by Diana Rattray
Pork tenderloin is lean and mild and cooks quickly, making it an excellent choice for any night of the week. The prep work is minimal as well. You have to slice the pork, combine the sauce ingredients, and cook—that’s all there is to it! The sauce is made with basic pantry ingredients you probably have on hand: vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch.
The sliced pork cooks quickly, and the pineapple’s sweet and sour sauce flavors it perfectly. Add a bit of sambal or crushed red pepper to the sauce if you like some heat. The pork is lovely served over plain white or brown rice or with noodles or quinoa. It’s versatile as well. Feel free to use all green bell peppers or any combination of other colors. Add some minced chile pepper, such as red Fresno or green jalapeño, if you like heat. Or add a small amount of chili garlic paste (sambal).
According to the USDA, pork must be cooked to a minimum safe temperature of at least 145 F. This temperature recommendation may be different in other countries.
PrintSweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin Medallions
Try this sweet and sour pork tenderloin medallions for an easy weeknight meal. The dish is fantastic served over noodles, rice, or quinoa!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Pork
Ingredients
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits (in juice)
- 2/3 cup water
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed, light or dark
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced onion
- 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
Instructions
- Pat the pork tenderloin with paper towels to dry. Trim any visible fat and remove the thin, shiny silver skin. Slice it into 1/2-inch thick medallions.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the pork slices. Cook until the pork is nicely browned on both sides (about 2 minutes on each side).
- Drain pineapple through a colander over a bowl; reserve the juice.
- add 2/3 cups of water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and salt to the reserved juice. Pour over the pork tenderloin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pork pieces and keep warm.
- In a cup or bowl, combine the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water; stir until smooth. Add the cornstarch and water mixture to the skillet. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and bubbly.
- Add the pineapple tidbits, onion, and green pepper to the skillet. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Add the pork back to the skillet and heat through.
