Moist and tender. Pan seared and basted with butter, and you have a serious taste. Easy to follow step by step photo instructions.
Editor’s Note: Originally Published June 29, 2012. Now updated with expanded and improved text and buffed up photos.
Do you ever want turkey and gravy? Just a little turkey but no big production. Well, those turkey tenderloins that you walk by all the time is your answer.
There seem to be very few instructions for cooking turkey tenderloin. They have no skin and are a long triangular piece of very lean breast meat. From the processor, they already have been injected so no brining here.
I wanted a buttery taste and gravy (the nectar of the gods.). I started with some pepper then pan seared in some butter and finished in the over with more butter during the roasting.
My Rating
A solid 4. Close to a 5 with the gravy but I have a hard time giving that rating to meat that was pre-injected.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes On Butter Turkey Tenderloin
The Turkey Tenderloin
The turkey tenderloins are a very tender long strip that is somewhat triangular muscle under the main part of the turkey breast. You have seen a slice of it when you slice a turkey breast, and there is the inside part that tends to separate some.
Because the tenderloin is an underused muscle, it is very tender. Like other tenderloins, chicken, pork, and beef, it can be fork tender and an enjoyable cut of meat.
Cooking Technique – Pan Seared, Oven Roasted
This is always one of my favorite methods of cooking thing. We can take a relatively bland food, usually meat, and though something called the Maillard reaction creates great flavor.
First, we sear the meat, this can easily be done on a stovetop. But most cuts of meat will be too thick to cook fully on the stovetop without your nice sear going from a tasty Maillard reaction to burnt. So into the oven to finish the cooking.
The Butter vs. Oil
Butter can smoke if overheated. I don’t seem to have a problem with that, but some people do. You can use vegetable oil if you have that issue.
Due to the flavors, the butter adds, I prefer butter in this recipe.
When is it done?
This is the easiest question. 165 degrees internal temperature in the thickest part of the meat.
Always cook to a final internal temperature for recipes like this and never by time. I give times just as a general guideline for meal planning.
The Gravy
There will be oil left in the pan after cooking along with some great taste. I suggest a slurry method for making the gravy. See How To Make Gravy at Home for more details.
Preheat oven to 375 convection. Trim, and pat dry about 1-1 1/2 pounds of turkey tenderloin.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in an oven-proof pan over medium-high heat. Add pepper the tenderloin. You can salt lightly if you wish but remember, it has been injected.
Sear the tenderloin. Start with good side up. 3 minutes. Flip. 3 minutes. Get to approximately the final color you want.
Microwave 2 tablespoon butter in a microwave on high for about 20 sec. to melt. Bush with butter and place in oven. After about 10 minutes, baste again with butter.
Bake until the temp of 165. About 20-25 minutes total oven time. Remove from pan and tent with foil on a plate while making gravy.
Add turkey or chicken stock to the pan ( here a couple of cups). Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil.
Thicken with a mixture of flour and cold water. Here about 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup water in a Tupperware shaker or whisk together. Add slowly while whisking continuously. It will thicken in a few minutes.
Cut across the grain to make it fork tender.
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Butter Turkey Tenderloin – Pan Seared Oven Roasted with Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound Turkey tenderloin
- 3 tablespoons butter
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups chicken stock - or turkey stock if you can find it
- 1/4 cup AP flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 convection. Trim, and pat dry about 1-1 1/2 pounds of turkey tenderloin.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in an oven-proof pan over medium-high heat. Add pepper the tenderloin. You can salt lightly if you wish but remember, it has been injected.
- Sear the tenderloin. Start with good side up. 3 minutes. Flip. 3 minutes. Get to approximately the final color you want.
- Microwave 2 tablespoon butter in a microwave on high for about 20 sec. to melt. Bush with butter and place in oven. After about 10 minutes, baste again with butter.
- Bake until the temp of 165. About 20-25 minutes total oven time. Remove from pan and tent with foil on a plate while making gravy.
- Add turkey or chicken stock to the pan ( here a couple of cups). Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil.
- Thicken with a mixture of flour and cold water. Here about 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup water in a Tupperware shaker or whisk together. Add slowly while whisking continuously. It will thicken in a few minutes.
- Cut across the grain to make it fork tender.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- These are usually injected with something. Do not brine.
- Use a larger oven safe pan, so you have room to make the gravy.
- You can use oil in the pan and baste with butter if you have smoke issues.
- Sear to close to the final color you want.
- Final internal temperature is 165 and not less.
- When you make the slurry of water and flour for the gravy, be sure to have all the flour dissolved to prevent lumps.
- Cutting across the grain will make it more tender.
Have a question or something not clear? Ask in the comments.
