Name: Thick-Cut Pork Tenderloin Medallions
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds pork tenderloins (2 total loins, each 1 - 1 1/4 pounds), trimmed of fat and silver skin, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces, and tied; thinner end pieces removed and tied together (see below); 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Time

40 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 pounds pork tenderloins (2 total loins, each 1 - 1 ¼ pounds), trimmed of fat and silver skin, cut crosswise into 1 ½-inch pieces, and tied; thinner end pieces removed and tied together (see below)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted a pork tenderloin recipe that would be fast enough for a weeknight dinner and still offer maximum flavor. Cutting the tenderloins into 1 ½-inch-thick medallions and tying the medallions or wrapping blanched bacon around them, fastened with toothpicks, allowed us to create a beautiful sear on all sides of these neat packages in the time it took the meat to reach an internal temperature of 145 to 150 degrees. The searing process had the extra benefit of producing enough fond to create several easy, flavorful pan sauces for our pork tenderloin medallions recipe.

Before You Begin

Serve with a pan sauce, (see related recipes). We prefer natural to enhanced pork (pork that has been injected with a salt solution to increase moistness and flavor), though both will work in this recipe. Begin checking the doneness of smaller medallions 1 or 2 minutes early; they may need to be taken out of the pan a little sooner.

Instructions

Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork cut side down and cook, without moving pieces, until well-browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn pork and brown on second side, 3 to 5 minutes more. Reduce heat to medium. Using tongs, stand each piece on its side and cook, turning pieces as necessary, until sides are well browned and internal temperature registers 145 to 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer pork to platter and tent lightly with foil; let rest while making pan sauce, then serve.