What is your favourite cut of pork?
Obviously, mine is bacon, gammon and smoked ribs but when it comes to unadulterated pork it is just the fillet I like. Other cuts’ flavour I find very “porky” in taste or the meat simply becomes as tough as old boots. Pork fillet is lean and if cooked perfectly comes out moist and tender. However, I have come across a problem…
How exactly do you choose good pork meat? They all look more or less the same, i.e. rosy pink, don’t they? I find the quality of pork fillet to vary greatly, even though I buy it from the same shop week after week. If you check out other recipes for pork fillet on this blog, you will notice I always cook them exactly the same way, because the method simply works. Unfortunately, the result is not always the same; it can be sweet, tender and flavoursome, or disastrously rubbery and taste like plastic. All I can do is blame the quality of meat.
Sometimes pork fillet out of the freezer tastes better than the freshest batch I can find. Heck, I have even tried organic varieties without any luck. Seriously, is there some secret I don’t know about?!
If you find the perfect piece of pork fillet, at least you know what to do with it!
Pork Fillet with Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 15ml (1 tbsp) oil
- 25g (1 oz) butter
- 800 g (1¾ lb) pork [tenderloin] fillet
- salt and pepper
- 250ml (1 cup) dry white wine
- 250ml (1 cup) double [heavy] cream
- 60ml (4 tbsp) Dijon mustard
- chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 170°C/350°F/gas 4). Trim the pork fillet, removing any fat or sinew from the outside.
- Heat oil and butter in a frying pan, add the fillets and cook until lightly browned all over. (Retain the cooking oils in the pan.) Remove and place in an oven-proof dish and bake for 15 minutes for medium to well-done or 20 minutes for well-done. Leave in a warm place for 10 minutes before slicing in 2.5cm (1 inch) diagonal wedges.
- Meanwhile, add the wine to the frying pan and increase the heat. Boil until the wine has reduced by at least half, then add the cream and bring back to the boil until lightly thickened.
- Some people might find the mustard in the sauce a bit strong, so you can easily temper it a bit by putting in less than stated in the ingredients list. Add the mustard one tablespoon at a time and taste. Repeat until you are happy with the result.
- Return the pork slices and any collected meat juices to the sauce and swirl until coated. Do not boil the pork in the sauce or it will toughen.
- Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Rice or mash, and your favourite steamed greens.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 177
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 237 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
Erin says
I just cooked this recipe for dinner. It turned out awesome!
! cut it all in quarters because I was just cooking for myself and ended up using a porkchop instead because it was the only single serving cut of pork I could find at the grocery store.
But even with that substitution it came out great, and the dijon cream pan sauce was delicious!
Michelle says
Wow, that was quick! I’m glad you enjoyed it. You did a great job creating the dish just for one. 🙂
Marisa says
Pork & mustard is such a perfect combo. I can just imagine it served up with some fluffy mashed potatoes, perhaps with some cooked apples added to it?
telesma says
The difference I find with different pork fillets is some are brined and some are not. The brined ones always come out tender and juicy. John Morrell & Co is one brand that is brined (they call it “enhanced”), but it’s better to brine it yourself.
telesma says
Forgot to add, you don’t even have to use any seasonings in the brine, just basic salt-sugar-water brine should do the trick.
Read this:
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/images/document/howto/ND01_ISBriningbasics.pdf
lizzie says
I’m brining a pork loin “as we speak” and will make this tonight. I’m going to use a combination of jalapeno mustard and dijon for a little extra kick. Yummeroonies!
Food=YUMMM! says
Yum! Sounds niceee!
Piotr says
I made it with brining and it was so delicious!!! Thanks !!!
Piotr says
I made it with brining and it was so delicious!!! Thanks !!!
Name (required) says
Fantastic , Although be sure you have a good quality mustard in this one !!
name says
would this work with a lighter red wine as oppose to the dry white wine? would this alter any tastes or would it just change the colour of the sauce?
wintkat says
OMG………….just made this and it is delicious, and easy too
so glad I linked to you via foodgawker and saved this one
I know this recipe will become a favorite of mine
thanks
Tekin says
I love asparagus. It grows wild arnuod these parts well, maybe not wild. Maybe some grandma planted it ages ago and it still pops up here and there. I tried planting it years ago but it never really took for some reason. Anyway, great recipe I’ll definitely try.
Tekin says
I love asparagus. It grows wild arnuod these parts well, maybe not wild. Maybe some grandma planted it ages ago and it still pops up here and there. I tried planting it years ago but it never really took for some reason. Anyway, great recipe I’ll definitely try.
Julie says
The pork was absolutely beautiful. I made a slight change – I added a handful of sliced mushrooms to the pan after removing the pork and sautéed for a few minutes. Removed them and then added to the sauce at the end. I used 3 tbs mustard and added a pinch of chicken stock. Really lovely. Thanks
Michelle says
Mushrooms make a great addition to the pork and sauce. It’s great that you tweaked the recipe so successfully!
Philippa Benson says
Hi there – what a coincidence… I was looking for a recipe for pork fillet with mustard and came across this delicious looking recipe! And I can thoroughly recommend the wine – I know the winemakers well and this is a delicious wine from our lovely Languedoc!
Philippa
plasterer bristol says
These sound so good, thanks for sharing this delicious looking recipe.
Simon
Renil M. George says
A pork fillet with creamy dijon mustard sauce? Holy shit that’s my new favorite.
★★★★★