Keep reading for my Pork Medallions in a White Wine Mushroom Reduction recipe. #foodie #foodiefam #homemade #recipeoftheday #pastas #Easy #Cooking #CookingatHome
I often want a quick and easy solution for dinner. I find the easiest way to accomplish that is to build my meal around a quick-cooking protein. Boneless chicken or pork, quinoa, high-quality beef steaks, and seafood are all excellent quick-cooking protein sources. You can change the dish simply with spices, sauces, and sides. Having these items on hand creates the ability to whip up a balanced meal in no time.
I typically keep pork loin or tenderloin and boneless chicken breasts on hand. These two cuts of meat can be substituted for one another in most recipes. Both are lean protein options as well.
Keep in mind that if you do make this substitution, the chicken and pork have different internal temperatures for doneness. The perfect cook temperature for pork loin is 145 to 155. The perfect temperature for chicken breasts is 165. A good way to know when a piece of meat is done, aside from using a thermometer, is in the firmness of the meat. There should be little to no give when pressing on a piece of meat with a spatula or with your fingertip. If it has quite a bit of give when you gently press on the meat, cook it longer. If it has no give and renders no juice when pressed, then go ahead, pick up that phone, and find some quick take out. A lean cut of meat will be dry at this point.
The thickness of meat has a lot to do with how long the cooking time is. Pounding meat thin or slicing thin will significantly reduce the cooking time on a cut that is initially three to four inches thick. Many times you can find the cuts you want already packaged in a way that works for you from the meat counter. When cubing meat, I use my fingers as a guide for measurement. For example, before cubing a roast for stew, I use my first and middle fingers as a visual guide to see where I will make each cut for symmetrical bites and evenness in cooking. This is also a good method of measure for slicing larger cuts into smaller portions.
Knowing how to prepare protein portions before starting the cooking process can take a meal from one hour to twenty or even ten minutes. My pork medallions with a white wine mushroom sauce begins with pork tenderloin and is a breeze to make. This is a meal that you can throw together in under thirty minutes. I serve mine with pasta. But this dish would also be excellent over mashed or whipped potatoes.
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Pork Medallions with a White Wine Mushroom Reduction
⦁ 2 1/2 to 3 lb pork tenderloin
⦁ salt and pepper to taste
⦁ 2 Tbsp olive oil
⦁ 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
⦁ 3 cloves garlic, minced
⦁ 8 oz. button or baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
⦁ 1 tsp dried oregano
⦁ 1 tsp dried basil
⦁ 1 cup white wine
⦁ the juice of 1/2 lemon
⦁ 1/2 cup pasta water
⦁ 1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded or grated parmesan
⦁ 1/4 cup heavy cream
⦁ 6 to 8 oz. al dente pasta
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the pork tenderloin by trimming any excess fat. Slice the tenderloin into 2 inch thick portions, I use three fingers wide for measure. Turn the portions cut side up and gently flatten the portions to create medallions. Season each medallion with salt and pepper.
Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the skillet. Once the oil is hot, sear the medallions in the pan for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in the hot oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 150 to 155. Remove the pan from the oven and return to the stove. Remove the medallions from the pan and set them aside covered to rest.
Add onion to the skillet. Cook stirring until the onions are slightly transparent. Add the garlic. Continue to stir cooking until the garlic is fragrant. Add olive oil if needed. Add mushrooms, oregano, and basil and cook stirring until the mushrooms are slightly tender and browned. Add the white wine. Cook stirring occasionally until the wine has reduced by half. Add the juice of the lemon and the pasta water. Stir to combine. Remove the skillet from the heat. Fold the pasta, cream, and parmesan into the mushroom wine reduction. Serve medallions over the pasta.