Best pork tenderloin recipe for traditional Christmas dinner

The best Christmas menus are founded by tradition. From the kitchen of Melvin’s daughter in law, Debbie Bessinger- this red currant pork tenderloin recipe has been a staple at her family’s Christmas table for years.

Every year, we pour over magazines and search the internet for the perfect holiday recipes. After revising and printing our exotic grocery lists, Christmas of yore calls. Whether memorized or bookmarked on our computers, we go in search of the recipes that we know by heart- handwritten by Grandma on splattered index cards.

By now our kids and cousins have all requested their favorite sides, but we are still undecided on the main. Debbie Bessinger prepares this pork tenderloin every Christmas, and every year her family looks forward to it. We hope it pairs well with your family traditions. 

From the kitchen of Debbie Bessinger (Melvin’s daughter in law)

Red Currant Pork tenderloin recipe (serves 8-10)

Ingredients

  • 1 pork tenderloin (3-4 lbs)
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sage
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 jar currant jelly
  • 1 tsp dry mustard

Instructions

  • Rinse pork tenderloin and pat dry
  • Mix garlic, salt, sage, pepper and nutmeg
  • Rub meat with spice mixture
  • Wrap pork in foil
  • allow seasonings to tenderize mean (3-12 hours)
  • Bake uncovered in 325º oven
  • Bake 1 and 1/2 hours for 3 and 1/2 lbs (or to 145º internal temp)
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