Ohhh my yums, isn’t that one pretty casserole! This Pork Tenderloin in White Wine recipe features pork fillets cooked on stove top in a delicate, luscious and aromatic sauce. First, we sear the meat over high heat, then deglaze the casserole with white wine and build up the sauce. The meat is then returned to the skillet for as little as 20 minutes of further cooking. The pork comes out moist and tender, and the few ingredients work incredibly well together taking this dish to a whole new level!
The Flavour Affair:
Pork + White Wine + Butter + Apple Vinegar + Onions + Apples + Figs + Thyme
If I had to pick one word to describe this dish, it would be “delicate”. There are no loud flavours here, no overpowering ingredients or dominating notes. Instead, it is a wonderful medley of subtle sour, sweet and savory, with a mild aromatic trail of white wine.
Pork: this recipe works best with pork fillet, or tenderloin. It is fairly thin cut with a tender texture, making it a great choice for quick frying or roasting.
White Wine: go for dry, medium bodied white wine with floral and fruity notes, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
Butter: an important ingredient, butter creates that silky, luscious, “elegant” texture that’s one of the main characteristics of the sauce.
Apple Vinegar: a splash of apple vinegar adds a very subtle tang and helps offset the richness of the butter.
Onions: I use red onions here and cook them first for about 5-7 minutes until they just start to caramelize. Their warm, sweet, honey-like notes add a little extra depth to the dish.
Apples: responsible for the sour element of the sauce, so pick a couple of Granny Smith or similar.
Figs: naturally sweet, with honey-like notes, figs are amazing with pork, especially in a tandem with sour apples.
Thyme: brings in the savory element, balances the sweet and sour aspects with its bitter-ish, earthy notes. I use dried thyme for the rub and fresh sprigs for the sauce.
Preparation Tips for Pork Tenderloin in White Wine with Apples, Figs and Thyme:
This recipe uses a heavy bottom, iron-cast skillet which acts as both a pan and a roasting dish. It is amazing for even distribution of heat and produces equally great results both in the oven and on the stove top.
- Start by prepping the ingredients. Slice the onions, core the apples and cut them into thin wedges, quarter the figs. Keep wine, butter and fresh thyme sprigs at hand.
- Leave 1-2 sliced figs for garnish – they add a gorgeous pop of color!
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tsp of salt with 1 tsp of dried thyme and rub the tenderloins with the mixture. This will help to get a nice crust.
- Sear the tenderloins in frying oil over high heat, then transfer to a large cutting board.
- Add a splash of white wine, about 1/2 of a large (150ml) glass. Watch it steam and bubble, scrape the brown bits off the sides of the pan and stir them in.
- Next, stir in about 25g of butter and pop in the onions. Cook for a few minutes until they start to caramelize, adding a splash of wine here and there as the pan dries out. Add the apples, stir in the remaining 25g butter, pour in the remaining wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes for the alcohol to evaporate.
- After this, season with a pinch of salt, scatter around quartered figs and 2-3 sprigs of thyme. Make two elongated openings and tuck in the tenderloins.
- Cover, lower the heat to minimum and cook for 20 minutes. Check the pork by making a cut in the middle – it should be juicy and just barely pinkish inside. Cut the tenderloins into 1cm thick pieces for serving, and don’t forget to top them with a generous scoop of the sauce!
Recipe Variations and Serving Suggestions
- If you are unable to find fresh figs, fear not! Substitute them with a sweet type of apples such as Fuji or Gala.
- You can enhance the flavours with a couple of spices. Green cardamom would be amazing in this recipe, adding a fresh, vibrant feel. Star anise will accentuate the sweet side of the dish, bringing in more warmth.
- For the side dish I wholeheartedly recommend red cabbage and/or cauliflower (I served both!). Simply toss the vegetables with olive oil mixed with salt and thyme and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes. They will be done just in time to accompany the pork! Alternatively, young boiled potatoes would be great, too.
Looking for more recipes with pork? Here you go:
Fried Pork Chops with Tkemali Sauce
Sticky Pork Belly with Orange, Pineapple and Warm Spice
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Pork Tenderloin in White Wine with Apples, Figs and Thyme
Equipment
- 1 large heavy bottom iron-cast skillet
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins washed and cleaned
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2-3 tbsp oil for frying
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 50 g butter
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 2 green apples cored and sliced
- 6 figs quartered, plus 1-2 for garnish
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Mix 1 tsp salt with 1 tsp dried thyme and rub the tenderloins with the mixture.
- Heat 3 tbsp frying oil in a large non stick casserole and sear the meat on all sides until nicely browned. Transfer to a cutting board.
- Deglaze the casserole with a splash of white wine (about 1/3) and stir in half of the butter.
- Add the vinegar and onions and cook over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes until starting to caramelize. If the pan dries, add another splash of wine.
- Pop in the apples, stir in the remaining butter and the remaining wine and cook for 3-5 minutes until the apples soften.
- Season lightly with salt and add figs and thyme sprigs.
- Make two elongated openings in the sauce and tuck in the fillets.
- Cover, lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes, then check for doneness. The pork should be just slightly pink inside. Leave for a bit longer if it’s not quite there yet.
- Slice and serve generously topped with the sauce and chunks of fruit.
Notes
- Instead of figs, you can use a sweet type of apples such as Fuli or Gala.
- You can enhance the flavours with a few cracked green cardamom pods and/or 1-2 whole star anise spice.
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