Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Shallot-Balsamic Pan Sauce

JD

October 03, 2019

0

tasty-food-recipe, tasty-pork-recipe

Pork tenderloin is a super friendly cut to experiment with in the kitchen; it’s easy to prepare and cooks quickly. One of our favorite ways to cook it is a two-step pan-searing, oven-roasting technique, which gives the meat a golden crust and an evenly cooked, juicy interior. To punch up the mild pork, we used the fond left behind in the pan to build a deeply flavored pan sauce when we transferred the meat to the oven. We prefer natural pork tenderloin to enhanced pork tenderloin (which has been injected with a salt solution). This recipe calls for cooking two tenderloins at the same time in the same skillet, so be sure to buy tenderloins that are roughly the same size. This recipe will work in a nonstick or a traditional skillet. You will make the pan sauce while the tenderloins roast, so be sure to prepare all of the sauce ingredients before searing the pork.

Serves 4
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

PORK

• 2 (12- to 16-ounce) pork tenderloins, trimmed
• 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

SHALLOT-BALSAMIC PAN SAUCE

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled
• 2 shallots, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
• ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper

Cooking Procedure

1. FOR THE PORK Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle tenderloins with salt and pepper and rub into meat. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place both tenderloins in skillet; cook until well browned, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, rotate tenderloins one-quarter turn; cook until well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat until all sides are browned. Transfer tenderloins to rimmed baking sheet and place in oven; roast until thermometer inserted into center of tenderloins registers 145 degrees, 10 to 16 minutes.
2. FOR THE PAN SAUCE Meanwhile, immediately after placing pork in oven, melt 1 tablespoon butter in still-hot skillet. Add shallots, water, and sugar and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until shallots are browned and caramelized, 7 to 10 minutes; remove skillet from heat and set aside.
3. Transfer tenderloins to cutting board and tent with aluminum foil; let rest for 10 minutes.
4. While pork rests, set skillet over medium-low heat and add vinegar; simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until mixture is slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add rosemary and any juices from resting pork; continue to simmer until syrupy and reduced to about ⅓ cup, about 2 minutes longer. Off heat, whisk in mustard and remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 piece at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Slice tenderloins ½ inch thick and serve with sauce.

IMPROVISING A PAN SAUCE

So you just pan-seared a steak, chop, or chicken breast, and have a pan full of browned, stuck-on bits. But wait! Don’t clean that pan! Pan sauces take advantage of that fond to create a rich, deeply flavored accompaniment for the meat. Although the ingredients can change depending on the sauce, the steps are the same.

Pour Off Excess Fat

If there’s more than a tablespoon of fat in the pan, pour off the excess or the sauce will be greasy. If there’s very little fat in the pan, add a little vegetable oil or butter.

Add Aromatics

Aromatics like shallot, garlic, or onion will enhance the flavor of a quick pan sauce and give it depth.

Deglaze the Pan Add liquid to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits. The fond dissolves as the liquid simmers, adding meaty flavor.

Simmer and Reduce

You want to reduce the liquid to both concentrate flavors and change its consistency. Don’t shortcut this process, or your sauce will be too watery.

Add Meat Juices

As the meat rests, it will exude juices. Add these juices to the skillet and simmer to reduce. Add robust seasonings such as rosemary or capers so they can cook a bit.

Whisk in Butter

Off heat, whisk in chilled unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make the sauce thick and glossy. To finish, add seasonings such as leafy herbs, salt, and pepper. If the pan sauce isn’t vinegar- or citrus-based,

add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice to brighten it up.