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Pork Tenderloin Baked in the Oven
Instructions
I chop the onion into large cubes, 7–8 mm. Large onion holds its shape in the sauce and gives a pleasant texture, while finely chopped onion dissolves without a trace. For tenderloin with mushroom sauce I always take the onion a bit larger.
I rinse the pork tenderloin under cold water and pat it dry with paper towels. I cut the meat into large slices 2–3 cm thick – this is exactly the thickness needed for medallions. Thinner and it dries out, thicker and it will not cook through.
I generously rub the pork with sea salt and a freshly ground pepper mix. The salt must be coarse – it gives interesting salty accents as you eat, unlike fine salt, which is fully absorbed. I rub the spices into the fibres by hand so they penetrate deeper.
I fry the pieces of tenderloin in a frying pan with oil for 2–3 minutes on each side, until a golden crust forms. The heat should be slightly above medium – a proper crust is what you want. Over low heat the meat «stews» in its own juices and never gets the right sear.
As soon as the pork is browned on both sides, I remove the meat from the pan and place it in a baking dish. Inside it is still raw – it will finish cooking in the oven together with the sauce.
I sprinkle the meat with chopped chili pepper, seeds removed. The chili adds a piquant accent to the finished dish that opens up beautifully against the creamy sauce.
Now I make the sauce. I rinse the oyster mushrooms and pat them dry with a paper towel – wet mushrooms release water and will not brown. I peel the top skin off the champignons (it gives a slight bitterness). I cut the mushrooms into small pieces, 1–1.5 cm.
I saute the chopped onion with the mushrooms in the same oil where the tenderloin was fried – the meat juices and browned caramelised bits left in the pan give the sauce a restaurant flavour. I fry for 7–10 minutes over medium heat until golden.
I add the sour cream and broth. I simmer the sauce for 5–7 minutes until it thickens to a smooth, creamy consistency. Use sour cream at room temperature – cold sour cream may curdle in the hot pan. The broth adds depth of flavour; it can be replaced with boiling water.
I stir in the flour, diluted in 2 tablespoons of cold water (so there are no lumps), and take the sauce off the heat. I adjust it to taste with salt and pepper. Flour is a natural thickener – without it the sauce will be runny.
I pour the mushroom sauce over the fried tenderloin in the dish. I place it in a hot oven for 15 minutes at 180–200 °C – the meat cooks through, and the sauce sets with a lovely crust on top.
The fragrant, juicy and very tender oven-baked pork tenderloin is ready! I serve it hot with a side dish, generously drizzling each medallion with the mushroom sauce.
Tips
- 1
Sear the tenderloin over high heat until a crust forms, not over low heat – the crust «seals» the juices inside and the meat stays succulent.
- 2
Use a mix of champignons and oyster mushrooms – this gives a richer, more layered mushroom flavour than a single variety of mushroom.
- 3
Flour is essential for thickening the sauce – do not skip this step, and dilute it in cold water so there are no lumps. A similar principle is used in beef stroganoff.
- 4
Serve with any side dish – boiled basmati rice, mashed potatoes, baked vegetables or buckwheat porridge.
FAQ
Which cut of pork is best to use? +
Tenderloin is the most tender cut of the pork carcass and is ideal for medallions. You can also use boneless loin (carbonade) or loin, but they are a little tougher and need slightly more baking time (about 5 minutes longer). The neck is too fatty for this dish. The shoulder is for long braising and is not suitable for quick baking. Lean tenderloin is the optimal choice: tender, lean and quick to cook. The internal doneness temperature by thermometer is 65–70 °C for a pink cut, and 71 °C for fully cooked.
What can replace oyster mushrooms in the sauce? +
You can use only champignons (increasing the amount to 100 g) – the most accessible option. Porcini give the most intense woodland aroma, but they are more expensive. Chanterelles add a characteristic fruity accent. Orange-cap boletes, birch boletes and butter mushrooms are also excellent, but boil them first for 10–15 minutes. Dried mushrooms (5–10 g) give the most concentrated flavour – soak them for an hour in water and use that water instead of the broth. Any forest mushrooms will turn the sauce into a restaurant creation.
At what temperature should pork tenderloin be baked? +
180–200 °C for about 15 minutes after the initial searing. The internal temperature of the finished meat should be 65–70 °C for a slight pinkness (like a medium steak) or 71 °C for fully cooked. Use a cooking thermometer for accuracy – overcooked pork dries out in just 3–5 extra minutes. Doneness can also be checked by cutting: the juices should be clear or slightly pink (but not red). At 220 °C the time will be reduced to 12 minutes, but the risk of drying out is higher.
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