Pork Loin & Cranberries "Recipe" help please

M

mimi

Well-known member
I was recently chatting with a professional chef, and asked him for a recipe for my pork loin and cranberries. This is what I got:

Chef: salt and pepper on the loin, leave it as is, don't slice it.

Chef: brown it in an oven proof pan, on all sides

Chef: put it uncovered in the pre-heated oven, about 350F

Chef: cook until cooked

Mimi: LOL!

Chef: set the meat aside, cover with tin foil

Mimi: ok I'll find a time on that, np

Chef: put pan back on heating element, deglaze with a good red wine vinegar

Chef: reduce

Chef: add a little bit of sugar, caramelise

Mimi: mmm

Chef: add the cranberries, and water

Chef: bring to a boil

Chef: the cranberries should explode/thicken/do their thing

Chef: add the juices that escaped the roast in the sauce

Mimi: yeah

Chef: slice the roast, serve with the cranberries

Chef: I'd serve mashed potatoes with that

Ok so my questions are:

Assume that I have now switched from the pork loin to two 3/4-pound pork tenderloins (I want to make it tonight and my loin is huge and frozen solid). How long is "cook until cooked"?? Just a guesstimate, if you have one.

How much vinegar?

How much sugar?

Any ideas would be appreciated. I admire their ability to just "thow it all together" but I have yet to develop that talent and I'd like some guidelines. Thanks guys. :eek:)

 
I would roast it at 400 F. after searing, for about 20 minutes depending on the temp you desire. I

prefer to roast til the internal temp is about 150 degrees, that might be a little much for some who like it pinker in the middle.

 
Mimi, here are a few ideas for you

Can I assume you are tying the two tenderloins together? Because you won't have a layer of fat to brown like you would with the pork loin, I would first dredge with seasoned flour then brown in a little oil on top of the stove in the pan you will use for roasting in the oven. You could wrap the tenderloins with bacon instead then brown that way if you like but the bacon flavor might not work with the cranberry sauce.

I would use a 350 degree oven. Roast for about 25 minutes/lb then set meat aside, covered with foil. Deglaze the pan with about 1/4 c red wine vinegar then reduce, stirring constantly. I would add about 1/2 c sugar, caramelize it then add about half a package of cranberries and 1/2 c water and cook until the cranberries thicken. Add back the pork juices, if any.

This is "winging it" off the top of my head- if anyone else has ideas, have at it!

 
I'm halfway between. I do it at 375 and to an internal temp of 160. (I'm not

quite ready for really pink pork) And I think 20 minutes would do it, too.

I don't use flour on the outside, just s&p and olive oil to brown all over.

And the rest is clear. Might be nice to add orange juice to the reduction. Not sure about the sugar though??

 
REc: Pan-Seared Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloins w/ Dried Cherry-Port Sauce with Onions and Marmalade

This doesn't help with the amounts of sugar and vinegar, but it has the technique and is a delish recipe, thought this might be a good place to post it. From Cook's Illustrated...

Pan-Seared Oven-Roasted Pork Tenderloins

"Enhanced" pork--pork that has been injected with water, salt, and sodium phosphate--does not brown well owing to the extra moisture. We prefer natural pork tenderloins that have not been injected. Because two are cooked at once, tenderloins larger than 1 pound apiece will not fit comfortably in a 12-inch skillet. Time permitting, season the tenderloins up to 30 minutes before cooking; the seasonings will better penetrate the meat. The recipe will work in a nonstick or a traditional (not nonstick) skillet. A pan sauce can be made while the tenderloins rest (recipes follow); if you intend to make a sauce, make sure to prepare all of the sauce ingredients before cooking the pork.