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Nutrition is for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
If you like this recipe or find it useful, the pleasure of a nice 4 or 5 rating would be greatly appreciated.
Originally Published June 29, 2012.
Terri W.
January 1, 2019 at 10:21 pmI made this tonight and it was a hit!!! The hubby loved it!! I love the buttery taste the tenderloins had and it was so easy to make! Thank you for such a fabulous recipe!!!!
DrDan
January 2, 2019 at 10:53 pmHi Terri,
Welcome to the blog.
I like this recipe since it so a “cooking for two” recipe for turkey, one of my favorite things. I tend to do turkey breasts more to get extra leftovers but still, this is very nice.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Aaron
November 6, 2018 at 8:14 pmFirst time cooking turkey, followed the instructions for the most part, I did add a little rosemary while searing.
It turned out perfect, thank you for such an easy to follow recipe.
What i wasn’t so sure about at first was, do I transfer it from the pan to a deep baking dish, or leave it in the pan. So after looking over the pictures I pulled out my cast iron pan and did it all in that.
Brooke
October 26, 2018 at 11:02 amI made this recipe last night and we loved it! Pan-searing the turkey gave it a beautiful color. The meat seemed a little dry (maybe because I used smaller pieces of turkey, so I should have adjusted the cooking time), but the gravy turned out great and helped with that. I also added some rosemary and a clove of garlic to the pan before roasting, and used garlic herb butter to sear and baste it. It was like a little mini Thanksgiving meal; we’ll definitely make this again!
DrDan
October 28, 2018 at 9:21 amHi Brooke,
Welcome to the blog.
Glad it worked reasonably well for you. There are a couple of points that may help the dryness.
First, these tenderloins will not do well even with minimal overcooking so use a remote thermometer.
Second, while 165 is the minimum safe temperature. Pull it out of the oven at 162-163 and tent. It should raise a few degrees after tenting.
Third, try to use as fresh as possible (check expiration dates when buying) and do not freeze.
Forth, make extra gravy and drown it if needed.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Robert Dantuono
October 19, 2018 at 5:40 pmI like this recipe. I added fresh rosemary and white wine to the pan prior to roasting. I also added some sage with the salt and pepper for browning. The gravy is a must for turkey in my house, so, I served with turkey, roasted potatoes and turnips (roasted in the pan with the turkey breasts) and a side of peas w/butter. Delicious!
Terri
August 22, 2018 at 7:23 pmHow is this to reheat ? Serving a large crowd and want to make in advance. Would you recommend under cooking it and then finishing in the oven to right temp before serving
DrDan
August 22, 2018 at 7:36 pmHi Terri,
Welcome to the blog.
Heating this up will be like heating up leftover turkey. Probably a bit dry. I can’t recommend it. As for partly cooking it, you still have to get to a 165 temperature to be safe and done. Not really a time saver.
You could use 2 large stovetop fry pans and do three in each at the same time then transfer to a large preheated oven pan.
Or go with a full turkey breast. Here is my easy way to do a turkey breast. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/how-to-roast-a-turkey-breast-the-easy-way/
Dan
Patti W
February 19, 2018 at 10:44 pmSimple and Delicious! I made this recipe tonight and used a digital thermometer to keep track of the temp. Done in 18 mins! I didn’t have a bush to apply the butter so I just poured it on before placing in the oven. Thanks so a great recipe!
Ann
January 29, 2017 at 7:03 pmI made this not using salt as as I cook with sodium restriction. I covered loin in ground fresh black pepper and used unsalted butter and low sodium chicken broth for gravy. I make Turkey loin often and was looking for a way to jazz it up. This was delicious and was definitely in the comfort food class. 5 Stars
DrDan
January 30, 2017 at 1:03 pmHi Ann, Thanks for the note. That pesky salt is everywhere and those mean doctors keep yelling about it.
DrDan
robyn
November 15, 2016 at 11:29 amI do not have a convection oven, so what does 375 degrees equate to?
DrDan
November 15, 2016 at 11:53 amHi Robyn,
375 convection is approximately 400 in a regular conventional oven. So that would be fine or stay at 375 and it will take a few more minutes. Remember you are cooking to a final internal temperature and not by time here.
Dan
judy r
December 23, 2014 at 12:06 amJust tried this for early Christmas dinner tomorrow with my son – taste test says it’s delicious.
Thanks so much. Traditional for two is sometimes hard to pull off, but all the right flavors are here.
Urban Tramp
July 11, 2012 at 3:19 pmThis comment has been removed by the author.
Chris
June 30, 2012 at 12:36 pmTenderloins are okay but you have to be careful not to overcook them, they can get tough in a hurry. Yours look like they turned out just right.