5 Ways You Should Be Seasoning Pork Tenderloin But Aren't
Pork tenderloin is one of the most versatile cuts of pork. Sometimes confused with pork loin, the tenderloin is cut from the same loin muscle that's located between the shoulder and the butt, but it's specifically a muscle that runs along the pig's spine. The tenderloin muscle gets little exercise, and so, like beef tenderloin, it's exceptionally tender and lean. Pork tenderloin is quite small — only about one pound — and can feed two or three people at most, so it's ideal for a date night. It's also one of the most expensive cuts of pork, so if you're willing to splurge to impress guests, pork tenderloin can make an elegant meal for a dinner party, especially for pork aficionados.
The tenderloin isn't overtly porky-tasting, and its mild flavor is well-suited to different types of seasonings. There are lots of different recipes that slather a sauce over roast pork tenderloin — even the classic ingredient that Jacques Pepin uses — but it can be delicious on its own with creative seasoning usually reserved for other cuts of pork. But before you begin to experiment with unique flavorings for pork tenderloin, it's essential to first remove the pork's silver skin, which shrivels to an unpleasant chewiness when cooked. You might try Michael Symon's easy knife tip for cutting it away, and when you're done, it's time to season that pork tenderloin by using any of our following suggestions.
Italian porchetta pork tenderloin
Porchetta is one of the most lauded and loved Italian pork dishes. It's been around for about 2,000 years and, allegedly, Emperor Nero enjoyed this luscious roast and may have even shared it with his encamped troops. Typically, a whole hog is deboned, seasoned, and roasted on a spit, but modern recipes take an easier approach, using pork loin wrapped in pork belly or, even simpler, a homemade version with a boneless pork shoulder. Porchetta is served either as a roast or sliced for sandwiches, and its hallmark is its crackly skin and fragrant mixture of herbs, garlic, lemon, and fennel seeds used to season the pork.
Pork tenderloin has little to no fat, so you won't get porchetta's famous crunchy skin, but you can definitely simulate its heady aroma and flavor. Other recipes call for wrapping the tenderloin in bacon, which we wouldn't recommend, as the smoky taste would overpower the porchetta flavorings. For one pork tenderloin, massage it with a tablespoon of olive oil, then combine 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a bowl and mix it well. Pat the mixture all over the tenderloin, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate four to six hours. When you're ready to cook, unwrap the tenderloin and let it come to room temperature before roasting using this pork tenderloin recipe.
Herbs de Provence pork tenderloin
In her recipe for "poulet sauté aux herbes de Provence" in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," Julia Child awakened America's senses to this summery blend of dried herbs. Located in southwestern France, Provence is a foodie's paradise and home to ratatouille, classic bouillabaisse, and pissaladière, the region's famous caramelized onion tart. Herbs de Provence is especially assertive and is often used for roast chicken, fish, or beef stew, but it also imbues roast potatoes and vegetables, olives, and vinaigrettes with a decidedly French flavor profile. The herbal blend can be purchased from a brand like McCormick on Amazon, but it's easy to make make herbs de Provence at home, and since the dried aromatics freeze well, you can make a big batch for future use.
Child added lavender to her herbs de Provence, which adds a distinctive floral note to the mix, and though it's a beautiful addition to chicken or fish, some people may object to its soapy scent, so we advise not using an herbs de Provence that has lavender when you're seasoning pork tenderloin. Preparation is pretty much the same as seasoning the tenderloin a la porchetta. Massage the tenderloin with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then pat herbs de Provence all over. Wrap and refrigerate, then roast.
Jerk marinated pork tenderloin
The spicy and salty marinade that's the base for Jamaican jerk chicken was first actually made for pork. Created by the Taino people, who fled to Jamaica to avoid being enslaved, jerk was used to roast wild pigs on a raised barbecue built from stacked pimento wood, which flavors the pork and is considered mandatory for jerk. Pimento wood isn't widely available, but pimento berries — also known as allspice berries — are easier to get ahold of, so you can make a pretty authentic-tasting jerk marinade at home. Jerk gets its heat from Scotch bonnet peppers, one of the hottest types of chile peppers, but despite the heat, Scotch bonnets also have an almost sweet fruity flavor that pairs beautifully with pork.
However, if you can't find Scotch bonnets, the more common habanero can be used instead. You can use the marinade in this jerk-marinated pork chop recipe, but you won't need to marinate pork tenderloin as long. Since jerk is traditionally barbecued, try grilling the jerk tenderloin on an outdoor grill or on a grill pan, like this one from Sensarte. If you choose to grill inside, be sure to turn on your oven's vents, since the chile peppers will emit an eye-watering smoke.
Porcini and rosemary pork tenderloin
Pork tenderloin rubbed with dried porcini mushroom powder and laced with fresh rosemary could have you pining for Italy, where the revered fungi grow in abundance. There are many types of mushrooms and, price-wise, porcinis rank up there with truffles. Similar to truffles, porcini mushrooms grow in the soil around the base of trees, and finding them growing in the wild is a rare occurrence. Porcinis have a brief growing season, and unless you're living in a region where they're cultivated, it's unlikely you'll find them in the grocery store. But dried porcini mushrooms are readily available in higher-end markets and on Amazon from brands like Mushroom House. Though they can be quite pricey if you buy them in bulk, you'll only need a small amount for dusting on pork tenderloin.
There are a few porcini mushroom lookalikes, so make sure that you're buying the real thing. Avoid buying porcini mushroom powder because it will lose its flavor over time. It's best to buy whole dried porcini mushrooms and grind them in a coffee or spice grinder. For this recipe, you could grind the porcinis together with dried rosemary or, once the mushrooms are ground, combine the powder with chopped fresh rosemary. Rub the tenderloin with olive oil, season it with salt and pepper, coat the pork with the porcini and rosemary mix, then roast.
Cuban-style pork tenderloin
At one time, pork had been so plentiful in Cuba that the pig was dubbed the national mammal. Pork production has dramatically decreased recently, but the passion for pork runs deep in Cuban culture and cuisine. Cuban food is a confluence of several cultures, with Spain being the most prominent, and one of Cuba's most famous dishes is roast pork with mojo, a piquant marinade and sauce composed of sour orange juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, and olive oil. Cuban roast pork is served on its own, but it's also an essential component for the Cubano, the famous Cuban sandwich.
Sour orange juice is hard to come by, but a combination of fresh orange and lime juices replicates the taste. You can use this same marinade recipe for mojo-roasted chicken, but citrus-based marinades can make tender cuts of meat mushy if they marinate for too long. While you would marinate a pork shoulder overnight, a pork tenderloin should bathe in the mojo marinade for only two to four hours. Use half the mojo for marinating the tenderloin and reserve the rest to serve as a sauce, which you can drizzle over the sliced pork and rice.