Stove Top Pork Tenderloin Medallions are a flavorful, quick cooking recipe perfect for busy families. This make ahead, freezer meal is perfect for an easy weeknight meal or a special occasion.
One of the perks of pork medallions (which is really just a fancy way of saying a pork tenderloin, sliced into ¾ inch slices) is that they cook really fast. You can have a super flavorful meal on a weeknight. Yes, it’s possible!
What's the difference between a pork fillet and a pork tenderloin?
Basically, a pork tenderloin is the strip of meat as a whole. Is similar to a beef tenderloin. When it is cut into disc shaped pieces, it becomes a pork fillet, or pork medallion!
The great part about the pork tenderloin medallions is they cook up quickly without drying out. That's why I love this pork recipe.
Oh, and for you peeps on the hunt for a low carb pork recipe, this is your thing, too.
Now, I know you're still with me, right? Okay.
A pork tenderloin is different than a pork loin. A pork tenderloin is long and skinny where a pork loin is more like a roast.
You can learn more about cuts of pork here.
How to make pork tenderloin medallions:
Take your pork tenderloin and cut it into ¾ inch slices. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Make your chili lime sauce by combining ingredients into a blender or food processor and giving it a whirl.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat, add the pork tenderloin slices to the skillet and cook for a few minutes on each side.
Add the chili lime puree and allow to finish cooking, about 4-5 additional minutes.
Can pork tenderloin be pink in the middle?
A sliced pork tenderloin may have a hint of pink in the middle. Back in the day - wow I sound old! - we used to cook pork much longer to avoid certain food illness.
Luckily, these are no longer an issue and we can get back to eating tender pork you can cut with a fork!
You should use a meat thermometer to check the final temperature of the pork, which should be at 145 degrees following by a three minute rest.
Farm Girl Tip: Sometimes, chipotle chili powder can be tricky to find. I found ours in the bulk seasonings. If you can’t find it, substitute regular chili powder.
To make stove top pork tenderloin medallions as a make ahead or freezer meal:
Freezer meals or make ahead meals are one of my favorite tools in the kitchen, hands down.
You can make this recipe, uncooked, and freeze it for later. I have all the instructions to do that in the recipe card below.
You could also make this recipe and NOT freeze it, saving it for a day or two in the refrigerator. When you get home from work you have an easy dinner ready to cook.
Seriously, try this technique and you can come back and thank me!
Also, don’t let the appearance of a long grocery list scare you – you probably have a majority of the ingredients in your home already!
Easy Pork Recipes to Try:
Suggested sides for Stove Top Pork Tenderloin
- Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Asparagus & Green Bean Salad
- Slow Cooker Brown Rice
- Oven Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Parmesan
Made with love,
Stove Top Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Chili Lime Sauce
Ingredients
To make the Chili Lime Sauce
- 3 T lime juice
- 1 zest from lime
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 T honey
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 small shallot
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro packed
- ¾ teaspoon minced onion
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
To prep the Pork Tenderloin
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin cut into ¾" medallions
- 2 T olive oil for cooking
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Instructions
Chili Lime Sauce
- Place all ingredients except for pork into a blender or food processor and puree.
- Set aside
Cooking Instructions
- Bring 2 T. olive oil to medium heat in skillet.
- Season medallions with salt and pepper to taste.
- Brown both sides of pork in skillet, 1 - 2 minutes per side.
- Pour contents of chili lime puree in with pork and cook, stirring occasionally until pork is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Pork should be cooked until 145 degrees.
To make as a freezer meal
- First, make your chili lime sauce. Place all ingredients except for pork into a blender or food processor and puree.
- Place puree into a labeled quart-size bag to freeze for later.
- Cut pork tenderloin into ¾ inch slices. Place into a labeled, gallon sized freezer bag and freeze with the chili lime sauce.
- To cook from your freezer, thaw ingredients in your refrigerator overnight. Follow cooking instructions as listed above.
Notes
- If chipotle chili powder cannot be found, substitute regular chili powder.
- Save time by using frozen, pre-chopped onions. (I do it, it's okay!)
Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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Mercedes says
Simple, tangy, and the olive oil really helped in making the tenderloin juicier. A saver.
Val - Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids says
These look so good! I always love new pork recipes!