Did I buy a Pork Loin or Tenderloin?

eenie meenie

I was in the butcher shop and purchased what was labeled "pork tenderloin". When I got it home I thought perhaps it is really a pork loin rather than a pork tenderloin because it looks awfully big for a tenderloin. It is 11 inches length, 3 1/2 inches width, and 1 5/8 inches height. There is no fat on the outside. Did I buy a giant pork tenderloin or is this a pork loin? This is much wider than the tenderloins I get in the vacuum packs at the grocery. Sorry, but I do not have a camera so I can not supply a photo. Any recipe suggestions would be appreciated once I figure out what cut of meat this really is.

eenie meenie

Fidel

My gut tells me that 3.5" wide is too large to be a tenderloin.

The tell-tale sign would be if it tapers from one end to the other. If it is uniformly thick then you have a small loin. If it tapers to a pointed end then you likely have a large tenderloin.

RRP

yo Doc...IMHO you bought a pork tenderloin by what you described. it may have been from a larger pig so it might be a tad tougher, but since you'll be cutting it across the fiber it will be tender anyway.

thirdeye

Tenderloins are about an inch in diameter and and weigh about a pound and a half. They usually come two to a package and are very lean.

Yours sound like a loin. Do they look like this?

eenie meenie

Upon further analysis, it only tapers slightly on one end. Then I noticed that indeed in has a thin layer of fat on the on side. The fat covers up a layer of silver.
Also, when unwrapped it is about 4 inches in width and 2 inches in height.
Any further opinions given this new info?

eenie meenie

RRP

LOL - that sounds like the torn rotor cuff in my shoulder that I saw in a MRI today! With the estimated cost of the surgery to repair it - then you Doctors can just grind that tenderloin you bought today into burgers if you want!

thirdeye

It's a loin for sure, most likely the rib end (which is my favorite), it's a little flatter than the sirloin end.

Klag

Just did a tenderloin tonight, they had some huge ones (bigger then I've ever seen) but still tenderloins.

I like to cut em into medallions, so much quicker and I like the grill marks on more surface area

eenie meenie

RRP sorry to hear about your bum shoudler.....unfortunately I can not help you. I'm a radiation oncologist, not an orthopedist.

eenie meenie

eenie meenie

Thanks for all the help.......I'll cook it like a loin.

eenie meenie

thirdeye

Although, if you see the silver under the fat cap, that is something seen on a tenderloin.....still, your size estimate sounds too large for a tenderloin. Here is a good side-by-side comparison. The large muscle in this pork chop is the loin, the small muscle is the tenderloin.

RRP

That's cool too...I think my radiation oncologist who treated my prostate cancer 7 years ago thus saving my life is a kin to our ALMIGHTY GOD himself!

eenie meenie

Klag, were your tenderloins this big. This thing weighs 3.3 lbs. Like Thirdeye, I've never seen a pork tenderloin that big. I just figured that's because I've always gotten them in a cryovac instead of fresh.

eenie meenie

eenie meenie

Thirdeye, that's kind of what made me waffle. When I saw the silver, I thought well maybe the thing was a giant tenderloin. Maybe I'll call the butcher in the morning and make see if they'll tell me. I'll have to get a camera so I can beeter contribute on the forum. I just love the pictures you all post.

eenie meenie

Mike in Abita

nmsg

eenie meenie

RRP, I'm glad you are alive and kicking!

eenie meenie

eenie meenie

Mike, I think it is a loin at this point. Baxter is a cutie. I really miss my chocolate lab.

eenie meenie

Mike in Abita

This is a pork loin cut into thirds.



These are two tenderloins along with some shrimp.



This is my dog, Baxter. He doesn't care if it's Loin, tenderloin, or even shrimp. He likes it all. :laugh:

Broc

You bought a partial loin -- not tenderloin. A full-length tenderloin is usually about 7 - 11 lbs.

Here's a recipe which will work as well for a 3.5 section of loin or the entire thing -- A Very Easy Cook!

Roast Pork Loin Roulade


This recipe is for cooking a full pork loin – about a 10 lb roast. The recipe is for cooking it outdoors, in a Big Green Egg [www.biggreenegg.com], and you may need to adjust it for your indoor kitchen oven. Of course, you can roast a smaller hunk-a meat… A full loin will serve 14 – 20 people.

I have, over the past year, cooked pork loin for groups of 30, 40 and even 150 -- on my Medium Egg, no less! [See note below]

What is a roulade? Fancy French word for "stuffing." A pork roulade is a stuffed pork loin. When you're done, it will look like a jelly roll -- but be of pork and stuffing [of course!].

