Roast Pork Tenderloin with Apricot & Pepperberry

Roast pork tenderloin with apricot, gin-braised fennel, and hazelnuts finished off with the gloriously magical Tasmanian pepperberry.

This dish looks glorious, sounds complicated, but is actually really easy and takes a shade over half an hour to cook.

Oven Baked Pork Tenderloin with Apricots

Pork with fruit is a real favourite of mine!

The classic combination is apple, and of course, that features on my website in the form of roast pork fillet with apple puree, as well as an Instant Pot pork belly with apples.

But apples definitely ain't the only fruit, I have a blackberry sauce with pork chops, a delicious pressed pork belly with cherries, pork tenderloin with plum sauce, and, of course, my sweet and sour pork balls feature pineapple!

This roast pork tenderloin recipe adds apricot into the mix!

I love this roast pork tenderloin recipe; it is a method of cooking that I love, lots of different bits that come together to form a delicious, cohesive meal.

The light aniseed flavour of the fennel here marries beautifully with sharp and sweet apricots.

Then we have gin, not the first alcoholic ingredient that many think of cooking with, although I do cook the peaches for my venison burgers in gin.

I have no idea why, as that juniper flavour is wonderful, particularly with fennel. It also ties up with the unique and remarkable flavour of Tasmanian pepper berry beautifully.

All of these flavours perfectly complement the relatively gentle porky flavour of the perfectly roasted pink pork tenderloin.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tasmanian Pepperberry?

Tasmanian pepperberry is the fruit of the Tasmannia Lanceolata tree, and as the name suggests, it comes from southeastern Australia.

It has a wonderfully complex flavour and heat that starts with floral flavours, almost like Szechuan pepper. It then goes through a heat phase with the unmistakable pepper burn, then it mellows and gives a zingy woody cinnamon vibe.

Do I have to use Pepperberry?

No, this dish stands up perfectly well without it, but if you have a decent spice store in your town, you may find it. Buy some and give it a whirl; it is glorious!

What is the difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin?

In short, there is a world of difference between the two! Yet for some reason, I often see the two confused with each other online.

Essentially, the difference is the same as the difference between a Sirloin Steak and a Fillet Steak. They are indeed from the same anatomy as a pig as the aforementioned are on a cow.

Just like the beef equivalents, they require slightly different treatments. The pork loin requires slightly longer and lower temperature cooking or even long, slow roasting.

What if I don't like my pork pink?

Then cook it for longer. I am not one of those cooks who scoff at folk who want their meat cooked well done.

A meat thermometer is your friend here. Buy one and use it! If you want your pork cooked all the way through with no pink, you want to carve and serve it at 71°C or 160°F. To get there, you want to remove the meat from the oven 5-6°C below that and allow it to rest.

You will then have perfectly cooked, juicy meat with no pink.

Serving Suggestions

There are a host of ways to play around with this recipe to turn it into your own creation.

The obvious one to me is to serve the roast pork tenderloin with the apricots with a simple tabbouleh salad, bulgur wheat, or buttered couscous.

Another option would be to play around with a salad; this rocket salad would be perfect because it would play with alternative peppery notes.

Another option is to play around with the fruit and vegetables.

If you are serving this in autumn rather than summer, you could use pears or apples as the fruit.

If I were doing this, then I would keep the gin and cook the apples or pears in gin over a high heat rather than griddling them. I would keep the griddle vibe going by cooking some baby gem lettuce hearts to replace the fennel.

If you do get creative, let me know what you do. I would love to hear from you.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, you can ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• Oven.
• 28cm or 12" oven-proof frying pan or skillet with a lid.
• Griddle pan.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Kitchen tongs.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
• Quick-read meat thermometer.