Meyer lemons are a cross between regular lemons and mandarin oranges. This combination creates a very special fruit…still has that distinct lemony flavor but with a background of sweetness from the orange. Suited for the Louisiana climate, Meyer lemons are juicy and add a distinct but understated flavor to any dish. Pork tenderloin’s mild flavor is perfectly suited for this delicious Meyer lemon sauce flavored with butter, wine, garlic and fresh rosemary.
If you like lemon flavor, you are in for a treat. This sauce, made with Meyer Lemons, has a citrus profile with a subtle sweetness in the background. Flavored with butter, garlic, white wine and fresh rosemary, it's great on pork, chicken, fish or just about anything you can think about. This recipe marinates a pork tenderloin with a smoky garlicky citrus-ey spice rub. When you add the sauce to the roasted tenderloin, watch out!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 Servings | 15 Minutes |
| Cook Time | Calories per Serving |
| 1 Hour | 362 |
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| If you like lemon flavor, you are in for a treat. This sauce, made with Meyer Lemons, has a citrus profile with a subtle sweetness in the background. Flavored with butter, garlic, white wine and fresh rosemary, it's great on pork, chicken, fish or just about anything you can think about. This recipe marinates a pork tenderloin with a smoky garlicky citrus-ey spice rub. When you add the sauce to the roasted tenderloin, watch out!
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This is What You Need
- 2 ½ pounds Pork Tenderloin trimmed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Butcher twine
- ½ cup Dry White Wine
For the Rub
- 2 tablespoons Lemon pepper Salt-free
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Sauce
- 6 tablespoons Butter in all
- 2 medium Shallots chopped fine
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 tablespoons A/P flour
- 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest
- To taste Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
- 3 slices meyer lemon
- 4 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 cup Dry White Wine
- 1 cup Chicken Stock
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
This is What You Do
- Mix all ingredients for the rub together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Trim any loose parts off tenderloin and remove the silver skin.
- Rub olive oil all over the tenderloins then apply the rub liberally on all sides. Allow the rubbed tenderloins to sit for 30 minutes.
- Align both halves of the tenderloin so the thin end of one is matched with the thick end of the other.
- Lay Meyer lemon slices on top of the paired tenderloin and tie them together with the butcher twine-make sure the lemon slices are under the twine.
- Brush some olive oil on the lemon slices.
- In a heavy bottom cast iron skillet, sear the tied pork tenderloin over medium high heat on all sides, starting with the lemon slices first.
- Once seared, add about ½ cup of dry white wine to the pan then transfer the cast iron pan into the 425 degree oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until the internal temperature reads about 145-150 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
- Remove from the oven and place the pork tenderloin on a cutting board to rest. Loosely tent aluminum foil over it and allow the pork to rest while you prepare the sauce.
- If necessary, deglaze the cast iron pan with some water to remove any burned morsels on the bottom and wipe out with a paper towel.
- Using the same cast iron skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over a medium heat, then add the shallots and crushed garlic.
- Saute until the shallots are starting to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the flour and stir or whisk together until a light roux develops.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon slices and some kosher salt and pepper. Let the lemon slices have direct contact with the bottom of the pan so they get a slight sear for a couple of minutes.
- Add in the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, wine, stock and fresh rosemary and increase the heat until starting to simmer.
- Stir well and bring to a simmer. Add the 2 remaining tablespoons of butter and shake the pan while that melts-simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes while the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat.
- Snip off the butcher twine and slice the pork tenderloin on the bias. Remove the lemon peels and rosemary from the sauce and spoon over the sliced pork.
Recipe Notes
If you don't have Meyer lemons you can substitute 3 tablespoons of lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon of mandarin orange juice (or any other sweet orange) for the Meyer Lemon juice. The zest and slices of regular lemon or oranges will work fine.
When mixing the rub, try to use no-salt lemon-pepper mix. If you can't find that, cut back or eliminate the extra salt.
I do not recommend purchasing the pre-marinated pork tenderloins that are available in the meat department. First, they are generally high in sodium content and secondly, you want to control the flavor profile of your dish.
Nutrition Facts
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Meyer Lemon Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 362 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 118mg 39%
Sodium 630mg 26%
Potassium 726mg 21%
Total Carbohydrates 10g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 1g
Protein 31g 62%
Vitamin A 46%
Vitamin C 17%
Calcium 6%
Iron 18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
