Pork loin vs pork tenderloin

GrillinSailor · October 21

Is the ever a reason to cook pork loin over pork tenderloin? Why? What would you make that you couldn’t make with the tenderloin?

fishlessman · October 21

porkloin hammered out makes great pork parmesian for pasta. bone in porkloin sliced thin makes great fried pork chops. loin roasts are pretty good if you get them off the grill before 135f. porkloin is big and inexpensive.

Gulfcoastguy · October 21

An inexpensive way to feed a crowd. Make sure to brine it and don’t over cook.

alaskanassasin · October 21

I like to slice them into pork chops.

Botch · October 22

@GrillinSailor , your original question wasn't really answered. Tenderloin has almost no fat, and so needs to be cooked carefully and not too hot or long; it's a lousy cut for anything "barbeque", like a butt would be. I've felt that a pork loin is kinda in the middle (a nice fat cap but not too much marbling), easier to roast and (in my case) ideal for using in stir-fries; my local grocer has started offering loin "steaks/chops" and I like them, did a couple balsamic chops recently (think I posted the cook here) and will be doing a couple stir-fries starting tomorrow. I got a pkg of 8 steaks/chops for $9, pretty good price for eight meals' protein.

I haven't directly compared the price of a two-tenderloin pkg, vs a 8-pak of loin chops; I do have a standard two-tenderloin pkg in the freezer, and plan on dry-brining the first one overnight, then rolling it in slightly-expired Old-Bay seasoning, and cooking it raised-direct, to see what happens (will post that cook soon). Got the idea from either a random EweTube post, or possibly a fever dream...

GrateEggspectations · October 22

Put your exact post into ChatGPT and this is what it spat out:

“There are definitely reasons to choose pork loin over pork tenderloin, depending on what you're cooking. While they come from the same general area of the pig, they are very different cuts with distinct textures, fat content, and best cooking methods. Here's why you'd use pork loin instead of tenderloin:

🥩 Key Differences Recap:

Pork Loin	Pork Tenderloin
Larger, wider, and flatter	Smaller, thinner, and cylindrical
Mildly marbled with fat	Very lean
Can be bone-in or boneless	Always boneless
Better for slow roasting or grilling whole	Best for quick roasting, searing, or slicing into medallions

✅ When to Choose Pork Loin Over Tenderloin

1. When You Want to Feed a Crowd

Why: Pork loin is much larger than a tenderloin (typically 2–4 lbs vs. 1 lb).
Use Case: A holiday roast or Sunday dinner for 6–8 people.
Tenderloin is too small to serve a group without buying multiples.

2. When You Need a Cut That Can Handle Slow Cooking or Smoking

Why: Pork loin has more fat and structure, so it holds up well to longer cook times.
Use Case:
- Smoked pork loin
- Stuffed pork roast
- Sous vide pork roast
- Grilled pork roast with a dry rub

Tenderloin dries out quickly under these conditions and doesn’t benefit from long cooking.

3. When You Want Pork Chops or Cutlets

Why: Pork loin can be sliced into chops of various thicknesses, including bone-in rib chops or boneless loin chops.
Use Case:
- Classic grilled pork chops
- Breaded pork cutlets (schnitzel-style)
- Pan-fried pork chops with pan sauce

Tenderloin is too narrow and delicate to create traditional chops.

4. When You Want to Stuff or Roll the Meat

Why: Pork loin is large and flat enough to butterfly and roll with filling.
Use Case:
- Stuffed pork loin with spinach, mushrooms, cheese, apples, etc.
- Porchetta-style roast (boneless version)

Tenderloin is too small and narrow for this kind of preparation.

❌ What Pork Loin Can’t Do That Tenderloin Can:

Be ready quickly (tenderloin cooks in ~20 minutes).
Be used for ultra-tender medallions or stir-fry.
Deliver the same “fine-dining” experience in a lean, elegant cut.

🧑‍🍳 Summary:

Choose pork loin when you want:

A larger roast
Chops or cutlets
A slow-cooked or grilled centerpiece
To stuff, slice, or smoke the meat

Choose tenderloin for:

Quick cooking
Stir-fries, medallions, or elegant plating
Very lean, mild pork flavor

Let me know if you want recipe ideas tailored to either cut!”

Gulfcoastguy · October 22

I grill pork tenderloin raised direct often. I have a wet rub that I use when I want to be fancy. Just roll it on and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The same wet rub just doesn’t penetrate as well on pork loin.

GrateEggspectations · October 22

One thing’s for sure - As @botch noted, pork is astoundingly economical. I suspect that’ll change with time.