This might be a new favorite. It was just SO easy and delicious.
You can make this recipe with a pork tenderloin if desired but the pork loin filet that I bought was almost $2 less per pound than the tenderloins. Tenderloins are leaner and smaller which means you’ll get more surface area in contact with the marinade and more flavor. But, the pork loin was excellent all the same. Cooking it on a grill (if you have one available) will add extra smokey yuminess. I don’t have one at the moment, so non-grill directions are listed below!
FYI- chili powder isn’t all that spicy so don’t be too afraid. If you look at the ingredients, it’s actually a mix of spices so it’s not nearly as hot as, say, cayenne pepper.
Oh, also, you can let this marinate over night or while you’re at work for extra flavor. The marinade comes together in just a few minutes so you can easily throw it together and then pick the recipe back up later.
Chili Lime Pork Loin
Chili Lime Pork Loin
Servings 6Ingredients
- 2 lb. pork loin filet ($8.18)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.15)
- 1 medium lime ($0.25)
- 4 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided ($0.16)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic ($0.12)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.06)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil with the soy sauce, chili powder, lime juice, and garlic. To get the most juice out of your lime, microwave it for about 20 seconds before cutting it open.
- Place the pork loin in a large zip top bag and pour in the marinade. Squish the mixture around to make sure the loin is completely coated and then refrigerate for one hour or more.
- When ready to cook, take the pork loin out of the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large skillet with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the skillet is very hot and the oil looks wavy on the surface, add the pork loin (do not discard the marinade yet!). Sear both sides of the pork loin until brown and crispy (about 3-5 minutes each side).
- After searing both sides of the pork loin, place it on a baking sheet or roasting pan. Baste the loin with the remaining marinade and place it in the oven. Roast for approximately 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
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Step By Step Photos
This is the pork loin that I bought. There is a difference between a pork loin and a tenderloin. Two different cuts of meat. The loin is larger and less expensive. That is whatt I used. You can use either with this recipe!
Whisk together 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil with the soy sauce, chili powder, garlic, and lime juice. You can get more juice out of your lime by microwaving it for about 20-30 seconds before cutting it open.
Place the pork and the marinade in a large zip top bag and refrigerate for at least an hour.
When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and heat a large skillet with the remaining 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
When the skillet is very hot and the oil looks wavy, add the pork loin. It will splatter, so be very careful. Sear on both sides until brown and crispy. Don’t throw away the used bag of marinade yet.
It will take about 3-5 minutes on each side over very high heat to sear the pork. This step is very important because it adds flavor and visual appeal. Don’t skip it.
Place the seared pork loin on a baking sheet or roasting pan (or a make-shift roasting pan made out of cooling racks and a baking sheet). Baste the loin with the leftover marinade from the bag. Get as much on there as possible.
Place the pork in the preheated 400 degree oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. After 20 minutes mine was at 150 so I popped it back in for another ten minutes and that did the trick. A thermometer like mine only costs about $5-$10 and is extremely helpful.
And then it’s done! Let it sit for about 5 minutes before slicing so that the juices can redistribute within the meat. Slice it up and serve warm!
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Made this tonight, it was soooo yummy! Definitely going in the recipe book!!
This has been a part of our regular rotation for about a year now. My toddlers devour it. The pork I usually get is not quite 1.5 pounds but I make the same amount of marinade for a little extra flavor! We love it!!
YUM! Used the extra marinade to cook some frozen broccoli in a pan… so good!
I rarely rate any recipe a 5…..ever. This was SO tasty! The tartness from the lime and the depth from the rest of the very simple seasonings were outstanding. This is the best pork roast I have ever had.
The marinade was good, but I had issues with the execution. I bought a HUGE 6 lb pork loin and thought I could just hack off 2 lb from the end for this recipe… It ended up taking twice the amount of time to cook because it was more round than long, like Beth’s photos. This was my first time cooking pork loin, but it still turned out well.
In the past I’ve cooked up pork tenderloin with herbs and usually viewed it as a nice wintry meal. This recipe is now on regular summer rotation. I saw some questions on grilling but no post on having done so, so, here’s the result….excellent!
