Do I need to dry the pork tenderloin first before searing?

[marilynfl]

Tessie posted this in 2010 and then Pat in No CA raved about it

REC: Orange, Cumin & Cilantro Roasted Pork Loin

Emeril was doing a cooking segment on GMA recently and this dish looked yummy so I tried it on the family. They loved it. Per one viewer's recommendation I added sliced fennel & sweet potatoes to the roasting pan and none of us liked them but I'll add a sliced onion next time instead. Orange...

recipeswap.org

So now I have an 18 oz Hayfield Tuscan Herb Dry Rubbed Pork Tenderloin to deal with. Package instructions say to open wrap, put into pan and roast. In the recipe they sear the meat first after rubbing it with oil, but I'm betting it wasn't one of these vacuum-sealed chunks of meat.

But you can't sear wet meat, can you?? (this is where decades of meat-based failures rears its ugly head and squashes any culinary nerve I may have.)
Right now it's dampened its way through 6 paper towels.

When will I ever learn? Me and meat...never a good combination.

 

[Marg CDN]

Oh yes. I would certainly say so. Otherwise it will poach rather than caramelize. Sounds like 2 different recipes actually. One roasts meat that has been marinated, no searing needed; the other sears the meat then allows it to season in more flavourings as it roasts.

I would dry it even if you have to remove the added seasonings to get that to happen. In fact, depending on what those herbs are, (and I guess they have been absorbed my now) I might want to rub them off anyway. I'm guessing oregano, sage, thyme and rosemary. Orange and cumin make a fabulous combination for pork and other than garlic, not much more is needed. But if there are other flavours on the pork, you may have a fight in your oven.

 

[charley2]

I marinate (for flavor not tenderness) pork tenderloins in soy,garlic, ginger for an hour or so.. And yes, pat dry. Sear it well on all sides and put in a 425* oven for 15 minutes.

I have re-read your post and you have a TENDERloin--very different from a pork loin. pork loin you can roast with veggies as posted. Pork tenderloins cook in a flash and I would not roast one.
A rub as Marge suggested is good. They need a "flavor" boost.

Here is a recipe for a pork LOIN. They can be roasted or braised because they are larger. Do not overcook either kind--145* internal temp is ideal--it will be a tad pink (not rare and not well done).

Roast Pork Loin with Apples and Onions

This roast pork loin with apples and onions has a rub made of garlic, thyme, fennel seed, and is an quick, easy, one-pan sheet pan dinner.

leitesculinaria.com

 

[marilynfl]

Update: This was good...albeit a bit too vinegary for my tastes. I followed the recipe exactly and would definitely use less vinegar next time. I did blot the tenderloin and let it dry overnight before searing. The only issue I had was the recipe says to sear and then bake until center is 140. Well, as soon as it was seared, I stuck my Thermapen oven probe (long metal wire with probe in the meat inside the oven and display sits on counter) and the darn thing read 145 IMMEDIATELY. Right after the sear! So I yanked out the probe, baked it for 10 minutes, cut to test and it was totally red inside. Then I baked it another 10 minutes and it was still pretty raw. I think the total time in the oven almost 35 minutes...and it was no longer even pink, but not dried out. So...good?

I hate not knowing what I'm doing with meat. Baking, on the other hand, is logical and predictable.

 

[mariadnoca]

Yes. Dry to get a sear. Always.

I think your sear offset the temp probe. I have one of those wired to the outside and alarm goes off when it hits desired temp, that’s never worked right. The alarm never goes off. I predict it’s user error and crappy directions that came with the unit.

I tend to have better luck with my old fashioned dial meat thermometer, or my instant read. Depending on heat I’m cooking at, I’ll check with the instant after 10-20 minutes. And remember, heat will come up after it comes out of the oven.

