Pork a versatile choice for a fall menu

By Wendy King

Family menus are shifting as summer turns to fall, and it’s nice to have a readily available mainstay that home cooks can count on. Pork tenderloin is an economical, easy-to-cook cut of meat and as the weather cools, it goes smoothly from the grill fire to the frying pan to the slow cooker or the roasting oven.

Susan Riese, director of public relations and communications at Manitoba Pork (manitobapork.com) shared some helpful information for home cooks starting with: what is a pork tenderloin?

“Pork tenderloin is a long, thin, and very lean cut of meat. Its shape is cylinder-like, and it comes from the full pork loin. It is the most tender cut of pork,” Riese said.

A single raw tenderloin weighs about 0.34 -0.68 kg (0.75 – 1.5 pounds). It can be sliced into medallions, cubes, or strips, which makes it perfect for a weeknight dinner in a hurry.

“Its mild subtle flavour makes it a great carrier vessel for all kinds of global cuisine,” she said. “As a high-quality, extra lean protein that’s packed with key vitamins and minerals, pork tenderloin is an affordable and nutritious option for athletes and health-conscious consumers.”

Before cooking, it is best to remove the “silverskin,” the tough silvery white connective tissue on the outside. Quick cooking does not render it down and it becomes chewy. Slipping a knife underneath the silverskin and sliding along the cut will separate it from the meat before removal.

Pork tenderloin is a very lean cut and prone to drying out if overcooked. Reise says to avoid a dry result, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature rather than cooking time as a measure of doneness.

“It’s ok for pork tenderloin to be a bit pink in the centre, ensuring it stays tender and juicy,” she said. “And because one end of the tenderloin tends to be thinner than the other, it’s best to flip the thinner end under to promote even cooking.”

The thin end can be tied under with a piece of butcher’s string if it will not stay in place.

Riese says that rather than cooking meat straight from the refrigerator, it is best to allow meat to come up to room temperature. This promotes better browning and even cooking throughout the cut. For food safety, do not let raw meat sit at room temperature for more than one hour maximum.

If preparing a whole tenderloin, cover cooked meat lightly with aluminum foil to rest for 3-5 minutes prior to carving. This helps meat fibres to relax and the hot juices to reabsorb through the meat.

A whole pork tenderloin fully cooked and allowed to chill overnight in the refrigerator slices very easily into thin pieces which are great for sandwiches.

“Pork tenderloin is a premium cut of meat at a lower price than comparable cuts of beef or lamb,” Riese said. “No matter how you slice it or cook it, pork tenderloin is a great value cut.”

Manitoba Pork has kindly shared these recipes for pork tenderloin. These and more can be found at (manitobapork.com/recipes).

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Oven-Roasted Pork Souvlaki with Vegetables

Prep time 10 min. Cook time 25 min. Servings 3-4

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin, well-trimmed, about 0.375 kg (12 oz)

10 mL (2 tsp) olive oil

Ready-to-use Greek seasoning

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes

1 small red onion, cut into wedges

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 small zucchini, cut into cubes

1/2 EACH red and yellow bell pepper, cut into cubes

15 mL (1 Tbsp) olive oil

1 mL (1/4 tsp) EACH salt and ground black pepper, combined

Directions

Preheat oven to 230°C/ 450°F.

Brush tenderloin with 15 ml (2 tsp) oil. Sprinkle all sides with Greek seasoning. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Place vegetables on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with 15 ml (1 Tbsp) oil and season with salt and pepper mixture. Toss to coat well.

Push vegetables to sides of baking sheet. Place tenderloin in centre of baking sheet. Roast 20-25 minutes; then broil until pork and vegetables are lightly browned and instant-read thermometer registers 68˚C (155˚F).

Transfer tenderloin to clean cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let tenderloin rest 3-5 minutes before slicing. Serve with vegetables.

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Pork Tenderloin Diane

Prep time 10 min. Cook time 15 min. Servings 4-6

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins, well-trimmed, about 0.375 kg (12 oz ) EACH

10 mL (2 tsp) lemon pepper

15 mL (1 Tbsp) butter

30 mL (2 Tbsp) brandy

15 mL (1 Tbsp) EACH lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce

5 mL (1 tsp) Dijon mustard

15 mL (1 Tbsp) chopped fresh parsley

Directions

With sharp knife, slice each tenderloin crosswise into 6 equal pieces. With cut side down, flatten slightly with palm of hand to 1-inch thickness.

Season both sides of each medallion with a small amount of lemon pepper.

In large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sear medallions on both sides until nicely browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet to a clean plate. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

Add brandy, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and mustard to skillet. Cook, blending with pan juices just until bubbling.

To serve, spoon sauce over medallions and sprinkle with parsley.

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