This simple kid friendly Pork tenderloin recipe is an easy and delicious meal, perfect for a quick mid week dinner or a more lazy lunch at the weekend. I add a creamy mushroom sauce with this as it goes beautifully, it's silky smooth, and a big hit with kids. It's a winner!
Kid Friendly Pork Tenderloin
I don't cook Pork all that often and to be honest, pork in our house is almost exclusively restricted to bacon. I don't know why. Pork tenderloin is a fairly cheap piece of meat and easy to get hold of and very kid friendly as the flavor isn't strong.
I think perhaps it always feels like it's going to dry out and become tough, and it is easy to dry it out too much, so I opt out of making it. However, this pan fried tenderloin recipe keeps it beautifully juicy and the secret is to cook it fast, on a fairly high heat.
Frying the pork in butter gives you lovely caramelised crunchy bits and using the same pan to cook the creamy mushroom sauce means you're getting all the flavors from the cooked pork in the sauce as well.
I use a beef stock in this recipe even though the meat is pork. Why? I find beef stock much richer than chicken, and the depth of flavor turns the mushroom sauce from nice to something that's totally yummy. You can use beef, chicken or vegetable stock in this, just bear in mind the finished sauce won't be as indulgent as with beef, although still creamily delicious :)
I used fresh Thyme I have in the garden. Thyme and pork go together well and I add enough to be fragrant but not enough to be overpowering, especially for little ones getting used to new flavors.
You can use dried thyme if you can't get fresh. I'd recommend halving the quantity as dried Thyme is much stringer than fresh.
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How To Keep Pork Tenderloin Juicy
Keeping Pork tenderloin juicy is one of the most important parts of this, and it's the main reason I think I don't cook Pork all that often. Flash frying the pork on a high heat is a good way to keep the meat juicy. I like my tenderloins to be fairly thin. By this I mean about three quarters of an inch thick, any more and the outside seems to become tough while you're making sure the inside is cooked.
I pan fry these for 3 minutes on each side and then take them straight out of the pan and place them to one side while I make the sauce. I don't have a temperature probe, so I generally do the old fashioned thing and cut one in half to check it's cooked.
I'm a little paranoid about white meats and so I'd always recommend cutting into it to make sure it's fully cooked through!
What To Eat With Tenderloins
I usually serve this with steamed vegetables, and some sort of potato dish. Because the sauce is deliciously creamy and rich, I don't do anything fancy with the vegetables and just steam some broccoli, boil some peas or carrots.
The potato dish is often mash, it's so good with the sauce, mashed potato is what the kids ask for if given a choice. Roast potatoes are also good with this, as are some homemade wedges.
More Easy Mid Week Dinners
How To Make Kid Friendly Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 4 Medium Pork tenderloins Roughly ¾ inch thick
- 2½ Cups Mushrooms Peeled and sliced
- ¼ Cup Butter Split into 2 portions
- 1 Cup Beef stock Sodium free
- ¾ Cup Cream
- 2 tbsp Thyme
- Salt & pepper To season
Instructions
- Add half the butter, a good pinch of salt and pepper and the Thyme to a skillet and heat until the butter is sizzling
- Place your tenderloins in the pan, and leave for 3 minutes
- Turn the tenderloins over and cook for another 3 minutes and then remove from the pan and put to one side
- Add the rest of the butter to the skillet. Then add the mushrooms and with a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan and mix with the buttery mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until they're fully cooked
- Add the stock, combine. Cook for a minute or two and then add the cream and fully combine
- Simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes until thickened
- Place the tenderloins back in the skillet and let keep simmering for a couple of minutes
- Serve with steamed vegetables and a potato side
Kid Friendly Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Kid Friendly Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 4 Medium Pork tenderloins Roughly ¾ inch thick
- 2½ Cups Mushrooms Peeled and sliced
- ¼ Cup Butter Split into 2 portions
- 1 Cup Beef stock Sodium free
- ¾ Cup Cream
- 2 tablespoon Thyme
- Salt & pepper To season
Instructions
- Add half the butter, a good pinch of salt and pepper and the Thyme to a skillet and heat until the butter is sizzling
- Place your tenderloins in the pan, and leave for 3 minutes
- Turn the tenderloins over and cook for another 3 minutes and then remove from the pan and put to one side
- Add the rest of the butter to the skillet. Then add the mushrooms and with a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan and mix with the buttery mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until they're fully cooked
- Add the stock, combine. Cook for a minute or two and then add the cream and fully combine
- Simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes until thickened
- Place the tenderloins back in the skillet and let keep simmering for a couple of minutes
- Serve with steamed vegetables and a potato side