I had two tenderloins about 20 oz each and made about 50% more marinade than the recipe called for. On a 3 burner grill, using high/direct heat, sear about 3 minutes and then turn over for another 2 minutes (the only time I turned the meat over). Then using medium/indirect heat the meat cooked for another 23 minutes – basting twice more in this time. Checked with a meat thermometer and it was perfect. It had a really nice sear and a thick coating of marinade which made the flavor exceptional. Served with a side of Ranch Style Beans with jalapeno slices, a cold beer and questions about how soon before I can make it again. Thanks for the recipe!
This was delicious! I made it with a pork tenderloin, because that is what I had. I marinated it for four hours in the fridge. Other than that, I followed the recipe to a “T”.
Oh yum!
Can I use olive oil for the vegetable oil?
Yes you sure can!
Wondering if this would be good made in a slow cooker. Should I add a liquid (water or chicken broth)
You probably should use broth, but you’ll end up with a different texture. It will probably be more like pulled pork.
I have made this 3x, and it’s been amazing! This last time, I halved the chili powder, doubled the lime and garlic – I’m a sucker for lime and garlic! – and I was blown away! All around delicious, juicy, and flavorful!
Today’s pork only needs to be cooked to 145 you will have a much juicer cut of meat. Also try to buy Berkshire pork it is a premium pork product.
This was amazing! Followed exactly as written (halved the recipe). And used a pork loin, not a tenderloin. Served with a side of Spanish rice and squeezed some fresh lime juice over the top of everything. My boyfriend loved it too!
You mentioned in this that you didn’t include the grill directions. If you *were* to grill it, what what you do? I’m planning on making this a day this or next week and we have a grill. So I figured I’d ask :-)
I guess the reason I didn’t include them is because I’m not very experienced with grills (I don’t have one). Hahah. But, I’d probably do it over direct heat first to get a nice color and caramelization on the outside (similar to searing in a pan), then move it to indirect heat to make sure the rest cooks through. You’ll want to use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temp gets up to 165F.
Hi Beth,
Love your site!
Would tripling the ingredients for a 6lb pork loin work? I will use a thermometer as usual to determine if cooking is complete.
Honestly, I’ve never cooked a pork loin that large! :) It would obviously need to cook longer, but other than that I’m not sure what changes you might expect.
This certainly sounds like a tasty meal.
Do you intend to have a
Recipe Book in your stores in the near future?
Joyce
I have a book that was released in Februrary 2014 and you can read more about it here. :)
Can I substitute lemon onplace of lime? Spunds really good.
Thank you so much! You’re a college student’s best friend! Great recipe!
My wife can’t eat soy. Is there a good substitute for soy sauce in this recipe or other recipes that call for it?
I’ve never cooked with soy sauce substitutes, so I can’t verify, but it sounds like coconut aminos are a common sub (you can probably find that at health food stores). Here is a reader Q&A where readers share their soy free subs for soy sauce. I hope that helps!
Thank you! I mean soy sauce is what adds the saltiness, right? Is there any other specific flavor that it’s adding? By the way, my wife and I LOVE your site. It has opened up a whole new world of cooking for us. Your Indian rice pilaf is in our rice cooker probably twice a week. My 18 month old asks us for it.
Yep, you’re right, it does provide salt, but also a bit of flavor. From what I’ve gathered, aminos offer both salt and a similar flavor. The chili, lime, and garlic are predominant here, so I think you could get away with a sub for the soy. :)
Braggs aminos is a very good substitute for soy sauce.
This is easy and quite yummy. Thanks!
I have a 7# pork loin that I would love to prepare using this recipe. What would I do for this to work with that cut and size?
I would suggest cutting it, if only so you could fit it in a skillet for the browning step.
Thank you Beth. What about the marinade, would I need to increase it and by how much?
Hmm, well, I used a 2lb. loin, so you would want to at least triple the marinade, if not quadruple it.
Thank you so much Beth. I’m going to prepare tonight and cook for dinner tomorrow.
I made this last night for the first time and OMG it was delicious. My husband and I just loved it. I marinated the pork overnight and it was just perfect. This will definitely go in my “use regularly” food journal.
This is amazing! I used a pork tenderloin and followed everything to the letter. Absolutely delicious, and both our sons ate it, too.
