Stovetop Cider–Mustard Pork Tenderloin with Smashed Russets & Garlicky Green Beans

Bright, cozy, and a little fancy without any fuss: juicy pork tenderloin with a fast pan sauce built on hard cider + mustard, plus buttery smashed potatoes and tender-crisp green beans. It tastes like a Pacific Northwest bistro plate—on a weeknight clock.

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Ingredients

Kroger® Fresh Natural Pork Tenderloin 1 lb $3.99/lb (sale)
Organic Russet Potatoes 1 lb, scrubbed $2.29/lb
Kroger® Trimmed Green Beans 12 oz (about 3 cups) $6.00/32 oz
Garlic 2 cloves, minced (or 1 clove if large) $1.50 each
Shallots 1 small shallot, thinly sliced (optional but great) $4.49/lb
Fresh lemons (bag) or 1 lemon 1/2 lemon for juice (about 1 Tbsp) $4.99/2 lb bag (or use 1 lemon)
Fresh green onions 2, thinly sliced (optional garnish) $1.50 each

Instructions

Prep: Pat dry 1 lb pork tenderloin and trim any silverskin. Season all over with 1 tsp kosher salt (or 3/4 tsp fine salt) and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mince 2 garlic cloves. If using, thinly slice 1 small shallot. Scrub 1 lb russet potatoes and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks. Trim 12 oz green beans.
Cook potatoes: Put 1 lb potato chunks in a pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch, add 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until very tender, 12–15 minutes. Drain well and return to the hot pot to steam-dry 1 minute.
Sauté green beans: While potatoes cook, heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add 12 oz green beans and 2 Tbsp water, cover, and steam-sauté 4 minutes. Uncover, add 1 minced garlic clove (from the 2 cloves), season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until crisp-tender and lightly blistered, 3–5 minutes more. Transfer beans to a plate.
Sear pork: Wipe out the skillet if needed. Heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high. Sear the 1 lb pork tenderloin, turning every 2–3 minutes, until well browned and the thickest part reaches 145°F, about 12–16 minutes total. Transfer pork to a plate and rest 5 minutes.
Make cider–mustard pan sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced shallot (if using) and cook 1–2 minutes. Add remaining minced garlic clove and cook 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup hard cider (or apple juice + splash of vinegar if you have it) and scrape up browned bits; simmer 2 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard (pantry) and 1/2 lemon juice (about 1 Tbsp). Simmer 1 minute to thicken. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
Smash potatoes: To the drained hot potatoes (1 lb), add 1 1/2 Tbsp butter or olive oil (pantry) and 2–4 Tbsp warm water or broth (optional). Smash with a masher until rustic-creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve: Slice the rested pork tenderloin. Spoon cider–mustard sauce over pork. Plate with smashed potatoes and green beans. Garnish with sliced green onions (optional).
Checklist: Stove method; protein + veg + starch; WA early-March friendly (potatoes, green beans; apples/cider vibe). Not similar to recent shrimp/sausage pasta, fajitas, curry, soups, or lemon-garlic seafood pastas.

Cook time: 45 minutes

Estimated cost: $12–16

Health notes: Estimated per serving (1/2 recipe): ~720–850 kcal depending on butter/oil; ~45–55g protein. Use olive oil instead of butter to lower saturated fat; keep skins on potatoes for more fiber; green beans add folate and vitamin C. Go easy on added salt—the mustard carries a lot of seasoning.

Drink pairing: Hard cider loves pork; in wine, you want high acid and a little orchard-fruit character to echo the apples and cut the mustard. Go for a crisp, mineral white or a light, chilled red with red-fruit and savory lift.

Careme