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Celine | The Health Detective

One-Pan Apple & Sage Pork Tenderloin

A one-pan apple and sage pork tenderloin braised with onions, carrots, and celery in a Dijon-maple pan sauce, served over brown basmati rice — a complete harvest dinner that comes together in one skillet.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pork tenderloin about 1½ lb (680 g)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried sage or 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 firm apples cored and sliced
  • 1 small onion thinly sliced
  • 2 medium carrots sliced into thin coins or half-moons
  • 2 celery stalks sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp oat flour certified gluten-free, if needed
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth low-sodium
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp pure Canadian maple syrup or honey
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp butter unsalted
For Serving
  • 1 cup uncooked brown basmati
  • 2 cups water or low-sodium broth

Method
 

  1. Start the rice first — it takes the longest. Rinse the brown basmati rice, then combine it with the water (or broth) and a pinch of salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and simmer 40–45 minutes, until tender. Turn off the heat and leave it covered while you make the pork.
  2. Pat the pork tenderloin dry and season it all over with the salt, pepper, sage, and thyme.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large lidded (or oven-safe) skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork 2–3 minutes per side, until browned all over. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrots and celery and cook 3–4 minutes to give them a head start — they're firmer than the apples and onion.
  5. Add the apples and onion and cook another 4–5 minutes, until everything is starting to soften.
  6. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  7. Sprinkle the oat flour over the apples and vegetables and stir for 30–60 seconds — this cooks off the raw-flour taste and helps the sauce thicken evenly instead of clumping.
  8. In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, Dijon, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar. Pour it into the skillet gradually, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, until the sauce comes together and thickens slightly.
  9. Nestle the pork back into the skillet among the apples and vegetables. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 12–18 minutes, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) at its thickest point.
  10. Move the pork to a cutting board and let it rest 5–10 minutes before slicing — this is what keeps it juicy.
  11. Stir the butter into the apples and vegetables until glossy. Slice the pork, spoon the skillet mixture over top, and serve over the brown basmati rice.

Notes

Notes for the Cook
  • Apple choice: firm varieties like Honeycrisp, Gala, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith hold their shape and won't turn to mush during cooking.
  • Cut the carrots thin. Sliced into thin coins, they soften in time; left thick, they'll still be firm when the pork is done. Either way, the covered braise finishes them off.
  • Don't skip the rest. Five to ten minutes off the heat is the difference between juicy and dry — the pork keeps cooking a little as it sits, too.
  • Rice timing: brown basmati is slower than white, so get it going before anything else. Short on time? White basmati or a pouch of pre-cooked brown rice both work — just adjust the timing.
  • No side salad needed: with the carrots, celery, apples, and rice all on one plate, you already have vegetables and a grain alongside the protein. A simple green salad is a nice fresh contrast if you want it, but it's optional.
  • Thicker sauce: 1 Tbsp oat flour gives you a light, glossy pan sauce, and it keeps thickening a little as it sits. Want something closer to a gravy? Use 2 Tbsp. Oat flour also keeps the dish gluten-free-friendly — just use certified gluten-free oats.
  • Make it your own: a handful of dried cranberries or a few toasted walnuts stirred in before serving is lovely here.
  • Dairy-free? Skip the butter or swap in a spoonful of olive oil to finish — the pan sauce is still rich from the apples and searing.