There are four ways that you can reheat pork tenderloin: on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, in the oven, and in the microwave.
Even as an experienced chef I used to dread reheating pork tenderloin. Luckily for you, I have managed to perfect my methods over the years and are now ready to share them with you.
In this post I will show you everything you need to know about reheating meat and even help you make sure the pork tenderloin turns out just right the first time around. Let’s begin!
Yes, you can reheat pork tenderloin with great success but there is something that you should be aware: it will not be the same as when you prepared it.
For one thing, the meat will lose some of its outer crispiness. Instead, it will be more tender. This is why I would suggest you use reheated pork tenderloin in sandwiches or in a similar fashion.
Here are the methods that you can use to get the best results:
This is my most preferred way to reheat pork tenderloin. It is also the most effective way as it heats up the meat quickly but without the risk of losing moisture.
For this method you are going to need a pan with a well-fitting lid. You can use it use whole or sliced pork tenderloin.
Pour a little neutral flavored oil into the pan. Place on the stove and adjust to medium heat – heat until the oil can be easily moved around the pan. Turn the heat down to low. For slices, arrange the pork in a single layer on the pan. Place the chunk of pan, close the lid, and heat for a few minutes.
If you are reheating pork tenderloin slices then flip the meat frequently – every minute or so. Replace the lid each time. It is done when it begins to steam. For a larger whole chunk flip it over every three or so minutes.
I approve of the slow cooker method as well as you can reheat pork tenderloin without it drying out. However, you should know that your pork will continue to cook in the slow cooker. On the upside if you get it right, you end up with tender meat that can easily be pulled apart.
You will need to add gravy to the slow cooker to ensure that the meat retains moisture and flavor. If you don’t have any, chicken broth is a reasonable substitute.
I would advise slicing the pork, but you can add a whole tenderloin if you want. To ensure that it heats more evenly it is best to cut a large hunk into two smaller pieces.
Place the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker – in a single layer for slices. Add half a cup of gravy and half a cup of water. A cup of water or broth can work as well.
If you have a Warm setting on your slow cooker, use this. Otherwise, use the Low setting. Set the timer for 20 minutes.
An oven is ideal for reheating pork in larger quantities. I always like to add some liquid with this method so it doesn’t dry out. If you are reheating sliced pork tenderloin then I would add some broth. For a whole pork tenderloin, brush with melted butter.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place the pork tenderloin in a baking dish or deep oven safe dish. Pour the broth on top. When the oven is sufficiently heated, place the dish on the middle oven rack. Cook for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
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If I’m being honest I prefer the other methods to heating up tenderloin in a microwave. For one thing, you can only heat up small amounts at a time. What’s worse, though, is that reheating leftovers in the microwave can lead to cold spots. This means that some parts of the pork tenderloin may be cold while others are warmed to perfection.
First things first, always slice the tenderloin before reheating. Place this in a microwave safe dish and sprinkle with some broth if you want. Most of these appliances have a reheat setting. Use this if it is available.
Otherwise, set the heat to medium and microwave for about 5 minutes at a time. Check the meat – if it is hot to touch and warmed evenly, then it is ready.
As you can tell, stove top warming is my favorite way to reheat pork tenderloin or reheat meat in general. While slow cooker is pretty great, it can change the texture of the meat.
The oven is up next, but you do have to be careful about not heating the pork tenderloin too much. The risk for drying out the meat is high here.
As I have already mentioned, I’m not the biggest fan of the microwave but it does come in handy when you’re rushed for time. I would lower your expectations for the results, however.
As you can imagine, this all depends on the reheating method that you are using. The size of the pork tenderloin or the thickness of the slices come into play here as well.
The stovetop make take around 10 minutes, while the oven and slow cooker can take up to 20 minutes. The microwave can be around 5 minutes or longer.
Now, in the previous sections I have used time to indicate how long the pork tenderloin should be heated for. This is because most people prefer to track the process via minutes.
I use a meat thermometer, though, and I would recommend that you do the same. The reality is that time isn’t the most reliable measurement here. This is because the time to reheat can be affected by how thinly you have sliced the meat, the size of your tenderloin, and the settings on your stove, oven, slow cooker and microwave.
When it reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit, then it is reheated to perfection. At this temperature the meat is thoroughly heated and considered safe for consumption.
Ive noticed that a lot of people will use tenderloin and pork loin interchangeably, but they aren’t the same. They are both considered lean meat but they aren’t from the same part of the pig. What’s more, they differ in shape and size as well.
Tenderloin is thin and small while pork loin is wider. They are cooked quite differently as well. Pork tenderloin should be cooked quickly over high heat and pork loin should be grilled or slow roasted.
This is why I would suggest reheating pork loin in the oven. This will maintain the flavors of the meat. It is best to reheat the whole pork loin rather than slicing it first. Brush the meat with melted butter and reheat for about 20 minutes.
Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes and then slice and serve.
This is tricky – trying to artificially maintain the meat’s heat runs the risk of drying out the meat. Due to this, I try not to keep pork tenderloin warm without serving for longer than an hour.
One method is to place the meat in a preheated oven. Make it a point to keep basting it though so that it remains moist.
This method works best for a pork tenderloin that has just been prepared, though. If you try it with reheated meat, you are not going to like the results. You should only reheat pork tenderloin just before you intend on serving it.
Here are some ideas of what to do once you are done reheating pork tenderloin:
This is my favorite way to use leftovers. The key here is the right sauce – you need something that complements the pork tenderloin but that doesn’t overpower the natural flavors. If you want to keep it simple, then mayo will do.
Pad the sandwich with lots of fresh, crunchy vegetables.
This is great if you want to keep it low carb. Once again, you need to think carefully about your salad dressing. While I prefer a creamy option, you may want to choose something lighter, perhaps an olive oil based dressing.
You may be surprised to learn that there is more to reheating pork tenderloin than you may have initially realized. It is important to learn the right way to do things, though, as this gives you more delicious results.
You can now choose the option that works best for you or experiment with them all. At the end, you will have tender and juicy pork tenderloin!
