Air Fryer Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin
Why this recipe works
- Glossy savoury-sweet glaze: Honey, soy sauce, garlic, rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil create a balanced glaze with sweetness, saltiness, acidity and aroma.
- Fast, practical cooking: Pork tenderloin cooks quickly in the air fryer, while a short rest in the glaze adds flavour without requiring a long marinade.
- Sticky sauce finish: Reducing the remaining glaze separately turns it into a concentrated sauce that coats the sliced pork cleanly.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Short marinating window: The 10-minute coating time is enough to season the surface of the pork while the air fryer heats.
- Rest before slicing: Let the pork rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle and the slices stay moist.
- Best served freshly sliced: The pork is at its juiciest shortly after resting, with the warm reduced sauce spooned over just before serving.
Ingredient notes
- Use toasted sesame oil sparingly: Toasted sesame oil is aromatic and intense, so it works best as part of the glaze rather than as the main cooking fat.
- Balance the sweetness: Rice vinegar keeps the honey glaze from tasting flat; white wine vinegar gives a sharper finish if used instead.
- Grate the garlic finely: Finely grated garlic disperses through the glaze more evenly and is less likely to catch during cooking.
Texture tips
- Avoid drying the pork: Turn the tenderloin halfway through cooking and remove it once cooked through but still juicy.
- Let excess glaze drip off: Lifting the pork from the glaze before air-frying helps it brown rather than steam in the basket.
- Keep it in one layer: If the tenderloin needs to be curled to fit, keep it in a single layer so the hot air can circulate.
Make-ahead tips
- Mix the glaze ahead: The honey, soy, vinegar, sesame oil and garlic mixture can be whisked together in advance and refrigerated until needed.
- Reheat gently: Warm sliced pork with a little sauce over low heat until piping hot to help keep it moist.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze the cooked pork and sauce together, then defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating gently.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil and finely grated garlic. Add the pork tenderloin and turn to coat, then set aside for 10 minutes while you heat the air fryer.
- Heat the air fryer to 200°C (390°F) for 3 minutes. Lift the pork from the glaze, letting excess drip back into the bowl, and place it in the basket. Air fry for 18 to 22 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked through and still juicy.
- Pour the remaining glaze into a small saucepan and simmer for 2 to 4 minutes, stirring, until thick and sticky. Rest the pork for 5 minutes, then slice. Spoon over the reduced sauce and finish with sesame seeds and finely sliced spring onion.
Recipe notes
Tips
- If your air fryer basket is small, curl the tenderloin slightly to fit, but keep it in a single layer so it browns evenly.
- Resting matters here: slice too soon and the juices will run out, leaving the pork drier.
- For anyone who is pregnant, elderly, immunocompromised, or very young, ensure the pork is cooked all the way through and piping hot.
Substitutions
- Replace Honey with Maple syrup for a deeper, caramel-like sweetness.
- Replace Rice vinegar with White wine vinegar for a slightly sharper tang.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat sliced pork with a little of the sauce in a saucepan over low heat until piping hot; freeze (pork and sauce together) for up to 2 months and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating gently.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 3 servings
- Total time: 40min (15min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: Fusion
-
Allergens:
Sesame Soybeans
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