We share our favourite tips to make perfect pork tenderloin every time.

1) Trim the silverskin.
Silverskin is connective tissue that’s chewy and unpleasant to eat. Unlike fat, it doesn’t melt away during the cooking process. Sometimes the butcher has already removed it for you, but in most cases, it’s still on the tenderloin at the time of sale. For the most tender tenderloin, it’s crucial to perform this step. 

2) Choose the right cooking method to avoid overcooking.
One of the advantages of making pork tenderloin is that it doesn’t take long to cook. Aside from the silverskin, there isn’t really any other connective tissue and as a general rule for meat, the more the connective tissue, the longer it needs to cook.

In the Test Kitchen, we like to use a fast cooking technique like sautéing. Alternately, tenderloin can be roasted or it can be cooked in a soup or stew (in which case, cut it into small pieces and stir it in toward the end of the cooking process).

One way to avoid overcooking tenderloin is to invest in a digital instant-read thermometer. To get the most accurate measure of doneness, stick the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. This will mean that the tapered part of your tenderloin will cook faster than the wider part. If you’re cooking medallions, stick the thermometer in sideways.

3) Let it rest.
If you’re making whole tenderloin or medallions, it’s best to let your meat rest for at least 3 to 5 minutes before cutting into it. This will make sure that any juices in the meat aren’t going to run out onto the plate as soon as you cut into it.