 

[Marg CDN]

I have trouble with temps on a tenderloin as well and take it to 150. It's so small; comparing it with a loin may be the problem. (and may be the problem with the vinegar as well) Still pink. A bit embarrassing when guests are waiting for dinner. Letting it sit while the guests sit, took more time than I wanted. Most people just do not like pink pork, unless it's a pulled pork. I served a stuffed pork tenderloin a couple of weeks ago and found piles of it in the oven the next morning as I just could not put it out looking so pinky. The plates were so bare when I served it, that one of the guests commented on the quality as opposed to quantity.

But it all tasted good.

 

[charley2]

Update: This was good...albeit a bit too vinegary for my tastes. I followed the recipe exactly and would definitely use less vinegar next time. I did blot the tenderloin and let it dry overnight before searing. The only issue I had was the recipe says to sear and then bake until center is 140. Well, as soon as it was seared, I stuck my Thermapen oven probe (long metal wire with probe in the meat inside the oven and display sits on counter) and the darn thing read 145 IMMEDIATELY. Right after the sear! So I yanked out the probe, baked it for 10 minutes, cut to test and it was totally red inside. Then I baked it another 10 minutes and it was still pretty raw. I think the total time in the oven almost 35 minutes...and it was no longer even pink, but not dried out. So...good?

I hate

Update: This was good...albeit a bit too vinegary for my tastes. I followed the recipe exactly and would definitely use less vinegar next time. I did blot the tenderloin and let it dry overnight before searing. The only issue I had was the recipe says to sear and then bake until center is 140. Well, as soon as it was seared, I stuck my Thermapen oven probe (long metal wire with probe in the meat inside the oven and display sits on counter) and the darn thing read 145 IMMEDIATELY. Right after the sear! So I yanked out the probe, baked it for 10 minutes, cut to test and it was totally red inside. Then I baked it another 10 minutes and it was still pretty raw. I think the total time in the oven almost 35 minutes...and it was no longer even pink, but not dried out. So...good?

I hate not knowing what I'm doing with meat. Baking, on the other hand, is logical and predictable.

.

When using a probe on a piece of meat like a pork tenderloin or a beef tenderloin the probe should be inserted horizontally in the piece of meat in order to get the part of the probe that is the sensitive measure in the center of the meat. So I think Marge is correct.
I might also add that just patting dry with a paper towel would be enough. The moistness on the surface of the meat helps with the searing browning action.
I am really surprised that it took that long to cook--tenderloins usually are done pretty quick.
I'll still point out that your piece of pork is not a loin which is much tougher than the tenderloin.

 

[charley2]

I have trouble with temps on a tenderloin as well and take it to 150. It's so small; comparing it with a loin may be the problem. (and may be the problem with the vinegar as well) Still pink. A bit embarrassing when guests are waiting for dinner. Letting it sit while the guests sit, took more time than I wanted. Most people just do not like pink pork, unless it's a pulled pork. I served a stuffed pork tenderloin a couple of weeks ago and found piles of it in the oven the next morning as I just could not put it out looking so pinky. The plates were so bare when I served it, that one of the guests commented on the quality as opposed to quantity.

But it all tasted good.

It's hard to erase so many years of "cook pork well done". I don't serve it what we might call "medium rare"--it isn't really pink--rosy" But if pork these days is cooked much past that it is going to be dry IME because it is so lean. Tenderloin has so much more fat (than a loin, e.g.) that it may have more leeway. But still "rosy" for me!!
Our chefs here cook pork tenderloins sous vide to get them "just right" Of course, they are also cooking to have many ready for service within a short time frame. I wouldn't o it at home.

 

[mariadnoca]

Also, when you said you got “Tuscan Herb Dry Rubbed”, does that mean it was already spiced? Lots of tenderloin is sold pre-marinated like that. If so, that would affect the taste. The smaller, thinner tenderloin takes on flavor pretty easily. Back in the day, I did the opposite and got a loin instead of a tenderloin by mistake. I tried treating it the same way (marinate) but it came out very different than normal.