This Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin delivers a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and savory flavors with minimal effort. The pork stays incredibly juicy and tender, while the homemade teriyaki sauce reduces to a glossy, restaurant-quality glaze. It’s a weeknight dinner that feels impressively fancy.

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Why You’ll Love This Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

• Juicy & tender: Quick sear and gentle simmer keep the lean pork moist and flavorful.
• Next-level sauce: Homemade teriyaki is fresher, less cloying, and deeply aromatic.
• Impressive & easy: Beautiful caramelized exterior and glossy sheen belie the 30-minute effort.
• Versatile serving: Great over rice, with noodles, in lettuce wraps, or sliced for salads.

Ingredients & Tools

• 1 (about 450-500 g) pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin
• 2 tbsp vegetable or avocado oil
• 60 ml soy sauce (use reduced-sodium if preferred)
• 60 ml mirin
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water (slurry)
• 1 spring onion, thinly sliced (for garnish)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (for garnish)

Tools: Large oven-safe skillet, tongs, small whisk, measuring spoons/cups, instant-read thermometer

Notes: Using mirin adds subtle sweetness and depth. Don’t skip the cornstarch slurry—it creates a thick, clingy glaze.

Nutrition (per serving)

Serves: 3-4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes

• Bring the pork to room temperature. If you have time, let the tenderloin sit out for 15-20 minutes before cooking. A cold piece of meat won’t sear as evenly and can end up overcooked on the outside before the center is done.
• Don’t skip trimming the silver skin. That silvery membrane on the tenderloin is tough and chewy. Use a sharp knife to slide underneath it and pull it off—it takes seconds and makes a huge difference in texture.
• Use fresh ginger and garlic. The jarred stuff just doesn’t have the same bright, aromatic punch. A microplane makes grating ginger a breeze, and freshly minced garlic melts into the sauce beautifully.
• Have your sauce ingredients measured and ready. Once you start searing the pork, things move quickly. Having your soy, mirin, sugar, and aromatics pre-measured means you can build the sauce without rushing or burning anything.

How to Make Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin

Storage & Freshness Guide

• Fridge: Store leftover pork and sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze in an airtight container with sauce for up to 2 months (texture may soften slightly).
• Reviving: Reheat gently in a covered skillet with a splash of water to prevent drying.

Serving Suggestions

Complementary Dishes

• Steamed jasmine rice — The fluffy, slightly sticky grains are perfect for soaking up every last drop of that teriyaki glaze. It’s a classic pairing for a reason.
• Quick-pickled cucumber salad — Thinly sliced cucumbers with a splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar provide a crisp, refreshing contrast to the rich, savory pork.
• Stir-fried bok choy or broccoli — A simple veggie side cooked with a bit of garlic and soy sauce complements the meal and adds a lovely green element to the plate.

Drinks

• Cold Japanese lager — A crisp, clean beer like Asahi or Sapporo cuts through the sweetness and cleanses the palate between bites beautifully.
• Ginger iced tea — The spicy kick of fresh ginger in a chilled, unsweetened tea balances the savory-sweet notes and feels incredibly refreshing.

Something Sweet

• Green tea ice cream — The slightly bitter, earthy notes of matcha are a wonderful follow-up to the sweet and salty teriyaki, and it’s light enough to not overwhelm.
• Mochi with red bean paste — These chewy, sweet little bites offer a fun textural contrast and a traditional finish that keeps the Asian-inspired theme going.

Top Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcooking the pork. Tenderloin is very lean, so it goes from juicy to dry surprisingly fast. Use that thermometer—145°F is your sweet spot. It will carry over cook a bit while resting, so pull it just at or before that temp.
• Adding the cornstarch slurry too early. If you thicken the sauce before the pork is cooked, it can become too thick, sticky, and likely burn. Always thicken at the end, after the pork is out of the pan and resting.
• Not letting the pork rest before slicing. I know it’s tempting to dig right in, but if you slice it immediately, all those precious juices will run out onto the cutting board instead of staying in the meat. Patience pays off here.
• Using high heat for the sauce. Soy sauce and sugar burn easily. Keep the heat at a steady simmer once you add the liquid ingredients to prevent a bitter, scorched flavor in your glaze.

Expert Tips

• Tip: For extra flavor, marinate the pork. If you have an extra 30 minutes, let the tenderloin sit in half of the teriyaki sauce (before thickening) in a zip-top bag. It adds another layer of flavor throughout the meat, not just on the surface.
• Tip: Double the sauce. Honestly, this glaze is so good you’ll want extra for drizzling over rice or veggies. Simply double all the sauce ingredients and proceed with the recipe as written—you won’t regret it.
• Tip: Get creative with leftovers. Thinly sliced cold teriyaki pork is amazing in lunch wraps, on top of salads, or even tucked into steamed buns with a little extra sauce and some crunchy slaw.
• Tip: For a beautiful caramelized crust, brush a little extra glaze on the pork during the last few minutes of cooking and let it bubble and stick to the surface. It gives you those picture-perfect, glossy streaks.

FAQs

Can I make this with chicken instead?
Absolutely! Chicken breasts or thighs work wonderfully here. For breasts, pound them to an even thickness for quick, even cooking. For thighs, they’ll take a few minutes longer. Just make sure the chicken is cooked through to 165°F (74°C) internally. The teriyaki sauce pairs beautifully with poultry, and you might even find you prefer it.

I don’t have mirin. What can I use as a substitute?
No worries—you can use a dry sherry or even a sweet white wine like Riesling in a pinch. If you’re really in a bind, use 60 ml of chicken broth mixed with half a teaspoon of extra sugar. The flavor profile will shift slightly, but it’ll still be delicious. The goal is to replicate that subtle sweetness and acidity.

How should I store and reheat leftovers?
Store any leftover pork and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm slices in a covered skillet with a tablespoon or two of water over low heat. This prevents the meat from drying out and the sauce from becoming too sticky. Microwaving can make the pork rubbery, so stovetop is best.

Can I freeze the cooked teriyaki pork?
You can, though the texture of the pork may be slightly less tender upon thawing. Freeze it in an airtight container with the sauce for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop. I’d recommend freezing without the garnishes and adding fresh spring onions and sesame seeds after reheating.

Why is my teriyaki sauce not thickening?
This usually happens if the cornstarch slurry wasn’t well-mixed, or if the sauce wasn’t at a simmer when you added it. Cornstarch needs to reach a certain temperature to activate. Make sure your slurry is smooth, and whisk it into the simmering sauce—it should thicken within a minute. If it’s still too thin, mix another half teaspoon of cornstarch with water and repeat.