Today I’m diving into another cozy fall recipe, this time with one of my favorite combinations – pork and apples! This combination is a classic for a reason and I love the flavors of the pan seared pork tenderloin medallions and apple slices when topped with a cider cream pan sauce.
It’s finally starting to feel like fall around here! We had a very warm and humid September this year, (I’m thinking the various storms pushed warm air up north) so I’m appreciating this cooler, drier air in October. It’s great for walks, for sleeping, for great fall cocktails (like my maple old fashioned) and for turning on the oven to work on my braises and fall baking.
All of this means I’m even more in the mood for cozy comfort food, like pork and apples in a creamy sauce.
Just think about coming home on a chilly night, getting a pot of mashed potatoes going, and doing a quick, but comforting, creamy saute to spoon over your bowl of mash. Sounds good, doesn’t it? 🙂
One thing that makes this dish so quick and easy is the pork tenderloin medallions.
I mean even whole on the grill (like my grilled pork tenderloin and apples!), they are zippy. Once you slice up a tenderloin and give it a good flattening, it only takes mere moments to cook those slices through. So make sure your pan is good and hot! If it isn’t sizzling before you add the pork, you won’t get a sear before it’s time to take the pork off the heat. It has to sear in a minute or you’re done.
I’ve been making variations of sauteed pork tenderloin medallions for many years now. There are so many different sauces and flavors you can use, which makes them a great, go-to base for dinner. Also, they are tender, inexpensive, and take only a few minutes to cook!
What’s not to love?
And they are especially great with seared apple slices. Not only are apples at their peak right now, but pork and apples are best friends who belong together. The sweet apples, the meaty pork, the caramelization from the browning, and the creamy sauce with just the right amount of sweetness and tang from the apple cider. Yum!
One note: get everything sliced up, minced, measured out and ready to go before you start. There will be no time to slice up the apples while the pork cooks and the apples only take a few minutes themselves. This is seriously a 15 minute meal.
Sizzle, sizzle, stir, stir, and you’re done. 🙂
Which means, of course, that any sides or starches should be done or in process before you start too.
For a super quick meal for a busy weeknight, a good bread from the bakery and a simple green salad will round out the meal. If you’re feeling more ambitious, we love cream cheese mashed potatoes with the pork and then I pick up whatever veggie looked good at the store. Which might be that simple green salad, but maybe a cauliflower and green olive salad or our favorite green bean salad with goat cheese and almonds.
Go forth, be cozy, and make this awesome recipe for apples and pork tenderloin with a cider cream sauce!
– Happy Eating, Annemarie
Thin pork tenderloin medallions are quickly pan seared and then tossed with sauteed apples and a cider cream pan sauce in this fall inspired skillet dinner.
- 1 (1 1/2 lb) pork tenderloin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large apple, peeled and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp bourbon, or brandy
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
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Trim the silver skin off the pork tenderloin and then cut it into 1/2 inch slices. Pound each slice to a 1/4 inch thickness.
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Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high until the oil is shimmery. Add the pork slices and saute 1-2 minutes per side, until the pork is just pink in the middle and the sides are browned. Remove the pork to a bowl.
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Add the butter and apple slices to the hot skillet. Sear them on each side until well browned, 3-4 minutes total.
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Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds. Then add the bourbon and let that mostly cook off, about 10 seconds. Add the cider, cream, mustard, and thyme leaves. Pour in the juices from the meat as well. Cook down until the sauce is thick and your spoon makes a path along the bottom, 3-4 minutes. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed.
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Add the pork back to the skillet and serve.
- The silver skin is that shiny, rather tough layer on the outside of a pork tenderloin (and on other cuts of meat). Use a sharp knife and slip it between the silver skin and the meat and trim it away.
- A cast iron skillet is great with this recipe since you don't have to worry about the pork sticking while you're searing it.
- I prefer the apple peeled, but you can certainly leave the peel on too.
- Have the cider and cream ready to go because the bourbon cooks off FAST.
Christine says
Gorgeous photos! What a perfect, delicious fall dish!
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thank you! 🙂
Christine says
Oh, this looks so good and fits in perfectly with my grain free diet!
justalittlebitofbacon says
Thanks! I wanted to keep it gluten-free.
Tara | Deliciously Declassified says
Love the classic combination of pork and apples and this recipe takes up a few notches! Definitely need to give this a try. Thanks for sharing and happy fall!
justalittlebitofbacon says
It’s not fall until I make pork and apples. 🙂