Turkey Tenderloin Marinade Recipe

A person marinating turkey in a bowl from the top view.

Turkey Tenderloin Marinade Recipe

This Turkey Tenderloin Marinade Recipe is a sweet and savory combination of ground spices, brown sugar, mustard, and soy sauce, resulting in perfectly juicy, ultra flavorful tenderloin. Serve this dish with your choice of side for the perfect holiday meal or even an everyday weeknight dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 23

Resting Time 4

Total Time 4 33

Servings

Calories 241kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage or oregano
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic minced
2 turkey tenderloins - 4 ounces ~113 gr. each

Instructions

Make the marinade: Whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juices, dijon mustard, brown sugar, onion powder, paprika, thyme, sage, black pepper, and garlic in a measuring cup. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the marinade and set it aside.
Marinate the turkey: Pour the rest of the marinade into a sealable plastic bag or a shallow bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Place the turkey tenderloins in the marinade and make sure that they are fully submerged in the marinade. Cover it with the lid and marinate for 2-4 hours* in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven: Fifteen minutes before you are ready to roast the tenderloins, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer to a baking dish: Remove the tenderloins from the marinade on an ovenproof dish* and discard the remaining marinade.
Bake: Roast in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 155 degrees.*
Rest: Tent it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. As it sits (covered) with foil, it should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serve: Slice and drizzle it with the reserved marinade before serving.

Notes

Baking time: These recipes were tested using two turkey tenderloins that were about 4 ounces each. The baking time might vary slightly depending on the size of your loins. The best way to check doneness is by using a meat thermometer (affiliate link.)
Internal temperature: While the ideal internal temperature for Turkey Tenderloins, according to USDA food safety guidelines, is 165 degrees F., we are removing them from the oven a bit earlier than they reach 165 degrees because we found that if we bake them any longer, they become dry. Instead, by covering them and letting them rest, we help residual heat continue to cook them. As a result, we end up with perfectly moist and melt-in-your-mouth moist turkey tenderloins.
Equipment: When baking marinated tenderloins, I used a metal baking dish as it does a good job of retaining heat. Plus, since we rely on the residual heat to continue to cook the tenderloins, I find that a metal baking dish works the best. Therefore I would not recommend using a glass baking dish (like Pyrex) for this recipe.
Marinating time: If you have the time, you can marinate the meat for up to 8 hours. Though I wouldn’t recommend longer than that. If you are short on time, 25-30 minutes of marinating time should work as well.
Seasoning: For a slightly smokey flavor, use smoked paprika as a part of the seasoning.
Make-ahead: You can make this marinade 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge in an airtight container until you are ready to use it.

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