Twice-Cooked Pork Tenderloin

Twice-Cooked Pork Tenderloin
Peter DaSilva for The New York Times
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(4,808)
Notes
Read community notes

Here's a surprising and flavorful way to prepare tenderloin, one of the leanest and most economical cuts of pork. Brown the whole tenderloin. Let it rest for a few minutes, so the meat firms up a bit. Then slice the tenderloin into medallions, about an inch thick. Brown the slices on both sides and top with a quick French-style sauce made of heavy cream and Dijon mustard, lemon juice or Calvados.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1boneless pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4tablespoons butter, extra virgin olive oil, or a combination
  • ¼cup cream
  • 1tablespoon Dijon mustard, lemon juice or Calvados, optional
  • Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish, optional
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

303 calories; 23 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 340 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Put a large skillet over medium-high heat; a minute later add 2 tablespoons butter and/or oil. When butter foam subsides or oil dimples, add meat (curve it into skillet if necessary). Brown it well on all sides, for a total of 4 to 6 minutes. Turn off heat, remove meat from pan, and let it sit on a board. When skillet has cooled a bit, proceed.

  2. Step 2

    Cut meat into inch-thick slices. Once again turn heat to medium-high, add remaining butter and/or oil and, when it's hot, add pork slices to pan. Brown on each side, about 2 or 3 minutes each. Turn heat to low and remove meat to a warm platter.

  3. Step 3

    Add ½ cup water to pan, turn heat to high, and cook, stirring and scraping, for a minute. Lower heat slightly, add cream and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in mustard, lemon juice or Calvados, if you're using them, then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve meat with sauce spooned on top, garnished, if you like, with parsley.

Ratings

5 out of 5
4,808 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Great make ahead dish before slicing the pork -- save the juices for the end. Have made this as written but it begs for extras. Saute mushrooms and shallots: set aside. Cut pork into slices: set aside. To the saute pan, add juices from the pork, 1/4 C beef stock, mushroom/shallot combo. Bring to high heat for a minute, lower heat, add cream or mustard, put pork in pan. Heat it. Or add room temperature Greek yogurt (do not boil the yogurt) on low heat. Serve napped with sauce. Elegant.

Rave reviews from dinner guests. Added a bunch of sage leaves from cold yard to first browning and a couple garlic cloves with a big shallot to second browning. No cream on hand, used 1/2 1/2 with spicy Dijon - very tasty with all the other bits.
Combo with rice, roasted squash and cabbage salad for a great winter meal.

This was a very popular dish when I lived in Denmark. It is essential that you scrape up the pork's juices/tidbits for full flavor. Also, we used strictly brandy and then cream.......and brought to a light boil. Seasoned with s & p lightly, served with fresh parsley sprigs and new potatoes. It never gets old!!!!!

This is a great way to prepare a pork tenderloin. The pork gets a lot more browned than it does when cooking the tenderloin intact, imparting a great flavor and texture. I made the recommended sauce using lemon juice, which was well-received. I will add this to my regular repertoire. It's easy and quick enough that it'd work on a weeknight.

Divine! Restaurant quality.

Browned loin in 2 TBS butter. Set aside. Sauteed 4 oz sliced mushrooms and 4 sliced shallots. Laid aside. Melted remaining butter, browned pork slices; removed. Added 1/4 c beef stock, 1/4 c half-n-half, veg, pork juices, salt, pepper. Simmered sauce with pork slices for 10 mins.

The secret? Remove pan from heat as you complete each step. Butter caramelizes but doesn't scorch.

Serve with starch to soak up delicious sauce: bread, rice, noodles.

Made this with two tenderloins for five people. Had a bit leftover that I wrapped and put in the fridge. Looked for it next day, lawdy it be gone gone gone

This recipe is delicious. I was hesitant about the slices being dry but not at all. I did use sherry rather than water to deglaze the pan, and added shallots and mushrooms thanks to an earlier note. The sauce was perfect.

