This easy baked turkey tenderloin is made super flavorful with a turkey brine and then our amazing turkey seasoning. Enjoy!
Super Juicy Turkey Tenderloin Recipe
Turkey tenderloin is such a fantastic cut of turkey to serve at a smaller Thanksgiving gathering. This recipe for turkey tenderloin cooks up quite nicely in the oven, holds flavor very well, and comes out super juicy!
In this post, you’ll learn all about turkey tenderloin, how to flavor it, what makes this the best turkey tenderloin recipe, and how to cook it to perfection. ENJOY!
This turkey tenderloin is a great alternative to making a whole bird! If you’re having a small Thanksgiving or just looking for a delicious cold-weather meal, this baked turkey tenderloin is for you.
Turkey tenderloin is the boneless, skinless part of the turkey breast. This is a very tender cut of meat (if cooked correctly!) because turkeys are typically not exercised frequently.
When purchasing turkey tenderloin, sometimes the tenderloin is sold with two tenderloins, so be cautious of that when looking for a certain weight.
A turkey tenderloin is a portion of the turkey breast that is boneless and skinless, and a turkey breast is typically bought bone in and skin on.
Recommended Kitchen Tools
Before getting started with this turkey tenderloin recipe, here are our kitchen tool recommendations to make your cooking seamless!
Crate&Barrel Baking Dish
OXO Thermometer
Le Creuset Measuring Spoons
Crate and Barrel Measuring Cups
How to Flavor Baked Turkey Tenderloin
Like other cuts of poultry, turkey tenderloin does a really great job taking on the flavor of whatever you season or marinate it with. Honestly, this cut of turkey is similar to chicken breast which is takes on flavor in a similar way.
For this turkey tenderloin recipe, we used a simple turkey brine that infuses your turkey with so much flavor.
try it!
Turkey Seasoning
Ditch the store-bought turkey seasoning and use the most Flavorful Turkey Seasoning made with 9 ingredients you can actually pronounce. This seasoning is made up of garlic powder, brown sugar, kosher salt, and other simple seasonings.
get recipeTurkey Tenderloin Brine Ingredients
For this simple turkey tenderloin brine, we used the following spices and herbs that infuse the turkey with amazing flavor:
- Kosher salt
- Black peppercorns
- Whole cloves
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh thyme
How to Cook Turkey Tenderloin in the Oven
Here are in-depth, step-by-step directions for how to cook turkey tenderloin in the oven. For the full, written recipe and ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card.
Remove the two turkey tenderloins from the packaging and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Now it’s time to make the brine. Add water and kosher salt to a small saucepan, whisk and heat over medium heat until the salt dissolves. Do not bring it to a boil. Remove from heat.
Next, add the black peppercorns, whole cloves, rosemary, and thyme to the saucepan and mix. Set aside and let it sit for 10 minutes or until completely cooled.
Place the turkey tenderloins in a deep bowl or 9×13 casserole dish.
When the brine is cool, pour the brine over the turkey tenderloins. Be sure that the brine is covering the tenderloins.
Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and place the turkey in the fridge. Let the turkey tenderloin sit for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
When ready to bake the turkey tenderloin, preheat the oven to 400ºF and lay a piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet.
Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and discard the brine.
Rinse the turkey under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel and place the turkey tenderloin on the parchment paper.
Sprinkle the turkey tenderloins with the dry rub. Massage the dry rub into the turkey tenderloin, being sure that the whole tenderloin is covered in dry rub.
Drizzle the top of the turkey tenderloins with olive oil and place the baking sheet in the oven.
Bake the turkey tenderloins for 20 minutes, flip the tenderloins, and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
Remove from the oven and let the turkey rest for 5 minutes.
Slice the turkey tenderloin and serve with your favorite sides.
Try it!
Thermoworks Thermapen
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Turkey Tenderloin FAQ
What temp should I cook Turkey tenderloin?The best oven temperature to cook your baked turkey tenderloin recipe at is 400ºF. The goal is to get the internal temperature of your pork to reach at least 165ºF (re: Food Safety).
How long do you cook turkey tenderloin at 350?Turkey tenderloin takes around 50-55 minutes at 350ºF to reach a safe-to-eat, internal temperature of 165ºF.
How long does turkey tenderloin take to bake at 400?Turkey tenderloin takes around 35-40 minutes at 400ºF to reach a safe-to-eat, internal temperature of 165ºF.
Should you cover turkey tenderloin in the oven?Some recipes call for you to cover your turkey tenderloin while baking, however, our recipe does not instruct you to do so.
If your turkey tenderloin begins to brown too much on the top, you can cover it with tin foil until it reaches a 165ºF internal temperature.
Turkey tenderloin is a very lean cut of meat, meaning that it can dry out quickly.
So, if you cook it too long, you risk overcooking your meat, which will leave it with a dry, stringy texture. And no one wants that!
You just let your turkey tenderloin rest to let the juices rest and absorb back into the meat.
Let your baked turkey tenderloin cool completely. Then, transfer it into a large, glass container, and seal.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Microwave: Place a serving of turkey tenderloin on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 60-90 seconds.
Oven: Preheat oven to 350ºF. Then, spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Add cooked turkey tenderloin. Bake, covered, for around 20 minutes or until the center is warm.
To freeze leftover turkey tenderloin, let it cool completely. Then, transfer it into a gallon-size freezer-safe plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.
More of our Favorite…
Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
- Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey
- Ultimate Smoked Turkey
- Baked Turkey Tenderloin
- Spatchcock Turkey
- Smoked Turkey Breast
- Sous Vide Turkey
- Smoked Turkey Legs
- Ranch Roasted Turkey Breast
- 2 lbs. turkey tenderloin it should come in a pack of 2
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons turkey seasoning
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- Remove the two turkey tenderloins from the packaging and pat them dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
- First, make the brine. Add water and kosher salt to a small saucepan, whisk, and heat over medium heat until the salt dissolves. Do not bring it to a boil. Remove from heat.
- Next, add the black peppercorns, whole cloves, rosemary, and thyme to the sauce pan and mix. Set aside and let it sit for 10 minutes or until cooled.
- Place the turkey tenderloins in a deep bowl or 9×13 casserole dish. When the brine is cool, pour the brine over the turkey tenderloins. Be sure that the brine is covering the tenderloin.
- Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap and place the turkey in the fridge. Let the turkey tenderloin sit for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
- When ready to bake the turkey tenderloin, preheat the oven to 400ºF and lay a piece of parchment paper on the baking sheet.
- Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and discard the brine. Rinse the turkey under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel and place the turkey tenderloin on the parchment paper.
- Sprinkle the turkey tenderloins with the dry rub. Massage the dry rub into the turkey tenderloin, being sure that the whole tenderloin is covered in dry rub.
- Drizzle the top of the turkey tenderloin with olive oil and place the baking sheet in the oven.
- Bake the turkey tenderloin for 20 minutes, flip the tenderloin, and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.
- Remove from the oven and let the turkey rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the turkey tenderloin and serve.
- For this recipe, you need to make our homemade turkey seasoning.
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Erin from The Wooden Skillet.
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