I have the ingredients to make this recipe this week, except I have chicken breasts instead of pork. Do you think this would work, and do you think that I need to adjust the cooking temp or time?
Thanks!!
Yes, it will work with chicken and the cooking time will definitely be less (because the breasts are smaller pieces than the whole pork loin). I’m not sure how long it will need to bake, though, because that will depend greatly on the size of the breasts.
Thanks! I’ll give it a go :)
Just to update, we made it last night and LOVED it. So easy too! We made it with sides of steamed broccoli and some guacamole. We ate so much there were no leftovers :|
Hahah, that’s a good thing, though, right? :)
This recipe was DELICIOUS and definitely a keeper! Great flavors. So easy to make. THANK YOU!
This recipe was SO delicious and easy! My whole family loved it. One of my boys said he didn’t like pork tenderloin and wanted leftover pizza instead. After tasting it, he changed his mind! I served a mixed green salad along with mini new potatoes with butter, garlic, and chives.
I made this tonight and it was a hit with myself and my boyfriend. In fact, he asked that this be put into regular rotation.
I paired mine with some glazed carrots, Pioneer Woman’s crash hot potatoes, and beer bread. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Tried this tonight and all I can say is WOW. I halved the tenderloin portion (don’t eat a lot of meat and it’s only me) but kept the marinade the same. It turned out fantastic after about 20 min. I paired it with some couscous with chopped tomatoes and spinach. Going on my favorite list for sure!
Wow. This is the second time I’ve made this, and the first time I’ve ever made the southwest cornbread salad. You are absolutely correct—they go perfectly together. Definitely a hit!
Thanks for having such an awesome blog!
This was amazing. I added agave nectar and fresh ginger to the marinade, and served it with your southwest cornbread salad (with agave subbed for honey). Did I say amazing? AMAZING.
I bought a loin roast and trimmed the fat off. Turned out very nice, had it with your spicy greens http://i.imgur.com/KymvctQ.jpg
Anon – The difference between the roast and filet is primarily size/shape and the fact that there is that layer of fat you mentioned. I would trim the fat off first. If you were to roast the meat (which is a long, slow cooking method), the fat would render off, but with this method it wouldn’t have time :)
I noticed your cut of meat was a pork loin “filet.” The one I purchased says pork loin “roast.” Is that the same thing? Also, my cut of meat has an entire layer of fat on one side. I couldn’t tell from the pictures if yours was the same. Do I need to trim the fat off before cooking? And finally, if I have a 4 lb. roast, what would you recommend for cooking time? Do I keep it at the same 400 degree temperature? Thanks!
I made this tonight and loved it. Thanks for such a great recipe.
I just made this and it was great! Spicy but not too much. I marinated it overnight and it was VERY flavorful. Seared and baked in the oven at 350 for 35 minutes. YUM!
I made this for dinner today, along with your no-knead focaccia,and it is soo good! Love your website!
I made this tonight, and I must say it was delicious, however I think next time I will double the sauce. It wasn’t quite as limey/spicey as I was hoping. Definitely going to run with this !!
I made this and it was yummy! Just one suggestion: I before juicing the lime, I always zest it first. It’s already included in the price and it would be a waste not to use it. Not to mention it’s delicious!
Hello, curious… no salt at all? Or did I miss it on the post?
We just made this last night with a 6# pork loin……it was delicious!! Thanks for the great recipe! =)
~ Mara @ Super Savings
p.s. I think your site is great….I love how you have the prices broken down! I’ll share it on my Super Savings Facebook page if that’s ok with you!
This was delish!! We had way too much, so I made some more of the marinade up and stored the cooked tenderloin in with some marinade and it reheated so moist and juicy for dinner the next night. Great recipe!
You havnt let me down with a recipe yet! i NEVER make pork. but i tryied this and it was a absolute hit.
I made this last night. I bought a 2 pack of pork tenderloin for a total weight of 2.5 lbs. I doubled the recipe for the marinade because I usually think there’s never enough. This was soo tasty and tender. If I didn’t have my meat thermometer to tell me it was cooked I would have thought it was raw. You could cut it with a fork and my 2 & 4 year old loved it. I’m excited to make it again and to try the marinade on other meats.
