This Air Roast Pork Tenderloin Is an Easy Workweek Dinner.

Hands-free dinners are a valuable part of any home cook’s arsenal of tricks. This is usually where the Instant Pot and slow cooker come in, but I’m not always in the mood for something that requires hours of simmering or careful preparation of ingredients. My favorite dish at the moment is the main course, which gives me the freedom to do something else – like reheat leftover rice or sit down and rest my tired bones – and require very little else from me. This is an air fryer roasted pork tenderloin that you should add to your weekly diet.

The only reason I bought a pre-cut package of pork tenderloin from Trader Joe’s was because I needed a lean piece of protein on a budget. This pound of pork fits the bill. It was only five dollars, low in fat, and had a mild protein that loved to be seasoned. On the way home on the subway, I really wanted to fry it. But then I thought about how long it would take in a regular oven—45 to 60 minutes—and how that kind of time in a dry environment would likely dry it out. This is where the air fryer saved me.

Air Fryer Roasted Pork Tenderloin cooks in no time, gets beautifully browned on the outside and remains tender and juicy in the center. The key is the fryer’s convection heating: a fan blows hot air over the pork, quickly cooking the outside of the protein while gently heating the inside. A typical air fryer basket is about ten inches square, also ideal for a pound of pork tenderloin and fits perfectly on the diagonal. With virtually no fuss (just one flip midway through the cooking process), you’ve set up the main event for any accompanying sides.

How to Bake Pork Tenderloin in the Air Fryer

1. Season the pork

I prefer to marinate the pork at least 30 minutes before cooking, but if you only have time for a generous helping of salt, pepper and oil, so be it. If you are marinating it, place the loin in a deep container and add seasonings. Usually a simple mixture of soy sauce, a spoonful of sugar, monosodium glutamate and a small amount of vegetable oil is enough. Using your hands, coat the meat thoroughly and leave it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Turn it over halfway through marinating.

2. Set it and forget it (but don’t forget to turn it over and then forget it again)

Set the air fryer to broil at 350°F. Place the pork in the basket and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. I recommend checking the internal temperature after 20 minutes to make sure you have reached the desired temperature. The USDA recommends a temperature of 145°F and three minutes of rest.

While the pork is cooking, prepare the other parts of the meal or delegate those tasks to someone else and put your feet up to cast a spell. A pound of pork makes about three convenient servings with sides. (The real boss move is to cook two fries in the deep fryer and save one for some bad Cuban sandwiches the next day.)

Air Fryer Roasted Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pork tenderloin

• 1 tablespoon Bachan Original Japanese BBQ Sauce

• ¼ teaspoon MSG

• A pinch of garlic powder

• 2 or 3 ground black pepper

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1. Marinate the pork for 30 minutes to a couple of hours in a deep container along with all other ingredients. Be sure to turn the meat over so that it is completely coated with seasonings.

2. Preheat air fryer to 350°F on Fry setting. Place the tenderloin in the air fryer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Check readiness using a thermometer probe. Let the meat rest and cool for at least 3 minutes before slicing and serving.

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