Serves 4 2 pork tenderloins , (12 to 16 ounces each), trimmed of fat and silver skin
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle tenderloins evenly with salt and pepper; rub seasoning into meat. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Place both tenderloins in skillet; cook until well browned, 3 minutes. Using tongs, rotate tenderloins 1/4 turn; cook until well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat until all sides are browned. Transfer tenderloins to rimmed baking sheet and place in oven (reserve skillet if making pan sauce); roast until internal temperature registers 135 to 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 10 to 16 minutes. (Begin pan sauce, if making, while meat roasts.)

2. Transfer tenderloins to cutting board and tent loosely with foil (continue with pan sauce, if making); let rest until internal temperature registers 145 to 150 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut tenderloins crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, arrange on platter or individual plates, and spoon sauce (if using) over; serve immediately.


Dried Cherry-Port Sauce with Onions and Marmalade


This recipe works very well with pan-seared pork tenderloins.

Makes enough to sauce 2 tenderloins
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 large onion , halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup port
3/4 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 3 pieces
Table salt and ground black pepper

1. Immediately after placing pork in oven, add oil to still-hot skillet, swirl to coat, and set skillet over medium-high heat; add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and browned about the edges, 5 to 7 minutes (if drippings are browning too quickly, add 2 tablespoons water and scrape up browned bits with wooden spoon). Set skillet aside off heat.

2. While pork is resting, set skillet over medium-high heat and add port and cherries; simmer, scraping up browned bits with wooden spoon, until mixture is slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add any accumulated pork juices and continue to simmer until thickened and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Off heat, whisk in orange marmalade and butter, one piece at a time. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

http://americastestkitchen.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=1926&iSeason=6

 
just to clarify so Mimi doesn't get confused

In this recipe you do NOT tie the tenderloins together so they cook faster- if you do it this way you will take the chance of the ends of the tenderloin cooking too fast- it is just a personal preference but when roasting I like to tie them together. I find they roast more evenly that way.

 
We cook at 400 F but take out at 135F and then let sit 10 minutes..

must admit it - we've come to love our pork a little pink:)

Deb

 
Good for you! I'm doing well to get it down to 150, lol. Even though I eat my steak

medium rare, I just can't seem to adjust to the new pork cooking rules.

 
Thanks guys! You are the GREATEST. Have I ever mentioned that?

My plans went awry, kids had hockey practice last night, and again tonight, which means no cooking. Trying again tomorrow! I'll let you know how it goes.

 
We usually grill pork tenderloins or I broil them- pink and juicy is our (DH & me) preference but

just as a further explaination (i.e. method to my madness:), since Mimi is going to make a pan sauce I know she needs lovely brown bits and pan juices for high flavor- so tying the two together and dredging will give more of this important "brown flavor" for the cranberry sauce. Just searing without flour and roasting in a hot oven won't give the same results. If there were no sauce I would go with your method for certain- hot oven, no flour, short roasting time.

 
OK, here's what I did....it was delicious...

Two pork tenderloins, not tied together because I wanted them to cook faster. I meant to dredge them in flour but I forgot because I was in a hurry. Browned on all sides then put in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes. Perfect doneness! Just the teeensiest bit pink in the middle, internal temp was about 152 F.

For the sauce, I took 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, but about half that was raspberry red wine vinegar, because my regular red wine vinegar was a cheapo brand, and the raspberry is just wonderful. So half and half because I didn't want too much of a raspberry taste. Reduced that, stirred in 1/2 cup sugar and caramelized, then added 1/2 bag of cranberries and 1/2 cup of water. I let this thicken and tasted it and it was WAY too sweet. So I pondered this for a minute. I didn't want to put more fresh whole cranberries in it, didn't have time, so instead I took about 2 cups of the rest of the fresh cranberries and threw them in my food processor to chop them up fairly fine, then put them in the pan sauce, let them cook, added a bit more water. This turned out well because I liked the texture it added and it returned that nice tartness to the sauce. I pulled the tenderloins out of the oven and stirred what little juices there were back into the sauce, simmered a minute more, and served.

Very good! DH liked it and said to make it again.

Thanks everyone for your help!

 
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