Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin with an Herb and Mustard Seed Crust

So I was house hunting this past weekend in Denver and had the pleasure to use Blake's urban vegetable and herb garden at my disposal! Basically, I was in heaven.  He knows the way to a girl's heart (or at least mine).  This recipe is quite easy and can be substituted for dry herbs if you don't have fresh ones.  I've even used a mixture of dried and fresh before.  The presentation is fairly impressive for the level of work involved so it's great for entertaining guests! 

Ingredients: 


-1 lemon and herb marinated pork tenderloin (Hormel is my favorite)
-2 Tbsp apricot preserves or orange marmalade, I've used both before
-2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
-2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
-2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
-2 Tbsp mustard seeds
-1 tsp garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste





So the fun began on his 6th floor balcony picking herbs.  Can you believe this is the first garden he's ever had? We picked our basil, sage, and oregano.  I even found a friend on the mint!

We washed (by just rinsing in cold water) the herbs and patted them dry.  I finely chopped them and spread them on a plate.  On top of the herbs I sprinkled my mustard seeds, garlic powder, salt and pepper.  

Next, we heated our apricot preserves in a bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute or until melted a bit.  Remove the tenderloin from the package and put on a clean plate. 

Now using a basting brush or just a spoon, evenly coat the tenderloin with the preserves. 

Slowly roll the tenderloin in the herb coating and place on a greased broiler pan.  Fill the bottom pan with about 1/2 inch of water.  This helps keep the tenderloin moist while cooking.

I found some "herbless" spots and filled them in with my extra coating.

We baked our tenderloin at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a meat thermometer read 155 degrees.  You DO NOT WANT TO OVERCOOK pork.  It will be dry and tough.  Continue to check the thermometer towards the end.  When it reads 155 degrees Fahrenheit, pull it out and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.  This is also key for the meat to absorb the flavors and moisture before cutting into it.  

Cut the tenderloin to your desired thickness. We did about 1 inch per slice.  

Serve warm and enjoy the leftovers the rest of the week! I often make two of these to have one in the fridge the following days.  It's fabulous cold, warm, alone, on a sandwich, you name it!  

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