Yield: 4 Servings
Carlsbad Cravings
This pork medallions recipe is hypnotic! It transforms pork tenderloin into juicy, golden, spice rubbed pork medallions that pan sear to tender perfection in minutes! The seared pork medallions are then enveloped in silky, umami rich mushroom gravy that deserves its very own encore. This pork medallions recipe may look and taste gourmet (perfect for special occasions like Mother’s Day!) but is simple to make with a cook time of less than 30 minutes once your ingredients are prepped. Serve these pork medallions over a bed of mashed potatoes with honey roasted carrots or Parmesan asparagus and you have a swoon worthy dinner everyone will love!
Pork
- 1pork tenderloin (1 to 1½ lb)
- 3TBS flour
- 1tsp salt
- ½tsp garlic powder
- ½tsp onion powder
- ½tsp pepper, paprika
- butter
- olive oil
Mushroom gravy
- 12oz baby bella/cremini mushrooms sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1shallot, minced
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- ¼tsp red pepper flakes
- ¼cup flour
- 2½cups reduce sodium beef broth
- 1TBS Worcestershire sauce
- 1TBS reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1tsp Dijon mustard
- 1tsp beef bouillon (see notes)
- 1tsp dried parsley
- ½tsp dried oregano
- ½tsp dried thyme
Prep pork: Trim silver skin from the pork tenderloin and cut crosswise into 12 medallions. Press each medallion with the palm of your hand to flatten to a about ½-inch even thickness. Whisk the flour and all pork seasoning together in a shallow dish. Dredge each medallion in the mixture, shake off any excess, then transfer to a dry surface.
Cook pork: Melt the 2 TBS butter in 2 TBS olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add HALF of the pork medallions in a single layer and cook for approximately 3 minutes per side. Pork is cooked through when internal temperature registers at 145˚F. Cooking time will also depend on the thickness of the medallions. Transfer pork to a plate, tent with foil and repeat with remaining pork.
Caramelize mushrooms: Melt 2 TBS butter with 1 TBS olive oil over medium heat. Increase temperature to medium-high and add half of the mushrooms. Give them a stir to evenly coat in the butter then arrange mushrooms in a single layer. Cook mushrooms for 3 minutes per side or until golden. Once evenly browned, season mushrooms lightly with freshly cracked salt and pepper and give them a stir. Remove mushrooms from skillet and repeat with remaining mushrooms; transfer all mushrooms to a plate.
Gravy: To the now empty skillet, melt 2 TBS butter. Add shallot and sauté over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes to soften. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in beef broth. Add soy sauce, Worcestershire, Dijon, beef bouillon, and all seasonings. Bring to a simmer until thickened.
Assemble: Nestle the pork medallions into the pan and spoon some gravy over top. Cook over medium for a few minutes to warm through. Taste and season with salt and/or pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve over mashed potatoes (recommended), rice or pasta.
Cooking tips for success
Silver skin: The silver skin is part of a sinew on one side of the pork tenderloin and looks like thin, silvery fat. You will need to remove it because it can become tough and chewy when cooked. There really isn’t anything special about removing the silver skin. To remove, slip a sharp knife in between the silver skin and the meat to create a “tab.” Angle the knife so the blade is facing toward the silver skin way from the meat. Finally, hold the tab taught while you cut the silver skin with a sawing motion until it’s cut free.
Beef bouillon: You can use granulated beef bouillon, one beef bouillon cube or better than bouillon. If using a cube, crush and add it directly to the gravy, don’t dissolve in water first.
Mushrooms: You can use virtually any flavorful mushrooms for this pork medallions recipe other than white mushrooms (unless you would like a super mild flavor) such as Portobello, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms or more exotic mushrooms such as chanterelle, morel, enoki or king oyster mushrooms. You can even mix and match different varieties of mushrooms, just make sure to cut them the same size.
Make ahead. See post for how to prep the pork, mushrooms and aromatics ahead of time.
How to store and reheat
To store: Pork medallions should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for three to five days.
To freeze: Let the skillet cool completely then transfer the contents to a freezer safe bag and squeeze out excess air to prevent freezer burn or transfer to an airtight freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator completely before reheating.
To reheat in the microwave: Heat for 1 minute, then at 30-second intervals until warmed through. Don’t overcook or you’ll dry out the pork!
To reheat on the stove: Transfer to a skillet and heat over medium heat, flipping the pork medallions halfway through cooking. Heat just until warmed through.
To reheat in the oven: Transfer the medallions to an oven safe dish and cover with foil. Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
