Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin (Brazil) or pork loin (Portugal) is a cut of pork that is extremely tender and low in fat. It offers excellent value for money compared to beef tenderloin.
- pork tenderloin | pork loin ((1 unit))
- olive oil
- unsalted butter
- thyme and/or rosemary
- shall
- black pepper
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to a very low temperature - 80 degrees Celsius; we will bake the piece slowly so that it does not dry out and retains a pinkish color.
- Remove from the refrigerator: Remove the meat from the refrigerator 1 hour before preparing it, so that the internal temperature is equal to the room temperature; this prevents the meat from burning on the outside and remaining raw on the inside.
- Cleaning: Clean the pork tenderloin - remove tendons and membranes covering the piece of meat.
- Seasoning: Season the meat with salt and pepper; cut the fillet in half if the frying pan and baking dish are small.
- Grilling: Place a skillet over medium-high heat and let it get very hot; add the oil and grill the meat until the surface is well browned (about 2 minutes per side).
- Seasoning: Remove the meat from the heat and place the thyme and/or rosemary and butter on top. If your skillet is not oven-safe, transfer the meat to a baking dish.
- Bake: Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 80 degrees Celsius, until the internal temperature of the meat is around 63 degrees Celsius. The meat will be well cooked, but with a beautiful pink color. Depending on the oven, it may take up to 1 hour to reach the desired temperature. If the meat is baked in the same pan where it was grilled, it will take less time to cook, but may be a little drier.
- Resting: Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Make a quick sauce with the leftover meat from the pan. Return the pan with the butter from cooking the meat to the heat; add 1/2 chopped onion; when the onion is golden, add half a cup of white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan.
- Turn off the heat and add 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and 1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional); stir well and serve with pork tenderloin.
Pork tenderloin (loin) vs. pork loin
Pork tenderloin (called loin in Portugal) and pork loin are two lean cuts of pork, and are sometimes confused with each other. But they are different cuts and should be treated differently.
Pork tenderloin is the muscle that runs along the spine. It's a small cut, weighing about 450 grams. It's a very tender meat that can be prepared in just a few minutes.
Loin is a muscle from the hindquarters of the animal. It is a large cut of meat, sold in pieces weighing from 1kg to 2.5kg. It is best cooked over moderate heat for a long period of time.
What is the safe temperature for eating pork?
According to the USA (United States Department of Agriculture), it is safe to eat pork that has been cooked to a minimum temperature of 145°F (63 degrees Celsius), with a 3-minute rest after cooking.
Before the introduction of much more modern agricultural and food practices, undercooked pork was a source of trichinosis (a parasitic disease caused by the worm Trichinella spiralis). Therefore, until 2012, the USDA recommended that pork be cooked to 160°F (71 degrees Celsius). However, advances in pig farming have allowed for a change in temperature recommendations.
Pork Tenderloin Recipe | Pork Loin
Our pork tenderloin recipe is partially cooked in a skillet and then baked in the oven. This way, the meat gets a nice grilled color and is then slowly roasted so that it doesn't dry out and remains slightly pink inside.
- Remove from the refrigerator: take the meat out of the refrigerator 1 hour before preparing it, so that the internal temperature is equal to the room temperature; this prevents the meat from burning on the outside and remaining raw on the inside.
Deglazing (optional, but recommended)
- Turn off the heat and add 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard and 1/2 cup of heavy cream (optional); stir well and serve with the pork tenderloin.
