First, mix all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl.
- Trim: Next, cut the silver skin and extra fat off the meat.
- Oil it up: Then, coat the whole tenderloin with olive oil.
- Rub: Immediately, rub the dry ingredients onto the meat.
- Preheat: Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for five minutes.
- Cook: Finally, place the meat in the fryer and air fry it for 20 minutes to 30 minutes depending on the size of the meat and the size of your air fryer. Hence, keep in mind that the cooking time may depend on the size of the pork roast.
- Check the temperature: Using a digital meat thermometer, check the internal temperature of the meat in the thickest part. It is safe to consume when the temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The pork can be a little pink in the middle.
- Rest: Last, remove the tenderloin and place it on a cutting board for at least five minutes before slicing and be sure to save the juice and serve it over the meat.
Recipe variations:
- Spice it down: If you do not like it spicy, leave out the cayenne pepper.
- Marinate: Marinate the pieces of pork in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, soy sauce, and honey. After that, pat it dry with paper towels and coat in the dry rub.
- Leave it out: Similarly, you can leave out the ranch or Italian dressing if you do not like one of those.
- Add other spices: Alternatively, there is nothing wrong with adding your own favorites like thyme, cumin, rosemary, and whatever else you like. Also, add more cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for a little heat.
- Make it fruity: In addition, sprinkling some lemon or orange zest in the rub would be fantastic too.
- Make it meatier: Try some bacon bits or ground bacon in the rub for a meatier flavor.
- BBQ Sauce: As an alternative, brush it with BBQ sauce five minutes before the cooking time ends.
