Pork Tenderloin with Simple Pan Sauce
Servings: 4
Calories: 423kcal
Equipment
- 12" skillet
Ingredients
Pork Tenderloin
- 2 pounds pork tenderloins 2 pieces at 1 pound each
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons neutral oil good for higher heat
Pan Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallot ½ a large
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped or microplaned
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
- 4-5 small thyme sprigs or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Sauce options
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream optional for a creamier sauce
- 1 teaspoon good balsamic vinegar or glaze
- ½ teaspoon arrowroot starch optional for thickening sauce
Instructions
Sear pork
- Pre-heat the oven to 375°F. Heat a 12" skillet over medium high heat, season the pork, add the oil to the pan, and sear the pork tenderloin on all sides. Quickly sear to a nice golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove meat to a cutting board.
Slice medallions
- With a sharp slicing knife, cut the pork tenderloin into 1 ½" wide medallions. The end pieces will be a bit smaller.
Sear top and bottom of medallions
- Return the medallions to the hot pan, cut sides down, just long enough to get a little color on each side, about 30 second each. You’re not cooking them through—just adding a bit of color on the top and bottom.
Finish in the oven
- Transfer the medallions to a parchment-lined quarter sheet pan. Roast at 375°F for about 5 minutes, or until they reach 140–145°F in the center. Let rest covered in foil to stay warm while you make the pan sauce. Timing depends on the size of your tenderloins.
Make pan sauce
- Add half of the butter to the hot pan over medium low heat. When melted and foamy, add minced shallots. Sauté until soft and lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Pour in the wine to deglaze, scraping up any tasty browned bits. A wooden spatula works great. Let wine reduce by half. Whisk in Dijon, add the thyme sprigs, and broth. Simmer until the sauce is thickened 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the final 2 tablespoons of butter.
Add any options
- To make sauce thicker, add the ½ teaspoon of arrowroot starch mixed with 1 teaspoon water, then cook 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning with any salt and pepper. If using heavy cream option (2 tablespoons), add now and heat through gently. Stir in the balsamic at the end as well.
Plate and serve
- Add medallions to plates and spoon the pan sauce over the top to serve.
Notes
For searing pork tenderloin, use a neutral oil that handles higher heat and has a clean flavor and profile. I skip generic grocery-store “vegetable oil” blends and choose a better-quality neutral oil instead. I use Zero Acre Farms (no affiliate) and highly recommend it for high-heat cooking (it’s currently sold online). Use any neutral high-heat oil you trust and like for your kitchen.
If you don't really drink wine but sometimes cook with it, such as for deglazing a pan, buy the little airline size bottles. They work great and are inexpensive (come in a 4-pack). Although I drink wine, I cook with these little bottles a lot.
Nutrition
Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 178mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 1025mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 407IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 3mg