After I made this pork tenderloin in my air fryer, I was more excited than i’ve ever been about a recipe i’ve made. The flavors of the seasoning rub are so perfect, the meat is so juicy, and the taste is simply out of this world! Do you sense a little excitement from me about this recipe?
Pork tenderloin is the filet mignon of pork. It’s a very lean, very tender piece of pork. It can be prepared a number of ways and works well with so many different seasoning mixtures. One of my favorite ways to prepare pork recipes is with a seasoning rub combination of brown sugar, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, ground mustard, salt and pepper. And maybe just a dash of cayenne for a little heat. This seasoning mix, along with the simplicity of an air fryer, will produce a pork tenderloin that you will not believe. The outside of the tenderloin will crisp up and the brown sugar will caramelize to create a flavor explosion. With the high speed circulating heat of the air fryer, and being close to the heating element, it’s the perfect environment so that the pork tenderloin stays nice and juicy on the inside.
Air Fryer with the Best Damn Pork Seasoning Rub
Our recipe for air fryer pork tenderloin couldn’t be more simple. We use a medium sized bowl and mix together the dry ingredients. Before we rub the ingredients on the tenderloin, we’ll want to cut off any of the “silver skin”, which is just a thin membrane that is usually on part of the meat. Just use a sharp knife and peel it away. Then coat the pork tenderloin with some olive oil and rub in all the seasoning mix.
Preheat your Air Fryer
Set your air fryer to 400°F and preheat for 5 minutes. Once the air fryer is preheated, keep the temperature at 400°, select air fry setting, and set the time for 20-22 minutes. Most pork tenderloins are usually between 1 lbs and 1.5lbs. For pork tenderloin on the small size, go with 20 minutes. For larger size meat, go with 22 minutes. The key is to get an internal temperature of 145°F when measured at the center of the meat with an instant-read thermometer.
Let The Cooked Pork Tenderloin Rest
After the cooking is done, carefully remove the pork tenderloin from the air fryer and place on a plate or cutting board and let it rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing.
More Great Pork Tenderloin Recipes
- Best Damn Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Smothered Pork Tenderloin
- Air Fryer Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
- Oven Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Best Damn Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Mouthwatering, tender, juicy and delicious pork tenderloin made in an air fryer.
Ingredients
- Pork tenderloin (1.25lbs – 1.75lbs)
- 2 tbs brown sugar
- 1 tbs smoked paprika
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne powder (optional)
- ½ tbs olive oil
Instructions
- Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat/silver skin. Coat with a ½ tablespoon olive oil. Rub spice mixture on entire pork tenderloin.
- Preheat air fryer to 400° F for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, carefully place pork tenderloin into air fryer and air fry at 400° F for 20-22 minutes. Internal temp should be 145°F.
- When air fryer cycle is complete, carefully remove pork tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Save any juices to serve over sliced meat.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 21 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Lois says
I was surprised at how tender the tenderloin (ha!) came out in the air fryer. Mine was smaller, just over 1lb, so I cut the cooking time down to about 18 minutes. Also, we are trying to cut our salt intake back so I used just under a tsp. The rub still tasted super salty to me, but when the pork was cooked it was a perfectly flavored crust. It really was the best damn air fryer pork tenderloin!
Michael says
Excellent, amazing yet easy recipe..every time.
Judy says
Made this many times. Very good
Linda says
I have made this recipe many times and it
has always been a hit with family and friends. Very flavourful and tender. I check after 16 to 18 min and it is usually done then.
Cheryl K. says
Yep, this is a winner! Didn’t have any cayenne pepper but crushed red peppers made this perfect for us. For my husband and me, what put it over the top was a drizzle of pure honey. Scalloped potatoes paired well. Thank you for an easy and delicious meal with a sweet smoky kick!
Linda Thomas says
Indeed it is the best air fryer recipe for a pork tenderloin. My husband is not a fan of pork in any form or fashion, but when he tried a pork tenderloin prepared follow this recipe, he told me it was really good.
As I write this comment, there’s a tenderloin in my air fryer. Can’t imagine myself going back to cooking a tenderloin in the oven ever again.
Shelly says
This is the best pork loin recipe I have ever eaten.
Perfect sear on the outside while soft as butter on the inside.
Thank you for sharing this amazing dish.
Tammy Schilling says
This is my go-to rub recipe. I’ve made it dozens of times. In my opinion, perfection! Thank you for sharing!