SOUS VIDE WHISKEY CREAM PORK TENDERLOIN
Weekdays during a Utah winter demand certain… creative adaptations in the Outdoor Cook’s style. It’s not every day I fire up the smoker and cook meats all day long. Rarely can I do so during the week because I work from home and cannot babysit my food all the time.
By the time I am finished with work, I am typically helping the kids get homework done. By then, it is dark and cold outside and I have little motivation to fire up the grill to cook something. However, a family still needs to eat.
Last winter, I invested in a Sous Vide Cooker from Anova Culinary. This post is not a review of the Anova Pro, though I will have one soon.
I have fallen in love with my Sous Vide. If you haven’t used one, I highly recommend doing so. It is amazing. Essentially, I take food that I have prepped beforehand such as a pork tenderloin sliced thin to where I can thaw and make schnitzel, or in this case, my Jameson Cream Tenderloin.
What is Sous Vide?
Sous Vide is the process where we use a temperature-controlled water bath to cook food. Typically, food is vacuum sealed (some folks use a plastic bag) and you plan to finish meats buy searing.
For example, you could season your meat prior to sealing in vacuum bags, allowing the meat to cook with seasonings, herbs, or even added fats such as butter.
When I purchase meat in bulk, I will divide it in serving-size portions for my family of 6, vacuum seal the portions, and remove from the freezer and throw it straight in the Sous Vide bath. The amazing part of cooking frozen foods is you can simply add additional time to compensate.
My pork was thawed, so I cooked it for 90 minutes at 140F. If the pork is frozen, I would have added an additional 30 minutes to compensate for the frozen meat. The results are amazing.
The two main reasons I love my Sous Vide cooker are: first, I love throwing frozen meat in the cooker (I am prone to forgetting to thaw meats for weekday dinners); second, you lose little to no moisture when cooking with Sous Vide. Steaks, chops, roasts, chicken breasts - it all comes out amazing.
Pork Tenderloin
When it comes to pork, the tenderloin - also known as the pork fillet - is one of my go-to cuts of meat. In my opinion, the versatility of the cut offers so many possibilities, one can never go wrong with a small stock of the cut.
When you purchase the cut, they typically come with 2-3 in a single package. You can slice them thin, or cook them whole. This recipe works with any type of pork or chicken.
Alright, here’s what you need:
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Pork Tenderloin (or boneless pork chops) cut around 1/2” thick. I always slice mine when it is partially frozen to get better slices.
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Sous Vide temperature: 140F
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Time: 90 minutes
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10-12” Cast Iron Skillet. Need a good recommendation for a cast iron skillet? Here is the one I use: Stargazer Cast Iron.
When the pork is finished cooking, remove from the bag and heat a cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. I've fallen in love with my ThermoWorks gear. I use my IR-Gun, check it out here.
When the cast iron is ready, add a little oil and sear both sides of the pork for 2-3 minutes.
Set aside when complete and temporarily remove cast iron from the heat.
Whiskey Cream Sauce:
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1/3 cup Jameson Whiskey (any whiskey or bourbon will work)
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1 cup heavy cream
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1/2 cup vegetable broth
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1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
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1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
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1 handful chopped Italian parsley
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Juice and Zest of 1 lemon
Directions
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To make the sauce, carefully pour in your whiskey in the still-hot skillet.
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Return the skillet to the heat, gently whisk the mixture, turning up the bits of char leftover from searing the pork. Let the whiskey cook until 50% of the liquid has evaporated.
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Gently mix in heavy cream, vegetable broth, salt and pepper.
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Bring the mixture to a boil, then adjust heat to medium-low and whisk in the vegetable broth until it thickens. Usually 2-3 minutes.
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Then add the parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and parsley. Mix for 2 more minutes, allowing the cheese to melt and evenly distribute throughout. When finished, remove from heat.
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Spritz with lemon before serving.