We absolutely love this Garlic Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin. It's been our tried and true favorite for as long as I can remember. You can hardly do any work with a super-easy cooking process.
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This pork roast is a flavorful option that works just as well for special occasions as it does for a relaxed Sunday family dinner. A simple blend of garlic and brown sugar creates a rich crust that adds depth to the tender pork without making the recipe complicated.
This is a truly easy pork roast. There's no searing, basting, flipping, or rotating required, just simple prep and hands off cooking with reliable results.
The pork turns out juicy and tender with a perfectly balanced sweet and savory crust that's sure to impress. If you enjoy pork roasts, be sure to try Air Fryer Pork Loin Roast or Honey Mustard Pork Shoulder Roast.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy prep. This Garlic Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin comes together quickly and easily, making it perfect for a Lazy Sunday Dinner.
- Frugal. Pork roast is budget friendly, and nearly any cut works, including shoulder or tenderloin, making it easy to fit into most grocery budgets.
- The leftovers taste great! My husband likes to slice the roasts thin and eat them with mayo as a sandwich, but I find that they're great just reheated on a plate.
🛒 Ingredients
Minced garlic. Use jarred minced garlic or freshly minced cloves. Fresh garlic may turn blue or green when cooked, which is normal and harmless.
Pork roast (about 4 pounds). Bone in or boneless both work. Pork loin, shoulder, or similar cuts all give great results.
Honey. Honey or agave helps sweeten and thicken the glaze.
Brown sugar. Adds depth of flavor and creates a caramelized crust on the pork.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Choose bone-in: Bone-in pork roasts are usually cheaper and add extra flavor.
Use store brands: Store-brand brown sugar, garlic, and honey keep costs down.
Plan for leftovers: This roast stretches easily into sandwiches, bowls, or tacos later in the week.
🥄 Instructions for Garlic Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425F degrees.
Step 2: Line a baking dish with parchment paper (optional) and then place your roast fat side up in the middle.
Step 3: Rub kosher salt and minced garlic over the roast.
Step 4: Place the roast in the oven and bake at 425F for 20 minutes.
Step 5: Turn the heat down to 325F degrees and cook until the pork's internal temperature is 100 degrees (about 45min-1hour).
Step 6: In a small saucepot on the stove, combine brown sugar, red pepper flakes, vinegar, and honey.
Step 7: Stir and let simmer over medium heat until for about 1-2 minutes. Don't let it boil. We just want the sugar to dissolve a little bit.
Step 8: Pull the roast from the oven and cover it in this glaze.
It may be paste-like and this is okay. Just coat the outside of the pork as well as you can.
Step 9: Place it back in the oven to finish cooking.
Step 10: When the pork roast reaches 145F degrees, it's safe to remove it from the oven. Let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing- preferably, let it wait 10 minutes.
Step 11: Slice your pork and serve.
Enjoy!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Easy cleanup. Line the baking dish with parchment paper, letting it hang over the sides to prevent stuck on glaze and make cleanup easier.
- Glaze texture. The brown sugar glaze should be thick and paste like so it sticks to the pork and forms a flavorful crust.
- Expect juices. After resting, the roast will release juices. Keep a towel nearby when transferring or slicing.
- Cook to temperature. Plan for about 2 hours, but always cook until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Short on time. You can increase the oven to 350°F after glazing, but watch closely to avoid burning or drying out the pork.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage: Keep leftover Garlic Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Warm gently in the oven or microwave with a splash of broth or water to maintain moisture.
Make Ahead: Prepare the glaze up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate until ready to use.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve Garlic Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin with steamed broccoli, Apple Pie Baked Beans, Cast Iron Green Beans, mashed potatoes, or a simple salad. Milder sides help the main dish stand out.
- Apple Pie Baked BeansRecipe $18.53 / Serving $1.15
- Cast Iron Green BeansRecipe $2.34 / Serving $0.39
- Sourdough CornbreadRecipe $2.14 / Serving $0.27
- 5 Ingredient Mac and CheeseRecipe $3.64 / Serving $0.36
❓ Recipe FAQs
I've been using this same recipe for years and have tried it with almost every roast-like cut of pork. Each one turns out great, including pork tenderloin. For this recipe, I chose to use a 4lb bone-in pork sirloin roast.
Oh, the magic of science! Fresh garlic often turns greenish-blue when baked. It's in no way unsafe to eat, but it is a cool reaction! Having your oven too high of a temperature for too long may also result in the garlic turning black.
Food health regulators have determined that eating pork that still has some pink to it is completely safe as long as it reaches a minimum of 145F degrees.
Consider it the medium-rare area and 160 being the well done. Your pork is safe and not too over or undercooked as long as you're somewhere in that realm.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Honey Baked Spiral HamRecipe $10.35 / Serving $0.52
- 3 Ingredient Crock Pot Pork ChopsRecipe $7.76 / Serving $1.94
- Air Fryer Pork Loin RoastRecipe $10.27 / Serving $1.28
- Honey Mustard Pork ShoulderRecipe $15.13 / Serving $1.51
🐝 If you tried this Garlic Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Garlic Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 pound pork roast, bone in or boneless - ($9.76)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt - ($0.01)
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced - ($0.40)
- 1 cup brown sugar - ($0.44)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes - ($0.08)
- 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar - ($0.05)
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave - ($0.24)
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper and place the pork roast fat side up in the center.
- Season the Roast: Rub the kosher salt and minced garlic evenly over the entire roast, covering the top and sides.
- Initial Roast: Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes.
- Lower Heat: Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. When the internal temperature of the pork reaches about 100°F, begin preparing the glaze.
- Make the Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Do not allow it to boil. The glaze should be thick and paste like.
- Glaze the Roast: Remove the pork from the oven and generously spread the glaze over the top and sides using a spoon or pastry brush, making sure to coat all surfaces.
- Finish Cooking: Return the roast to the oven and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Rest & Serve: Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Garlic Options: Fresh or jarred minced garlic may be used. Fresh garlic may turn green or blue when baked, which is safe to eat.
- Glaze Texture: The brown sugar glaze is meant to be thick and sticky so it clings to the roast and forms a crust.
- Pork Cuts: This recipe works with several pork cuts, including pork loin or tenderloin. Cooking time may vary depending on thickness.
- Oven Adjustments: If needed, the oven temperature can be increased to 350°F after glazing, but monitor closely to prevent burning.
- Doneness Guide: Pork is safe to eat at 145°F for medium rare. For a firmer texture without drying out, cook up to 160°F.
- Cleanup Tip: Lining the baking dish with parchment paper makes cleanup much easier.
Nutritional Information
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