Many of us were raised with applesauce as a condiment for pork dishes. This recipe incorporates applesauce into the pan gravy with the delicious complementary flavor of thyme. It uses inexpensive pork tenderloin steaks which are pounded for tenderness. You may use commercial jarred applesauce, but I recommend taking an extra half-hour to make a homemade thyme applesauce.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless pork loin (not tenderloin)
- 1 cup dry white wine or vermouth
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Grated zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 Tablespoons butter, divided use
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup applesauce or thyme applesauce
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme, for garnish (optional)
Preparation:
Trim any excess fat and gristle from pork loin. Cut into 4 steaks about 1 inch thick. Place each piece between plastic wrap and pound with a flat meat mallet or bottom of a heavy skillet to tenderize. Re-form each into its original shape.
In a large heavy-duty freezer ziptop bag, combine white wine or vermouth, vegetable oil, thyme, lemon zest, and black pepper. Squish to combine. Add pork loin medallions to the marinade in the bag, squeeze out the air, and seal. Turn bag to distribute the marinade evenly around the pork. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. Remove pork from refrigerator and let rest at room temperature in the marinade for 1 hour before cooking.
Remove pork steaks from marinade, discard marinade, and pat pork dry with paper towels. Season with kosher salt. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the oil to the hot pan, swirling to combine. Add pork medallions and cook about 4 minutes on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan (if necessary, cook in batches) and do not overcook. Remove pork to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
Deglaze pan with 1/3 cup white wine, scraping up browned bits. Cook to reduce the liquid to about 2 tablespoons, lower heat, and add applesauce. Heat about 1 minute until warmed through. Return pork steaks to the pan along with any accumulated juices from the platter. Heat about 2 minutes. Remove pork medallions to serving dishes. Quickly swirl remaining tablespoon of butter into the apple pan gravy.
To serve, spoon apple thyme pan sauce over pork steaks and garnish with thyme sprig.
Yield: 4 servings
Photo © 2011 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Suggested Related Recipes
• Honey Mustard Pork Loin Chops Recipe
• Pork Loin Steaks with Pineapple Sauce Recipe
• Apple Cider Pork Loin Recipe
• Cranberry Pepper Pork Loin Roast Recipe
• Garlic Ginger Pork Roast Recipe
• Spiced Pork Roast Recipe
• Pork Ribs in Tomato Gravy Recipe
In a large heavy-duty freezer ziptop bag, combine white wine or vermouth, vegetable oil, thyme, lemon zest, and black pepper. Squish to combine. Add pork loin medallions to the marinade in the bag, squeeze out the air, and seal. Turn bag to distribute the marinade evenly around the pork. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. Remove pork from refrigerator and let rest at room temperature in the marinade for 1 hour before cooking.
Remove pork steaks from marinade, discard marinade, and pat pork dry with paper towels. Season with kosher salt. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the oil to the hot pan, swirling to combine. Add pork medallions and cook about 4 minutes on each side. Do not overcrowd the pan (if necessary, cook in batches) and do not overcook. Remove pork to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
Deglaze pan with 1/3 cup white wine, scraping up browned bits. Cook to reduce the liquid to about 2 tablespoons, lower heat, and add applesauce. Heat about 1 minute until warmed through. Return pork steaks to the pan along with any accumulated juices from the platter. Heat about 2 minutes. Remove pork medallions to serving dishes. Quickly swirl remaining tablespoon of butter into the apple pan gravy.
To serve, spoon apple thyme pan sauce over pork steaks and garnish with thyme sprig.
Yield: 4 servings
Photo © 2011 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Suggested Related Recipes
• Honey Mustard Pork Loin Chops Recipe
• Pork Loin Steaks with Pineapple Sauce Recipe
• Apple Cider Pork Loin Recipe
• Cranberry Pepper Pork Loin Roast Recipe
• Garlic Ginger Pork Roast Recipe
• Spiced Pork Roast Recipe
• Pork Ribs in Tomato Gravy Recipe
