pork medallions

“Hey honey? We need some pork for lunch.”

The light was right outside. We were all growing hungry. I wanted to write this post. So I turned to Danny and asked for some pork for lunch.

20 minutes later, this appeared on a plate. A quinoa cake with sauteed pepper and kale, topped with seared pork medallions.

Thanks, sweets.

Pork Medallions

If you should find that you need lunch fast, and you don’t have time to braise or fire up the barbeque, try searing some pork medallions instead. All you need is a small pork loin, some hot oil in a pan, and salt and pepper. Everything else you can build around it.

1-pound pork loin (or tenderloin, if you wish)
canola oil
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Slicing the pork into medallions. Slice the loin into ½-inch-thick pieces. Or, if you have a kitchen scale, make them 2 ounces each. Use a good sharp knife.

Pounding out the medallions. Put each slice of loin between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using a meat tenderizer, pound out the loin pieces until they are ¼-inch thick. This will help to make the meat tender.

Searing the medallions. Set a large sauté pan over high heat. When the pan is hot hot hot, add enough canola oil to barely coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil rolls around the pan easily, put 3 pieces of the loin into the pan. (Please make sure your pan is truly hot. Otherwise, the pork will boil instead of being seared.) Cook until the bottom of each piece is browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn them over and cook the other side.

Repeat with the rest of the pork. Or, save the extra pieces for later.