Pork Tenderloin with Wild Mushrooms

Pork tenderloin is one of my favorites.

When cooked right, it’s tender, juicy and delicious. Its mild flavor takes well to sauces and seasonings. If over-cooked, which is easy to do, it can be disastrous: gray, tough, dry with a not so pleasant flavor. USDA recommends cooking pork tenderloin to 140 to 145. I never cook it that high and generally keep around 125 to 130. Let the meat rest 5 to 10 minutes and it becomes perfection.

Here it is resting having cooked to 125 degrees. It’s just barely pink inside.

This recipe came from the New York Times Ali Slagle. I never know if these New York Times cooks/food critics/editors create the recipes they are writing about, but this one was easy to make in one pan only, comes together quickly and is deeply delicious, thanks in large part to the thick flavorful paste the pork is marinated in before searing, but start by removing the silver skin on the pork.

This step is important. Silver skin is a tough, shiny, white membrane made of connective tissue that covers muscles on many different types of meat: pork, beef, lamb and wild game. It’s very tough and if not removed greatly affects the tenderness of the final dish.

Start by inserting your sharpest knife just under the silver skin and grab the end of the skin and tug while you use your knife to coax the membrane free. It pulls off fairly easily.

To make the marinade mash and peel 4 cloves of garlic, 1/2 tsp. fennel seed, rosemary leaves chopped from one sprig, a pinch of salt and pepper.  Add all to a mortar and pestle and combine until a thick paste is formed.

Generously salt the tenderloin and then rub the paste all over. Wrap in foil and place in the fridge for at least a couple of hours or up to overnight. The longer it marinates, the deeper the flavors.

Ali’s recipe calls for mixed mushrooms torn into pieces. I used a wild mushroom mix, which included shitakes, oysters and baby bellas.

Baby portabellas alone would be great in this, too if you can’t source wild mushrooms. One of the many things I miss about living in Ireland is the fabulous farmer’s market every Saturday morning in Galway. You can get literally almost any fresh veg, herb, meat, seafood right off the boat, artisanal cheeses, pates, etc., etc. And I mean fresh!–just picked and still covered in fresh earth.

Once the tenderloin has marinated remove from the fridge and bring to room temperature. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil in your largest skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork until browned on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the pork over and add the mushrooms to the pan.

Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Stir them around to pick up some of the brown bits in the pan and add a few sprigs of rosemary to the top.

Once you have browned the flip side for another 3 or 4 minutes, add 2 Tbsp. sliced butter, 2 tsp. red wine vinegar, a splash of white wine. Be careful as the vinegar will foam up. Combine well to incorporate all ingredients. Place the pork in the oven (425 degrees) and roast for about 10 minutes until pork registers between 125 and 130 degrees.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board to rest at least 5 minutes. Slice the pork and serve with your favorite green veg. Spoon pan drippings and mushrooms over the top of the pork.

It’s not easy making brown food look beautiful, but this dish is really scrumptious!

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Pork Tenderloin with Wild Mushrooms

Juicy, deeply flavorful with wonderful wild mushrooms, rosemary, garlic and a hint of fennel. The mushrooms become crispy and the butter brings everything together.

Ingredients

• 1 1-1 1/4 lb. Pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
• 4 sprigs Fresh rosemary
• 4 Lge. Garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1/2 tsp. Fennel seed
• Salt/Freshly ground pepper for the paste; more for the mushrooms when added
• 3 Tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 oz. Wild mushrooms, torn if too large Or mushrooms or your choice.
• 2 Tbsp. Butter, sliced
• 2 tsp. Red wine vinegar
• Splash of white wine

Instructions

• Pluck 1 Tbsp. leaves from a sprig of rosemary. Reserve the rest. Roughly chop the rosemary; makes it easier to form the paste
• Using a mortar and pestle (or knife and cutting board), combine the rosemary leaves, 4 cloves of smashed garlic, 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds and a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Pound or chop until a coarse paste forms.
• Season the pork liberally with salt, then coat with the garlic-rosemary mixture. Wrap in foil and refrigerate the pork for at least 2 hours and up to 8.
• When ready to cook, bring the pork to room temperature. Heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet. Add the pork and sear for 4 to 5 minutes until browned.
• Flip the pork over and add all the mushrooms. Salt and pepper the mushrooms, add a few more rosemary sprigs, and sear the pork for another 3 to 4 minutes. If it looks at all dry, add another splash of olive oil.
• Add 2 tsp. red wine vinegar and a splash of white wine and stir well to combine and incorporate bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Place in the heated 425 degree oven and finish roasting for about 10 minutes until pork reaches 125 to 130 degrees.
• Let rest in loosely tented foil. Slice and serve topping with mushrooms and any pan drippings over the top.