Made as written, using Dijon mustard in the sauce. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Next time, I may sub white wine for one-half the water when I deglaze.

Simple and delicious. Sour cream works too.

if people don't know pink pork is ok by now, they have been living under a rock. pork can be more rare than that and be perfectly safe. and is better rare than well done.

Flash sear tenderloin, as describe turning 3 times for minute a side, on forth turn cover skillet with lid and pop into preheated 350 F oven for 40 minutes.

Remove and rest tenderloin on cutting board for 8-10 minutes.

While resting meat prepare sauce.

Slice rested roast on a slight bias and arrange on service platter,

Drizzle sauce over too and garnish and serve.

Modified this to be non-dairy as follows:
Sub full fat coconut milk for the cream
Add 1 Tbsp appli cider vinegar
Be sure to use the Dijon, it helps make the sauce savory and masks the coconut completely.
Finished sauce with cultured vegan butter (we have that here).

You can't make too much of this pan sauce, everyone loves it. Same with the pork, each time I make this is is devoured.

Followed earlier notes by adding some sage leaves to first browning. Then after removing the pork added minced shallot and garlic and saluted them. Removed them, added 2 more T oil, and browned the sliced pork. Removed that to a warm plate (in oven) and added ½ c vermouth to scrape up the browned bits (added garlic and shallots back in here) before adding the cream and mustard. Really good. Pork browned but moist and flavorful.

This is SO simple and really delicious. I added some fresh rosemary and shallots to the beginning of the sauce before I added the cream. Wonderful.

Very tasty. Used beef broth instead of water, light cream instead of heavy and added sautéed mushrooms with the Dijon mustard. Easy and economical. Served with new potatoes and sautéed sugar snap peas.

This was delicious. I deglazed the pan with vermouth and water. Instead of cream used sour cream as mentioned in a note it was great. Also added the pan juices and sautéed shallot to the sauce.

So yummy, added mushrooms and shallots .

Added partially cooked(sautéed) shredded carrots and cabbage to the skillet with liquids for sauce. Used water this time,next time half chicken broth half white wine. What a fast delicious meal that’s easy to substitute.

I’ve made this in the past albeit under a different name. I use Marsala, because it’s what I usually have in the house although if I want a less sweet version I’ll substitute dry vermouth instead. Either way it comes out excellent. I always add mushrooms and onions as they give an earthy flavor to it.

Cook the least of suggested times so it’s not overcooked. During second cooking of meat, add a thinly sliced onion and minced garlic clove. Leave in pan while adding rest of sauce ingredients.

This is the second I’ve made this and it’s so easy and delicious. I subbed in 1/2 1/2 in place of cream and the sauce delicious and creamy.

I like this - at least, the first meal was tender. Didn't seem like there was enough juice, duh, because I cooked two tenderloins! I'll add to the sauce tomorrow.

Maybe add a little more mustard and a splash of white wine to the sauce

I have made this recipe a few times. At first, I always found it difficult to choose between using Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and calvados. Whichever I didn’t pick felt lacking. This last time I just used a bit of all three and it was indeed the best version yet.

The sauce in this makes it truly special. Served this with twice baked potatoes and lemon broccolini for Christmas dinner and it was a huge hit!

Made this for Easter dinner for two. I didn’t have any cream, so skipped that and used Dijon mustard. The pork was tender and succulent, just excellent. Next time I’ll have cream on hand. Highly recommend this recipe.

Something to try: flour the pork before browning it to get a better crust and give you more to work with for the pan sauce

It was great and easy to make. I am a fan of Mark Bittman!!

So simple, yet delicious. And a quick weeknight dinner.

What a pleasure to prepare (easy), and serve (delish!). I pretty much followed the recipe, with the addition of sauted mushrooms and shallots. Due to scheduling issues, I completed the first sauté of the whole tenderloin, and left it lightly covered on board for over an hour. The meat came to room temperature . I then proceeded with the rest of the recipe. I did double the sauce, and was glad for it.

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