How to get Tender Pork
There’s a very good reason why Pork Medallions, or in this case, why my Barbecue Pork medallion is so tender. It’s a Pork Tenderloin. So unless you over cook or burn the meat, it’s virtually impossible to not have silver dollar sized slices that practically melt in your mouth. The secret to my recipe is just a 24 hour marinade. As far as the rest goes, there really isn’t much to it. In fact you don’t even have to use any special dressing or any cure for the meat. Just your favorite BBQ Sauce!
Marinating in Barbecue Sauce
I learned this recipe when I worked for P.F. Chang’s. It’s very easy to make, using any barbecue sauce, but I recommend learning how to make theirs, because it’s raw and uncooked. Using raw, uncooked barbecue sauce for marinating is important because it helps the meat absorb all those fresh flavors without being cooked down or altered. It also allows the natural ingredients—like spices, herbs, and sugars—to really penetrate the meat and enhance its flavor. Plus, it avoids any potential bitterness that can come from pre-cooked sauces.
When the meat is cooked in that raw barbecue sauce, the sugars in the sauce begin to caramelize, creating a rich, flavorful crust on the surface of the meat. This caramelization not only adds depth and complexity to the flavor but also helps lock in moisture, giving you that perfect balance of tenderness and that lovely, caramelized outer layer. It really elevates the dish!
Baking a Pork Tenderloin
There’s nothing to it, but the way I was first introduced to the Barbecue Pork Medallion, we were hanging 1 lbs portions with meat hooks that draped over skewers on the top rack shelf of a meat locker oven. A pan on the bottom caught all the drippings. It’s very common to cook ribs, thighs or poultry this way as well. However, given that most of us don’t have restaurant size ovens in our kitchens, any pan or oven safe dish will do just fine. After a 24 hour marinade in your favorite Barbecue sauce, 350 degrees in your oven, for an hour and a half, will get you right where you want to be when your slicing up your succulent Barbecue Pork Medallion.
This is the way P.F. Chang’s makes their Pork Medallion, only they use their barbecue sauce, however. I have the recipe for that too.
Other Recommended Recipes
P.F. Chang’s Barbecue Sauce, Barbecue Spare Ribs, Country style Barbecue Ribs, Barbecue Lil’ Smokies, Easy Pan-Fried Pork Chops, No-Bake Barbecue Barbecue Beans, Barbecue Beef Ribs, Boston Butt Roast!
Barbecue Pork Medallion Ingredients:
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Barbecue Sauce – Used as a raw marinade to infuse flavor deep into the meat. As it cooks, the natural sugars caramelize, creating a rich glaze and enhanced flavor.
- 1 Pork Tenderloin – A lean, tender cut that absorbs marinade well and stays juicy when cooked properly. Perfect for slicing into medallions after baking.
Instructions
- Place the pork tenderloin in a container or resealable bag and completely coat it with the barbecue sauce.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours to allow the flavors to fully penetrate the meat.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bake the marinated tenderloin for 1½ hours, allowing the sauce to cook, thicken, and caramelize.
- Remove from the oven and let the pork rest for 5 minutes to retain juices.
- Slice into medallion-sized pieces and serve with extra barbecue sauce on the side.
