Do you want to learn how to perfectly cookpan-fried pork tenderloin? You’re in the right place; in this recipe, you’ll learn how to cook pork tenderloin in a pan, leaving it tender at the end of cooking. Cooking pork is important because, unlike other meats, it cannot be served rare, and the tenderloin has a thicker cut, making the cooking process crucial.
If you like pork tenderloin, don’t forget to read the recipe
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 200.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 0.00 (g) of which sugars 0.00 (g)
- Proteins 30.98 (g)
- Fat 7.63 (g) of which saturated 2.10 (g)of which unsaturated 2.88 (g)
- Fibers 0.00 (g)
- Sodium 466.38 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 5 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 2 people
- 10.58 oz pork tenderloin
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 2 tablespoons water
Tools
- 1 Pan 8-9 inches
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Cutting board
Procedure
Here’s the recipe to cook pork tenderloin in a pan to perfection. By following this recipe step by step, you will get a tender, juicy, and flavorful tenderloin.
First, if the tenderloin is whole, I recommend cutting it into medallions about 1 inch thick. For ideal cooking, the meat should be at room temperature. I suggest taking it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking (preferably 1 hour).
Place a pan on the stove with a drizzle of oil over high heat. After a couple of minutes, the pan should be hot, add the tenderloin to cook. It’s important that the pan is hot to seal the meat, retaining its juices.
You’ll know the pan is hot when you hear the pork tenderloin sizzle as you place it in.
Cook over high heat until a brown and crispy crust forms on the outer surface.
Cook until you see from the side that the meat is cooked halfway through the tenderloin. You can easily observe the meat from the side. It will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
For a more aromatic touch, you can add some herbs to flavor the meat (sage, rosemary). Turn the meat on the other side and cook for the same time as the first side.
At this point, the meat is cooked… but we’re not done yet.
Place the meat in a sheet of aluminum foil and let it rest wrapped for 2-3 minutes.
This step allows the meat and its juices to redistribute within the meat. It’s not essential but it helps.
While the meat rests, I recommend placing the pan back on the stove and adding a couple of tablespoons of water. This operation is to extract the flavor that stuck to the pan (brown crust). Add the juices released by the meat and cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes, then pour directly onto the meat while hot.
Your pan-fried pork tenderloin is ready!
Plating suggestions:
I recommend serving the pan-fried pork tenderloin with its warm sauce. You can accompany it with a salad, pan-fried potatoes, or a vegetable caponata.
Wine pairing for pan-fried pork tenderloin:
The pan-fried pork tenderloin goes well with a full-bodied red wine with fruity notes of berries that balance the fatty component. For example, you can serve it with a Cortona Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon.
