Weeknight File: Succulent Pan-Fried Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin’s lack of fat keeps it firmly anchored in the healthy eating canon, a quality that also makes it tricky to cook. The upside is that it accepts marinades willingly and performs well on the grill or in the oven. But unless you remove it from heat at the right time, along comes a texture that’s irreversibly dry.

I wanted to find a weekend pork tenderloin formula that was foolproof, succulent, and offered something different from the usual, which for me is to toss it in a marinade in the morning, then grill it for supper. In the end, slicing the tenderloin into half-inch discs won out. They cooked quickly, held the flavor of the marinade, browned nicely with the addition of breadcrumbs and, most importantly, stayed moist.

Orange Maple Pan-Fried Pork Tenderloin

One Pork TenderloinOil for pan-frying (olive, canola, grapeseed, sunflower) 2 cups breadcrumbs, fresh or dry (season with salt and pepper if plain)

Marinade: Quarter cup maple syrupHalf cup orange juice2 tablespoons course Dijon mustard2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large bowl, whisk together the first three ingredients of the marinade, then slowly add the olive oil until it emulsifies. While oil is heating to medium-high in a large skillet, slice the tenderloin into half-inch slices, then add to the marinade. Toss to coat each piece, as though this is a wet batter. Dredge each wet slice in breadcrumbs, then pan fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until brown. If you like your pork cooked through (no pink), finish in a 350 oven for a few more minutes.