Until recently, pork tenderloin was not a cut of meat with which I was familiar. Most likely it's a cut of meat we never had while I was growing up, nor do I recall it in my father's meat case (he was a grocer and butcher). If I ever noticed it while my kids were growing up, I probably considered it too expensive for a family of four hearty appetites.
But now pork tenderloin seems very attractive. Its expense is offset by several things: ease of cooking and versatility; virtually no waste; low in fat; suitability for the feeding of two people, with leftovers if the tenderloin runs to the larger weight (generally one to maybe one and a half pounds).
I've just begun cooking tenderloins, which can be roasted whole, butterflied and stuffed, cut into chunks for stews or strips for stir-fries, or sliced into medallions and sauteed. Following are two recipes that turned out beautifully and are definite keepers.
Herb-stuffed tenderloin
This recipe is adapted from one in The South Beach Diet Cookbook. The original called for a center loin pork roast, but I used a pork tenderloin instead. Since I first tried the recipe in February, the only fresh herbs on hand were parsley and rosemary (I keep it indoors in a pot over the winter), so I substituted dried herbs for the others.
Filling:
2 T. chopped parsley
1 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 T. chopped fresh rosemary, or
1 tsp. crushed, dried rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Tenderloin:
1 pork tenderloin
3/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butterfly the tenderloin: using a sharp knife, first remove the silvery membrane from the tenderloin. Lay it on the cutting board and slit it lengthwise partway through so that it lies open in a single piece.
Spread the filling evenly across the tenderloin, leaving a half-inch border along the edge. Roll the tenderloin up to wrap the filling. With kitchen twine, tie the loin closed in several places so it holds its shape.
Rub the loin with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a small roasting pan and place the pan on the center rack in the oven. Roast for 45 minutes and check the internal temperature. If it is not 160 degrees, continue to roast until that internal temperature is reached, perhaps an hour total.
Let stand for five or ten minutes before carving. To retain the shape, use wooden toothpicks to secure the edge before slicing between the ties. Don't forget to remove the twine before serving!
Pork tenderloin with mustard cream sauce
This recipe comes from Penzey's One magazine. The tenderloin is sliced into cutlets or medallions and sauteed. White wine was called for in the sauce, but I didn't have any, and red was very tasty. The sauce really makes the dish.
1 pork tenderloin
5 tsp. butter, divided
2 T. minced shallots
6 T. whole milk or cream
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. capers (opt.)
1/4 cup dry white or red wine
Cut the pork into pieces an inch and a half thick and flatten them slightly (I did it with the side of a broad chef's knife, laying the blade on the meat and pounding with my fist). Melt 2 tsp. of the butter in a nonstick skillet. Saute the pork over medium high heat until nicely browned and cooked through, about 5 or 6 minutes on a side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, remove from the skillet, and keep warm.
In the same pan, melt the rest of the butter. Add the shallots and quickly saute. Add the milk or cream, mustard, capers if using, and wine. Stir, scraping up the lovely brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer for about 3 minutes or so, until the sauce is somewhat reduced. Spoon over pork medallions and serve.