I made this last weekend & it was wonderful! The pork tenderloin we bought had 2 small ones in the package. Worked perfectly for 2 nights worth of dinner. Will make again.
I made this & served it with Cuban black beans & lime-scented rice – delish! Only thing I would add is, make sure you line your roasting pan with foil – not mentioned in the directions, but it is pictured. Unfortunately, I didn’t pay attention to the pix, and spent a couple of days trying to get the burned-on marinade off of my roasting pan (finally resorted to a flat-tip screw driver). I did add a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar to the marinade, and I used chipotle chili powder for the smokiness, it was just perfect.
This looked so good, I went and bought the ingredients to make it tomorrow. The tenderloins at my market were $3.99/lb., and the fillets were $5.99/lb., so I’ll be using tenderloins. Thanks for all your great recipes, and especially the cost breakdown. You’re a peach!
I used this marinade with boneless chops on the grill – it was delicious! Thanks for another easy and versatile recipe!
Made this tonight- very good but took about twice as long to bake. Must have been thicker than yours. I made a Cuban chimichurri to accompany it (parsley, cilantro, garlic, wine vinegar, lime juice and soy sauce all pureed together) that was the perfect accompaniment.
Leftovers? What leftovers? ;) Just kidding. I have simply been warming mine up in the microwave and enjoying with some flavored rice. You could also slice it up and serve it on top of a salad, or chop it and stuff it into a burrito! It’s very versatile!
Ideas for leftovers?
I made this, and it was good, but the marinade is missing a sweet component. We compensated by eating it with bbq sauce and ketchup. Putting a little honey into the marinade, or even bbq sauce or ketchup would help cut through the sourness/bitterness of the chili and the lime. Otherwise, a great idea and super easy to make. Thank you.
This looks delicious! Haven’t had pork fillet in a while, but definitely will after seeing this. I’ve usually made mine with a teriyaki marinade or a sweet chili and lime one, but I need to try this one too! I’ve recently also tried your Jambalaya recipe, which was a big success! :)
Looks so delicious! This could feed my family for sure.
Sounds absolutely delicious! Saving the recipe right now.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I roasted the pork with brussel sprouts, mushrooms, and onions–it turned out really well.
Thank you for the marinade and recipe!
Anon – cayenne pepper and chili powder are quite different. Chili powder is actually a blend of spices and has a unique, almost smokey flavor. If you don’t have chili powder, I would at least try to blend the cayenne with some cumin to mellow it out. Cayenne is quite hot. I would use 1/2 tsp of cayenne and maybe 1/2 Tbsp of cumin… then add a pinch of black pepper and oregano. Experiment! :)
Can you use Cayenne pepper instead? How much?
That looks amazing! I love using lime in marinades. I can’t wait to try this.
This would be great with a chimichurri as a condiment.
I see what you mean about this perhaps being good on the grill. I’m afraid I don’t have a good enough pan to sear it on the stove anyway. I might give it a try on the grill and let you know — the marinade does look awesome!!!
I’m jealous that you can find limes for .25!! I’ve been paying almost $1 per lime where I live.
I suspect if you could throw in a Tbsp or two of Cuervo Gold for some extra yumminess…I love tequila lime sauces. This is going on my menu for this weekend!
Carli – You probably could make this in a crock pot although the texture and flavor will be quite different. You won’t have the browning and crisping that you get with the skillet, but you’ll get a soft texture more like pulled pork. I’m sure it will still taste fabulous, just different. If you decide to put it in the slow cooker, skip marinating it and just put the pork and all of the marinade right in the cooker and press go!
This looks and sounds wonderful. Do you think I could make it in the crock pot?
This looks amazing.. and your new pic is hot! I like your brunette coloring!
In the interest of juicer pork, the “safe” temperature has been changed to 145°F.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/Pork_From_Farm_to_Table/index.asp#23
Your new haircut is super cute. :D The recipe looks great too–I may try it with a fattier cut, though.
WoW This looks YUM!!! =D I definitely will try this!! THanks Beth for the recipe!! …and I love your new look!!!!soo pretty!!! XD