Our plum and hoisin sauce is an easy sauce for pork tenderloin. We season the pork with Chinese 5 spice to bring all the flavors together. It’s sweet, savory, and simple.
Pork tenderloin takes well to so many different flavors and is quick and easy to make. We were inspired to pair pork with plums because the delicious stone fruit was starting to reappear at our local market.
When we were testing and photographing this recipe, we ended up making this dish three times over the course of a week. And we weren’t upset about it. It’s a sticky, savory, sweet dish that is almost shocking in its deliciousness.
Ingredients
Most of the flavorful ingredients in this dish could be considered Asian in nature: ginger, five spice powder, hoisin sauce. There is one ingredient that is not like the others: red wine. But this odd man out adds sweetness and depth that you can’t get anywhere else.
You’re going to want to lick the plate to make sure you don’t leave one drop of hoisin plum sauce behind. What kind of plums should you use? Well, that’s up to you. When we made it with plums that were a little unripe, it was tarter. When we made it with plums that were a little past their peak, it was sweeter and more luscious. We love that this recipe is adaptable to whatever you can find or have on hand.
Recipe tips
Our 5 spice pork with hoisin plum sauce is another simple recipe. We just have a few notes on timing to help you out.
- After seasoning the raw pork, you should let it rest and un-chill for 10 minutes. During this time, you can prep your garlic, ginger, onions, and plums.
- The sauce takes 20 minutes. For the first 10 minutes of that time, the pork will be in the oven; for the second 10 minutes the pork will be resting. It works out perfectly and deliciously.
<< You may also like our spiced plum chutney recipe >>
Eet smakelijk!
Five Spice Pork with Hoisin Plum Sauce
Our plum and hoisin sauce is an easy sauce for pork tenderloin. We season the pork with Chinese 5 spice to bring all the flavors together. It's sweet, savory, and simple.
Ingredients
Five Spice Pork Tenderloin
- 12 oz lb pork tenderloin
- 1/4 tsp five spice powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp olive oil
Plum Sauce Recipe
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, sliced
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 3 plums, halved, pitted, and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tsp butter
Instructions
Cook the five spice pork
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
- Season pork with Chinese five spice, salt, and pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Heat a skillet over high heat and add 1 tsp olive oil. Sear the pork tenderloin for 2 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Transfer pork to a baking sheet and put in the oven for 10 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove and place on a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Cook the hoisin plum sauce
- After removing the pork from the skillet, turn the heat down to medium and add 1 tsp olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, toss, and cook for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften and lightly brown.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze with red wine and scrape up all the bits.
- Add the plums, water, and hoisin sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Turn the heat down to low and cook for ~15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Pour the drippings from the resting pork into the sauce and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Turn off eat and finish with a nub of butter.
To serve
- Thinly slice the pork. Serve with the hoisin plum sauce atop or astride.
- Recommended sides include: roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash, roasted white asparagus, or sautéed red cabbage.
Notes
A few notes regarding the timing of this dish:
- After seasoning the raw pork, you should let it rest and un-chill for 10 minutes. During this time, you can prep your garlic, ginger, onions, and plums.
- The sauce takes 20 minutes. For the first 10 minutes of that time, the pork will be in the oven; for the second 10 minutes the pork will be resting. It works out perfectly and deliciously.
