Recipes Dinner Meat Dishes Pork Main Course Maple-Brined Pork Tenderloin An aromatic, maple-sweetened brine keeps these pork tenderloins juicy and gives them a beautifully caramelized exterior. By Scott Boggs Updated on September 11, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: © Michael Turek Active Time: 45 mins Brining Time: 6 hrs Total Time: 7 hrs 30 mins Servings: 10 to 12 Jump to recipe Brining pork tenderloin with apple cider, maple syrup, whole spices, garlic, and thyme seasons the meat and helps it retain its moisture.Searing the tenderloins before roasting adds rich browning and helps develop a deeply caramelized exterior.With 10 to 12 servings, this recipe is well suited to entertaining and offers a flavorful, maple-sweetened main course for a crowd. More economical than its beef counterpart, pork tenderloin is a cut of meat taken from along the pig’s spine. It’s a pretty under-exercised part of the body, making tenderloin reliably tender. It’s also very lean, which is where things get tricky: It’s easy to overcook and dry out. Former French Laundry butcher/chef de partie Scott Boggs overcomes this hurdle by brining the meat — and we don’t mean any old brine. Boggs’ solution mixes apple cider, whole peppercorns, allspice, and juniper with garlic, thyme, maple syrup, and maple sugar. A 6- to 8-hour soak seasons the meat and imparts warm-spice aromas that balance the apple-maple sweetness. Once you’re ready to sear and roast, the salt helps the meat retain its juiciness, while the sugars encourage beautiful caramelization. With 10 to 12 servings here, this recipe is an easy way to impress a crowd. How brining works Put simply, a brine is a kind of marinade, except with a lot more salt. Submerging meat in a high-salt solution allows salt to gradually diffuse into the meat, seasoning it from the inside. Spices and herbs don’t penetrate as deeply, but they flavor the surface and outer layers. More importantly, salt changes the structure of the proteins, improving their ability to retain water. This helps the meat stay juicy as it cooks, which is why brining is a popular step when preparing lean proteins such as turkey. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Granulated maple sugar, which is made from reduced maple syrup, is available at specialty food stores or online at crownmaple.com. With lean cuts like tenderloin, it’s essential to use a meat thermometer to avoid drying out the meat. Pull the pork from the oven when it reaches 140°F, then let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Suggested pairing Spicy, dark-berried Italian red. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 10 to 12 servings 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, plus freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning 6 whole cloves 4 allspice berries 3 juniper berries 1/3 cup kosher salt, plus more for seasoning 2 cups apple cider 1/2 cup pure Grade A dark amber maple syrup 1/3 cup maple sugar 6 garlic cloves, peeled 6 thyme sprigs 3 cups cold water 4 (1 1/4-pound) pork tenderloins 1/4 cup canola oil, divided Directions In a medium saucepan, toast the 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns with the cloves, allspice, and juniper over medium heat until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the 1/3 cup of salt and the apple cider, maple syrup, maple sugar, garlic, and thyme to the saucepan and bring just to a simmer, stirring. Add 3 cups of cold water and pour the brine into a small roasting pan; let cool. Add the pork tenderloins, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Drain the pork, discarding the brine. Pat the pork dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. In a very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil until shimmering. Add 2 of the pork tenderloins and cook over medium-high heat, turning, until browned all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a rimmed baking sheet. Wipe out the skillet and repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tenderloins. Transfer the pork to the oven and roast for about 18 minutes, turning twice, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 140°F. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the pork and serve. Originally appeared: February 2013 Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.