PORK MEDALLIONS

WE STARTED OUR TESTING WITH THIS basic question: Which part of the pig makes the most sense for a quick weeknight sauté? The two obvious candidates were boneless pork chops and the tenderloin, which we would have to cut into medallions.

We tried a variety of chops, from the loin, rib, and sirloin. While boneless center rib and center loin chops were deemed adequate, we felt that the chops tasted better when cooked with the bone in. In addition, single chops from the loin are cut very thin, and we found that they often dried out when sautéed. Double-thick chops remained moist in our tests, but only when seared and then placed in the oven to cook through. We moved on to the tenderloin.

The tenderloin is a boneless, torpedo-shaped muscle Nestléd against the rib bones in the loin section, which is roughly equivalent to a position deep inside the midback in a human being. The cut is notable for its remarkable lack of marbling—those ribbons of intramuscular fat that run through meat. While this is a virtue in terms of fat intake, it also presents an obstacle in terms of cooking—that is, the tenderloin is particularly vulnerable to overcooking, which can lead to dry meat. To protect the tenderloin's characteristic tenderness, we prefer to cook it medium-well, so it is slightly rosy inside. This translates into an internal temperature of 145 to 150 degrees. If you prefer your pork well-done and gray-white throughout, this may not be the cut for you.

We proceeded to cut the tenderloin into one-inch slices and pounded them down to three-quarters of an inch with the flat side of a chef's knife (to increase the surface area for searing). We then sautéed them in a bit of sizzling oil for about one minute per side. At the end, every single slice was seared beautifully on both sides, and the pan drippings were perfectly caramelized and ready to deglaze for a flavorful, simple sauce. The whole operation, from refrigerator to table, took only 15 minutes. Beneath the seared crust on each slice was juicy, succulent meat that met all our expectations for this supertender cut.

While testing and retesting our chosen method, we came up with a few pointers to help ensure successful sautéing. First, before cutting the medallions, trim the pearlescent membrane, called the silver skin, from the tenderloin. If left on, the silver skin shrinks in the heat of the pan, pulling the meat up and out of the hot fat, thereby inhibiting browning. Second, do not overcook the meat. There should be just a tinge of pink when you peek into a piece with the tip of a paring knife. The meat will finish cooking as it rests on a plate and you make a pan sauce.

There is one drawback to sautéing a pork tenderloin. Sautéing two batches of medallions, one after the other, in the same pan caused the pan drippings to burn. We found it best to sauté just one large batch of medallions (the pan will be crowded and so must be kept extremely hot).

One tenderloin yields enough medallions for three servings. We have squeezed enough medallions for six servings (from two tenderloins) into one large skillet. If you prefer, cook enough medallions for four people and make a full batch of sauce. The extra few tablespoons of sauce can be used to moisten potatoes or rice.