Pork Tenderloin is one of the most versatile cuts of pork and lends itself to hundreds to great recipes & cooking techniques.
The tenderloin itself is cylindrical “snake shaped” cut of meat, that runs down the back of the pig. It does very little work, which is why it is so tender – it is the pig equivalent of beef tenderloin. And like filet mignon steaks that are cut from the beef tenderloin, pork medallions are cut from pork tenderloin.
How do you cook pork tenderloin?
The three most common ways to cook a pork tenderloins are:
- Whole Roasted: The tenderloin is essentially un-touched; but likely rubbed with spices/seasoning and/or marinated, and then roasted whole.
- Cut into Medallions: The tenderloin is cut into 1 – 2 inch thick “steaks” which are then quickly seared off. This is a great preparation for “fine dining” or an elegant dinner at home. It’s also perfect for making a pan sauce to go with the pork.
- Stuffed Pork Tenderloin: Because pork is a fairly mild flavor, paring it with other ingredients is a great option, and stuffing the tenderloin is a great way to do that. Stuffing is usually done by butterflying the pork tenderloin, stuffing & re-wrapping.
How long do you cook pork tenderloin?
Like pork chops, pork tenderloin is a fairly lean cut of meat. And the lack of fat, means it can dry out quickly if over cooked. So the most important thing - is to not over cook it! Unfortunately, there is no universal time that going to get you to perfectly cooked through piece of meat. The exact time is going to depend on the size of the pork tenderloin, the exact temperature of the oven, as well as how you are preparing the pork (stuffed, butterflied, whole, etc).
For a standard whole roasted pork tenderloin, searing first on the oven, and then moving into a 400 degree oven, the cooking time should be between 10 - 20 minutes in the oven. But since that's just a general guide, you should make sure you do the following:
- While you can brine pork tenderloin, brining tends to make pork more tender; and since the tenderloin is already very tender, I don’t think it’s worth doing.
- Let the pork tenderloin come up to room temperature before cooking, and season it before starting to cook.
- Start out with high heat, on the stovetop to quickly sear the outside of the tenderloin and develop a flavorful crust.
- Once seared, you can move the whole (ovenproog) pan into the oven to ensure the tenderloin gets cooked through, without burning the outside – I generally like a 400 degree oven.
- The best way to make sure your pork tenderloin is well cooked is to use an instant ready meat thermometer. Unlike days of old when pork had to be cooked to near incineration (to kill any nasty critters) these days you want to cook your pork tenderloin to about 140 -145 internal temperature. That will keep the tenderloin from drying out and getting tough on you.
- With some practice, you’ll be able to do that just by look & feel; but until then, use the thermometer