Pork Tenderloin

part of: Pig

Pork tenderloin (also called pork fillet) is the most tender cut on the pig. It’s a long, narrow muscle that sits inside the loin, does very little work during the animal’s life, and is consequently extremely lean and fine-grained.

It cooks quickly — a whole tenderloin can be roasted, grilled, or pan-seared in under 20 minutes — making it a popular weeknight option. Its mild flavour takes well to marinades, spice rubs, and sauces. The main challenge is avoiding overcooking, as the low fat content means it dries out rapidly past medium.

Pork tenderloin is often sliced into medallions for pan-frying or butterflied and stuffed for a more impressive presentation. It’s one of the leanest cuts of any meat.

Farmed
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

The tenderloin is a small, elongated muscle located inside the rib cage, beneath the loin. During butchering, it is carefully separated from the surrounding loin and spine. The silverskin — a thin, tough membrane on the surface — is typically trimmed away, as it doesn’t break down during cooking. The resulting cut is sold whole as a single, tapered piece of lean muscle.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 109kcal
Protein 21g
Carbs 0g
Fat 2.2g
Fibre 0g Sugar 0g
Mass Distribution

1 roast is about 505 g — roughly 550 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon 6.58kg
Freshwater 2.16L
Land 349m²

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

lean roast or medallion

Goes well with
mustard garlic apple cream thyme honey
Classic dishes
  • Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
  • Pork Medallions with Cream Sauce
  • Pork Wellington
  • Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Keeping it

In the freezer: 120–360 days (from date of purchase).

In the fridge: 3–5 days (from date of purchase).

Advice from Cubud’s own keeping notes — how to keep it, not a measured number.

Keeping one at home? Track yours in your cubud →

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

made fromPig, loin tenderloin goes well withmustard goes well withgarlic goes well withapple goes well withthyme goes well withhoney shares a sourceBacon shares a sourceGround Pork shares a sourceHam shares a sourceHot Dogs & Frankfurters shares a sourceLuncheon Meats shares a sourcePork Belly shares a sourcePork Chops & Steaks shares a sourcePork Extremities & Odd Bits
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