If you want to cook a perfect brandy tenderloin, here are the steps and tips to follow. Pork tenderloin is a tasty and economical cut, and the result is very delicious. Add some brandy to the tenderloin to create a thick, rich sauce to serve it with.
If you like meat recipes, don’t forget to read:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 5 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 393.66 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.95 (g) of which sugars 0.24 (g)
- Proteins 32.10 (g)
- Fat 23.19 (g) of which saturated 8.58 (g)of which unsaturated 5.97 (g)
- Fibers 1.47 (g)
- Sodium 661.46 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 150 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
- 1 pork tenderloin (or veal)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 shot glass brandy
- 3 leaves sage
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Pan
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 parchment paper
Procedure
I recommend starting with the whole pork tenderloin for two reasons: first, it costs less when whole, and second, you can cut it to your desired thickness.
Take the pork tenderloin and cut it to your desired thickness (from 0.8 to 1.6 inches); I recommend at least 0.8 inches to ensure it doesn’t dry out after cooking.
In a pan, melt a pat of butter; it will help keep the tenderloin soft and juicy. When the butter is melted and the pan is hot, put the tenderloin in to cook; the pan should seal the meat to retain its juices.
Brown and caramelize first on one side and then the other; it takes about 2-3 minutes per side for medium doneness.
When the tenderloin is browned on the outside, don’t forget to sear the sides as well. Baste the meat with the cooking liquid using a spoon to keep it juicy.
When you turn the pork tenderloin, add the sage and rosemary for flavor.
I place them on top so they release their aroma during cooking but do not shield the meat from the hot pan.
Here’s the real trick: when the tenderloin is ready, take two sheets of aluminum foil and place the meat and herbs inside, season with a pinch of salt, and wrap the foil tightly.
This way, the excess juices from the meat won’t end up in your presentation dish but will instead flavor the meat.
The rule of thumb is to let the meat rest for the same amount of time as it cooked… I settle for about 5-6 minutes. Don’t worry; the meat won’t cool down in the foil, and the aroma of the herbs will permeate the meat.
If you want, you can open the foil and serve in the pan with sage and rosemary as decoration, but I suggest one last step.
Pour the liquid released by the meat back into the pan, add the brandy, and flambe the tenderloins to let the alcohol evaporate.
Remove the tenderloins from the pan, and in a cup, mix the flour and oil until you obtain a smooth paste, then add it to the pan.
This step is to thicken the sauce without forming lumps.
Cook for a couple of minutes; if necessary, add more brandy or water. Adding the liquid creates a very tasty and flavorful sauce to serve with the perfect brandy tenderloin.
Your perfect brandy tenderloin is ready!
Plating Tips:
For this dish, I recommend a simple presentation: arrange the meat on the plate. Complete with the brandy sauce and serve with mashed potatoes or pumpkin.
Wine pairing for brandy tenderloin:
I suggest pairing with a red wine that does not clash with the intense flavor of the brandy sauce. My recommendation is a red wine like Chianti Classico, with its balsamic notes and red fruit flavors.
