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Yield: 4 servings
These Pork Tenderloin Mignonettes were terrific. Easy to do, full of flavor, and fancy enough for your next dinner party. And, since I was only cooking for 2, I was able to have them a little different 2 nights in a row.
A word on frying pans:
I use 3 different types of frying pans in my cooking. A Black Frying Pan, when I'll be shallow frying something, and not making a pan sauce. A Heavy Bottomed Stainless Pan, when I want to make a pan sauce. And a Teflon Pan when I'm cooking anything sweet, that would stick to the other pans. In this case I use my Stainless Frying Pan because I really wanted to make a great pan sauce to go along with these Pork Medallions.
If you've read a lot of my recipes, you'll find that I, quite often, cook over a fairly high heat. In this case it was medium. Why? because the temperature of the pan should be in direct correlation to the thickness of the meat. Since each Petite Mignon was 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" thick, they'd end up being burned on the outside, and raw in the middle if they were cooked at too high a temperature. They're also finished with the lid on for 2 - 3 minutes, to act as an oven and cook the middle.
Your cooking time will vary due to the exact temperature of your stove, and the type of pan you use. So, be sure to cook to a temperature. I began pulling them at 125 degrees, the thinnest ones first. Take their temperature with an instant read thermometer by sticking it into the wide of the meat, not down from the top. That's the only way you'll be able to get a true reading.
Although I pulled these at 125 degrees, they continued to cook while resting under the foil. When eaten the were up to 140 degrees which made them super tender and moist. Don't overcook them because the meat will end up dry. Unless your using wild pork, there's no worry about trichinosis anymore, and the FDA has actually lowered their temperature requirements for cooking pork to 145 degrees.
This recipe would be super if you replaced the Pork Tenderloin with Venison Tenderloin. Just be sure to only cook the Mignonettes only to 105 - 110 degrees instead of the higher temperature as shown in the body of this recipe.
2 Whole, Pork Tenderloins, they're sold 2 per package
1. The Day Before.
Rinse, then dry the pork tenderloins.
Slice them into 12 equal pieces, using only one slice of your knife. You don't want to end up with saw toothed ridges on the presentation side of the meat.
Tie them gently around their middle using butcher's twine. I usually cut all the pieces of twine I'll need, plus 2, before I begin tying. Don't tie them too tight, or the mignonettes will become very disfigured. You just want to keep them round during cooking.
Dust with All American Steakhouse Blend, then with Coarse Kosher Salt. Rub these spices into the meat, then coat the other side the same way.
Place the meat on a plate, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place them in your refrigerator overnight. If you're unable to do this the day before, do it at least 6 hours prior to cooking.
Ron's Note:
This is called curing the meat. The salt will initially draw out the moisture from the meat. Then through osmosis, it want's to equalize itself within the entire package. It goes back into the meat, drawing the moisture, and other flavorings along with it. Once it's within the meat, each molecule of salt begins to break down the protein strands of the meat, tenderizing it. The shorter the protein strands, the more tender the meat.
2. To Cook:
Heat a Stainless Fry Pan to medium heat, add the butter, and the oil. When all is hot, place the mignonettes into the pan, presentation side down, being sure not to crowd the pan.
Cook 6 - 8 minutes. You'll notice that the meat should begin to turn a beige (cooked) color about a 1/4" up from the bottom.
Flip them over, let them cook another 3 minutes, or so, then cover and cook until the inside temperature is 125 degrees.
Set them on a plate, and cover to rest for 10 minutes while you make the sauce, and get the rest of the meal warmed up.
Ron's Note:
Your cooking time will vary due to the exact temperature of your stove, and the type of pan you use. So, be sure to cook to a temperature. I began pulling them at 125 degrees, the thinnest ones first. Take their temperature with an instant read thermometer by sticking it into the wide of the meat, not down from the top. That's the only way you'll be able to get a true reading.
3. Deglaze the pan with the Ruby Port Wine, being sure to scrape all of the brown bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.
When the port has reduce to a syrup, add the Heavy Whipping Cream, and blend it all together.
4. Take the pan off the heat, and add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until each pat has blended into the sauce before adding the next one.
The butter will add richness to the sauce, and give it a nice shine.
5. I'm only cooking for 2, so I only cooked half of the mignonettes the first night, and left the rest of them, covered, in the refrigerator for another night. Although the sauce had a real intense flavor, there didn't seem to be enough of it. This time I doubled up the cream. The sauce ended up a lighter color, didn't have that real intense flavor, but was still really full flavored. Your Choice.
6. The first night I served these Pork Tenderloin Mignonettes with a Blue Cheese Fettucini Florentine, and a salad with a Strawberry Vinaigrette.
The second night was with Garlic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Steakhouse 'Shrooms, and the same salad.
They were terrific both nights, and a very different meal each time, thanks to the sides. The first night I served these Pork Tenderloin Mignonettes with a Blue Cheese Fettucini Florentine, and a salad with a Strawberry Vinaigrette.
This recipe prints as a shortened version, with only 1 Picture, Ingredients, and Directions.
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This recipe prints as a shortened version, with only 1 Picture, Ingredients, and Directions.
By Cap'n Ron
