Reasonably priced, lean, calorie-wise and versatile, that’s a pretty impressive resumé for a piece of meat.
Pork tenderloin is all of that and more. The sliced meat absorbs whatever marinade or sauce you choose and makes for an impressive presentation when arranged over potatoes, rice or noodles.
One cardinal rule when preparing tenderloin: Don’t overcook it. The meat should still be a delicate pink in the centre.Contrary to some belief, pork is completely safe to eat when it is pink.
Overcooked tenderloin is as dry as the Sahara and totally tasteless.
It may be necessary to trim off the “silverskin” on your tenderloin. This is the thin layer of connective tissue surrounding the meat.
Use a very sharp, thin-bladed knife to do this, pulling the silverskin up with your fingers and sliding the knife underneath.
Pork Medallions in Mushroom Marsala Sauce
2 lbs pork tenderloin (usually about two tenderloins)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp butter
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
¾ lb of brown cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
½ cup dry Marsala
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp whipping cream
¼ cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
Cut the tenderloins into 1½-inch thick medallions, then flip each medallion onto a cut side and press down with the palm of your hand to flatten slightly. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and one tablespoon of the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat.
When the butter is melted and foaming, add half of the meat and sear until nicely browned, two to three minutes. Flip the medallions over and cook the other sides until well browned and slightly firm to the touch, about another two minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining pork.
Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter in the pan. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and sauté for about 30 seconds, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the mushrooms and sauté until all of the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden, about three minutes. Season the mushrooms with a bit of salt and pepper, sprinkle with the flour, then add the Marsala to the pan. Once the Marsala has almost completely evaporated, add the chicken broth and cook until sauce is reduced by half, about three minutes.
Stir in the cream and the parsley; return the pork and any accumulated juices to the pan and cook, turning the medallions over once, until meat is firm to the touch and still a little pink in the middle (cut into a piece to check), about three or four minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning if desired. Makes four to six servings.
Maple-Balsamic Glazed Pork Medallions
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 lbs pork tenderloin
1 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to two-thirds of a cup, about three minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in mustard.
Cut the tenderloin into half-inch thick slices; place each piece between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to quarter-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork evenly with salt and pepper; cook half the medallions at a time, sautéing them on each side until golden brown.
When all medallions are cooked and resting on a plate, add the vinegar mixture to the pan. Add all the pork back to the pan and heat until pork is cooked through but still slightly pink, turning the medallions to coat with the sauce. Drizzle some of the sauce over each serving. Makes four to six servings.
Pepper-Glazed Pork Medallions
1½ lbs pork tenderloin, cut into one-inch thick slices
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1½ Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1⁄3 cup red pepper jelly
¼ cup orange juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Combine the cumin, garlic powder and black pepper in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the mixture generously on both sides of the pork medallions and gently rub into the meat.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add pork and cook until nicely browned on both sides, about two to three minutes per side.
In another small bowl, stir together the Worcestershire sauce, pepper jelly, orange juice and mustard. Add this sauce to the pan and cook, turning the medallions often, until pork is well glazed.
To serve, spoon some sauce onto each serving plate, top with medallions and spoon remaining sauce over pork. Makes four servings.
Angela Shellard is aself-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. She can be reached via email at [email protected].
