Do you sometimes yell at your television?

I yell at my TV every time I watch a cooking show where someone uses the terms “pork loin” and “pork tenderloin” interchangeably. They are not the same cut of meat!

I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised, because both cuts come from the whole pork loin, but they are two distinctly different pieces of meat. And the confusion between the two cuts runs deep with tradition. Throughout the Midwest, they make something called a pork tenderloin sandwich which is really a slice of pork loin that’s pounded thin, breaded, fried until golden brown and delicious, and served on a bun. It looks amazing, but it’s pork loin, folks, not tenderloin!

Pork loin is located next to the pig’s spine, with the meat sitting right on top of the baby back ribs. If a pig asked you to scratch his back, you’d be scratching pork loin. Pork loin is sold bone-in or boneless, usually with a fat cap. You can cook it whole as a roast, or you can cut it into chops.

Pork tenderloin is a thin cylindrical muscle that’s attached to the inside of the ribcage. You couldn’t scratch a pig’s back and touch tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is sold boneless and is very lean, with no fat cap. In fact, pork tenderloin is just as lean as skinless chicken breast…very heart healthy! You can cook it whole or slice it into medallions for pan searing.

What pork loin and pork tenderloin both have in common is a mild taste. Both need something to amp-up the flavor. Think dry rubs, marinades, brining, salting, or serving with flavorful sauces over the meat or on the side.

Pork Loin	Pork Tenderloin

So now you know the difference between pork loin and pork tenderloin.  We now return you to our regularly scheduled program already in progress. And feel free to yell at your television as much as you like.

Photos: National Pork Board

In my post about Pork Tenderloin Steaks, I mentioned SYD rub.

Harry Soo of Slap Yo’ Daddy BBQ was kind enough to do a Q&A on The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board in 2010 in which he shared the recipe for his SYD All-Purpose Rub. It went something like this:

• 4 TBSP kosher salt
• 2 TBSP granulated sugar
• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 2 TBSP mild chili powder
• 2 TBSP paprika
• 1 TBSP ground cumin
• 1 TBSP granulated garlic
• 1 TBSP black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

More recently, Harry has simplified the recipe, and this is the one I’ve been using.

• 1 TBSP Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
• 1 TBSP granulated sugar
• 1 TBSP McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 1-1/2 tsp mild chili powder
• 1-1/2 tsp paprika
• 1-1/2 tsp granulated garlic
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

These measurements make the amount of rub shown in the jar in the photo above, a little less than half a cup.

The May/June 2014 issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine features a technique for grilled pork tenderloin “steaks”. I’ve made them a few times recently and the family loves them!

The premise behind the technique is that by pounding out the tenderloin, you create almost 30% more surface area for searing, and searing = flavor!

Start by removing any silver skin and large areas of fat, then cut the tenderloin into two equal pieces.

Cover with plastic wrap or a Ziploc bag and using a heavy, flat-bottomed drinking glass, pound each piece to 3/4″ thick.

Use a sharp knife to cut a shallow cross-hatch pattern on both sides of each steak to promote a crusty exterior. Season liberally with your favorite rub, or marinate the meat.

Sear both sides to get a good crust, then reduce the heat or move to a cooler part of the grill and continue cooking to about 5*F below your preferred internal temperature. I overcooked these to about 150*F; 135-140*F would have been better, but even at 150*F, the meat was still plenty moist.

Brush both sides with a favorite BBQ sauce right at the end of cooking. Remove from the grill, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for just 5 minutes before brushing with more sauce and slicing to serve.

My family loves pork tenderloin, and I love having a new way to cook it in my bag of tricks. Give this one a try, I think you’ll like it!

P.S. I used Slap Yo Daddy rub and Kinder’s Mild BBQ sauce. I’ll post the SYD rub recipe soon.