Pork
Pork Medallions plus Lemon Garlic Sauce
Tender and succulent seared pork medallions, with a lemony white wine sauce, are elegant enough for entertaining but straightforward enough to prepare for every day meals.
Tender and succulent seared pork medallions, with a lemony white wine sauce, are elegant enough for entertaining but straightforward enough to prepare for every day meals.
At a glance
What stands out: The pork is tender and rich, never tough and dry. The sauce is memorable!
How long it takes: 40 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: meat mallet, skillet
Servings: 4
Using a meat mallet or a rolling pin to flatten meat into a thin, even thickness is one of a standby ways to cook speedy dinners. And speedy dinners are what we're all about here at Bomumo. We are always looking for ways to make cooking straightforward and fun, so that you can prepare lighter rich dinners without stressing out.
How does flattening meat with a mallet help you get dinner on the table quickly? It’s all about cooking time. Thin slices of meat which are uniform in size cook faster. It’s that simple. A quarter-inch thick medallion of pork tenderloin or chicken breast will cook in a matter of minutes. A speedy sear on both sides (about 5 to 6 minutes total time) is all it takes.
Top it with a rich sauce. Once the meat is cooked, you can add any manner of sauces. Today we’re cooking a lemon garlic sauce but we also just love creamy Tuscan mushrooms with both pork and chicken. Or make rich baked chicken Parmesan. The chicken bakes in less than 20 minutes!
A side benefit: You have a good excuse for hammering something! You’re also tenderizing the meat by breaking down the connective tissue that can make meat tough. That’s actually two side benefits.
We're excited to bring you this pork medallions recipe. Speedy and elegant, with a white wine and lemon pan sauce, pork tenderloin medallions are nothing short of a dream. You’re going to love them!
How To Slice Pork Tenderloin Medallions
On a cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut the tenderloin in ½ inch slices. Lay plastic wrap over the slices and, using a meat mallet, rolling pin, wine bottle, or even the heel of your hand, gently pound each slice into ¼ inch thickness.
Tip: Instead of plastic wrap, you can use waxed paper, parchment paper, or a zip top bag.
How it comes together
Cook the pork. After you’ve established who’s boss and you’ve pounded your pork tenderloin slices so they are tender and thin, a hot skillet and a speedy sear will get you started. Once the pork is cooked, set it aside to rest while you prep the white wine sauce.
Make the sauce. In the same skillet, briefly sauté chopped shallots until they’re tender; add garlic and sauté briefly. Add a little flour to brown for a minute, then add white wine to deglaze the pan and reduce. You’re almost there now.
Next you’ll add a cup of chicken broth to simmer and thicken for about 5 minutes. Finally, stir in a tablespoon of butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh parsley. Briefly return the pork to the pan to coat it with the sauce.
Serve. Pork tenderloin medallions with lemony white wine sauce are reliable served with rice, or even better, creamy risotto. We love them with baked spaghetti with spinach. Round the meal out with roasted green beans or Brussels sprouts, or a fresh salad.
Cooking Pork Safely
Pork is considered fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 145°F. You can use an instant read thermometer to ascertain the temperature. However, since these pork medallions are only a half inch thick, it’s a little more difficult to get an accurate reading.
Don’t have an instant read thermometer? Take a look at your pork. Use a sharp knife to cut one in half if you need to. The pork should be mostly white with a hint of pink. The juices should be clear or faintly pink. This is medium rare, reliable for pork. Allow the pork to rest for a few minutes, and serve. Allowing the pork to rest for at least 3 minutes is important because the meat continues to cook just a bit longer and the juices settle down.
Cooking Tip
Don’t cut into all of the medallions. Cutting them before they have a chance to rest will allow all the juices to come out and they’ll become dry.If you see dark red in the center of your medallion or the juice is bloody, the pork hasn’t finished cooking, Return it to the pan and cook a bit longer.
Try not to overcook the pork. In the past, it was recommended that pork be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. This is considered well done. The pork will be completely white all the way through, but it will be rather dry and tough. The USDA has changed its recommendation to 145°F in recent years. The pork should be tender and juicy.
Before you start
Keeping leftovers
Refrigerate/Freeze: Cooked pork tenderloins, wrapped well, will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
Reheat: To serve, place on a plate, cover to prevent spatters, and gently reheat in the microwave until warmed through. Try not to overheat the medallions. Alternatively, place cold pork medallions in a skillet and gently reheat over low heat.
Free Meal Plan
Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at Meal Plan #55. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. We add a new meal plan weekly.
Browse Meal Plans- Yield: 4 servings
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 25 minutes
- Total: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup unsalted or low-salt chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, (more for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Method
- Slice pork tenderloin into 8 pieces of equal thickness. Place each piece between two layers of plastic wrap and use a mallet or a rolling pin to pound into a thickness of about ½ -inch. Season each piece with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan in a single layer (you will likely have to do this in batches depending on the size of your skillet) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 145ºF. Remove from pan and place on a plate and cover with foil. Repeat with remaining pork.
- Reduce heat to medium and add shallots to the same pan (add another ½ to 1 teaspoon olive oil if pan is too dry) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add flour, and cook while stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add wine and increase heat to medium-high. Simmer wine until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth slowly while stirring, and continue to cook until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, and butter. Stir until butter is melted. Return pork to pan to coat in lemon-garlic sauce. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional parsley if desired.
Notes
Cooked pork tenderloins, wrapped well, will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place in skillet and warm over low heat or gently microwave in 30 second increments. Try not to overheat the pork.