Prepping a full 10 lb pork loin --

Pork loin is as lean as chicken! Very little fat -- so pork dries out easily. Unless you have a large pan, cut the loin in half, creating two 5-lb roasts. To help keep the meat moist, I ALWAYS butterfly the loin -- that is, slice it so that it lays out, like unrolling a scroll. It's best to get the meat quite cold [but not frozen] to do this. When the meat is stiff, it's easier to control when slicing.

I season the inside [S & P, herbs, sauteed garlic and onion] and layer it with fruit, nuts, sometimes Italian sausage... Italian sausage and apricots -- yum! The sky's the limit! I’ve created raspberry roulades, apricot roulades, apple roulades… If you feel necessary, use rice as a base for the roulade, and add whatever you’d like.

Now -- remember, pork is very lean... and everything tastes better with bacon. Fry some bacon, and place it inside the butterflied roast, along with your fruit, cheese, leafy-veggies and whatever else you have inside the roast. The bacon adds taste, and just as important, give the meat some fat to help keep it moist.

Then, I roll it back up, so it now looks like a "jellyroll". Tie it firmly every 1.5 inches or so.
Apply your favorite dry rub to the exterior, wrap it in plastic -- and put it in the fridge overnight. Dr. BBQ’s Dry Rub recipe below.

The Next Day -- Cook Day...

Let the pork sit out for up to an hour to warm up to approach room temp before roasting. The exterior of the roast will be "messy," and the dry rub will no longer be dry. Don't worry about it -- take it to the fire! You'll still get a great crust.

Bring the Egg to HOT -- as in 600+F. Now, don't show off! Yes, the Egg will heat to 1000F -- but unless you're a lot better at searing and controlling the depth of sear than I... 1000F is a little excessive. Even 500F will give a good sear.

Recommend searing direct with a cast iron grid. When you turn the meat, pick the roast up with tongs, and place it down on an "unused" portion of the grid. Remember, the meat cools the metal, but remains hot-hot-hot where the meat hasn't touched. When you're ready to turn to another "side," the first part of the cast iron grid will have heated back up again.

When searing, don't "rip" the meat off the metal. If the meat is "sticking," wait. When you've got a good char, the meat will release from the metal. This is true of indoors or out, on all cast iron surfaces.

Puleeeeze! -- When cooking indoors, don't use non-stick for searing! [Shudder!]

Sear the roast about 2 min on all sides. Pull the roast, and drop the Egg [oven] to 350F -- 375F. 400F isn't too hot... If you’re cooking indoors, bring a cast iron griddle to high heat for the sear, or broil for 2 min/side.

Set up for an indirect cook, 350F – 375+F, with drip pan.

Keep liquid in the drip pan [anything, even water. I prefer apple cider.] Don't let the drip pan dry out, or the drippings from the roast will burn and the roast will pick up "stinkies..." Not good eats!

Roast until 140F-- 145F internal -- won't take long after searing... maybe 40 minutes.

Pull at 140+F internal. Now -- Very Important! Double wrap the roast in heavy duty aluminum foil to keep juices from “leaking.” Further wrap the roast in several clean, old towels, and place the roast in a "cooler" chest for at least 1/2 hour -- up to four hours. The roast will "carry over" cook another 6 - 12 degrees, and get very juicy.

A side comment about internal temps. Your grandmother was taught that the internal temps of pork needed to be 170F. Gaaaaah! This makes great shoe leather... but 170F degree pork is completely dried out. Thet Be dead meat, Bro!

Use an instant-read thermometer to determine the internal temp of your meats. Your children will love you, your guests will praise you... and you'll never serve raw or burnt meat again.

Have I mentioned, yet -- 145F internal?

After several hours in the cooler -- slice 'n-serve!
Have you noticed -- with this technique [HDfoil, towels and cooler], you don't have to time the roast... Cook it early and serve it at your pleasure. This is true of any roast. Try it with tri-tip [internal temp 130F for med rare].

Get used to hearing... "I've never eaten a pork loin this good!" Respond with modesty, and give all credit to the Egg.

BTW -- make a simple fruit glaze to serve on top of the roast slices. Apple roulade, apple glaze... apricot roulade, apricot-dijon glaze... And don't forget to add some crushed bacon to the glaze!
Everything better... oh, you've got that one figgered out!

Smiles!

~ Broc


This is a very good and basic BBQ Dry Rub. It works well on any food for smoking or grilling. Compliments of DrBBQ [Ray Lampke], National BBQ Champion. www.drbbq.com

- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup Turbinado sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cayenne
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Mix ingredients together
Store in dark, cool, dry place, airtight container

Broc

PS -- Most people leave the fat cap on one side... I don't -- I trim the fat AND the silver skin off.

But -- remember -- I also use bacon to add some fat back to the meat, so it has much less chance of drying out. And, as already stated, everything tastes better with bacon!

~ B

Grandpas Grub

Which one is the best to get and cook?

GG