Easy Cast Iron Pork Medallions with Brown Butter Pan Sauce
Cast iron pork medallions are so simple to make and packed with a ton of flavour. Using only a single pan, juicy pork tenderloin medallions are seared until golden brown and tossed in an easy to make brown butter pan gravy gravy.
These fast and easy pork medallions are high in protein and low in carbs, perfect for keto diets with 48g of protein and nearly 0g of net carbs!
This low carb high protein recipe is ideal for keto and semi-carnivore lifestyles.
Get more information and recipes for semi-carnivore lifestyles here.
this recipe is part of my 30 minute keto meal series.
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This simple low carb high protein recipe is a perfect last minute keto meal for busy weeknights when you need a meal on the table fast.
Recipe TL;DR
- Cut pork tenderloin into 1″ thick medallions and season.
- Sear in a hot skillet until golden brown and cooked through.
- Make a brown butter sauce by deglazing the skillet with with white wine and thyme.
- Toss the rested pork in the sauce and serve.
Why You’ll Love This
- A simple one pan recipe ready in just 20 minutes.
- Low carb and high protein, this recipe is keto friendly.
- High protein recipes have been shown to help with satiety and weight loss.
- Pairs with a variety of different sides for an easy to make keto meal.
About This Recipe
Pork tenderloin is an incredibly versatile and affordable cut of meat. In this simple recipe pork tenderloin is sliced into medallions, and seared in a hot cast iron pan until golden brown and cooked to a perfect medium in the center. While the pork rests, a simple pan sauce of browned butter, garlic, and herbs is made with the drippings. Before serving the medallions are tossed in the pan sauce until fully coated in the rich, buttery gravy.
This precipice is quick and simple. A perfect last minute recipe when you need a satisfying homemade meal on the table fast.
What is Brown Butter and How Do I Make it?
Brown butter is butter than has been cooked just past the point of melting until the milk solids in the butter begins to caramelize and brown. This creates a deep nutty aroma and a beautiful brown colour adding incredible flavour to any recipe.
To brown butter properly:
- Add regular butter to the skillet over medium heat.
- Allow the butter to melt until it bubbles and becomes foamy.
- Stir the butter gently, continuing to cook until you start to notice little bits of browned solids in the butter. It will look like little brown specks and the butter will start to take on a deeper brown colour.
- At this point either remove the butter from the pan to stop the cooking or add stock, wine, or lemon juice to the pan to build the pan sauce and prevent the butter from burning.
Tips for making brown butter
- Both unsalted and salted butter will work for making brown butter.
- Keep a close eye on the pan while the butter is cooking, it can go from brown to burnt in seconds.
- Brown butter can be used to replace butter in most recipe including baked goods and sauces.
- Brown butter is a quick and simple way to enhance the flavour of any recipe that uses regular butter.
Can I make this recipe without brown butter?
Absolutely, skipping the browning of the butter and using regular butter will still lead to a delicious butter and thyme sauce for the pork tenderloin.
How to Properly Sear Pork Medallions
Using a hot pan on the stove is the best way to get a nice sear on pork medallion without over cooking them.
- Add oil or ghee to a cast iron skillet or heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. You know its hot when the oil begins to glisten and is nearly smoking.
- Season the pork and add to the pan, avoid overcrowding, work in batches if you have too. Sear for 2-3 minutes on the first side. Avoid moving the pork around too much, let it sear until golden brown.
- Flip the pork to sear on the other side for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the pork to a cutting board or cooling rack and let it rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing.
- To ensure the pork is cooked to the proper temperature cut one open or use an instant read thermometer.
Cooking Times and Temperatures
The Pork Medallions
Cooking method: Pan seared
Temperature: Medium-high
Cooking Time: 2-3 minutes per side.
You Know Its Done When: The outside is golden brown and the inside is an even white and soft. The internal temperature should be at least 165ºF [xx ºC] for a perfect medium.
Pork Internal Temperature and doneness
The minimum safe temperature for serving pork as deemed by the USDA is medium, or and internal temperature after resting of 165ºF [xx ºC].
Brown Butter Pan Sauce
Cooking method: Stove top
Temperature: Medium
Cooking Time: 3-5 minutes
You Know It’s Done When: The butter has browned and the sauce has thickened enough to coat the pork.
Avoid cooking the sauce on high heat or it may break the sauce. If the sauce break try adding a few tablespoons of water or lemon juice and whisking vigorously over low heat until it emulsifies.
Recipe Variations
This simple one pan meal is really easy to customize. By adding different seasonings to the pork and pan sauce you can make this a different way every time so you don’t get bored.
- Seasoning variations: This recipe for pork medallions uses just salt and pepper for a simple seasonings. You can easily add any if your favourite savoury spices, rubs, marinades, or seasonings to increase the flavour of the pork.
- Sauce Variations: Instead of the a simple brown butter based pan gravy, you can make yourself a cream sauce, white wine sauce, or something fresh and bright like a chimichurri, or gremolata.
Meat Variations: Pork tenderloin is a soft and tender cut of meat perfect for a quick pan sear. Other cuts of pork can be used however they are likely to by dryer and tougher than tenderloin. Slices of chicken breast, thinly sliced pork shoulder, ribeye, filet mignon, and striploin are all excellent replacements for pork tenderloin this recipe.
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Leftovers and Reheating
Pan seared pork medallion are a great low carb high protein recipe for meal prepping and leftovers.
Allow the cooked pork to cool before storage. Place in a sealed air tight container and keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. If at any point the pork smell or appears rancid, discard it immediately.
Reheating pork tenderloin medallions
Reheat leftover pork tenderloin gently to avoid overcooking and making it tough. Here are 3 methods for reheating pork medallions that keeps them soft, juicy, and tender.
Stove top:
Simple and effective, warms the pork through and keeps it moist thanks to the added butter.
- Melt butter in a cast iron skillet or frying pan aver medium low heat.
- Once melted add the leftover pork medallions and cook, flipping occasionally until the pork is warmed through but soft.
Oven:
Great for reheating lots at a time, can dry out pork if left too long, but when done right keeps it juicy and tender.
- Place the pork in an oven safe skillet.
- Place a pat of butter on each one or drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake at 325F [xxxC] for 8-10 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure its not over cooking.
- Cook until warmed through.
Microwave:
The quickest method but with the most downsides. The microwave can easily over cook the pork making it tough and chewy, but works well for packed lunches at work or school.
- Place the porn on a microwave safe dish.
- Add a small pat of butter to each one or drizzle in olive oil.
- Heat for 45-50 seconds at a time on high until the pork is warmed through but still soft.
Freezer Tips
This pork recipe is so quick and simple its best to make it fresh every time. If you have leftovers you don’t know what to do with, they can be stored in a sealed container in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Thaw in the fridge until soft and reheat according to one of the methods above.
Recipe Card
Cast Iron Pork Medallion with Brown Butter Sauce
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Equipment
- Knife and Cutting Board
- cast iron skillet or heavy bottom skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ - 2 pounds pork tenderloin cut into 1" thick medallions
- Salt and Pepper
- oil/ghee for frying
- 5 tablespoons butter salted
- ½ cup chicken broth or white wine
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme roughly chopped
- 3 leaves sage roughly chopped
Instructions
- Slice and season the pork. Cut the pork tenderloin into 1" [2.5cm] thick medallions and pat them dry with a paper towel. Season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides and press the seasoning lightly into the pork.1 ½ - 2 pounds pork tenderloin, Salt and Pepper
- Sear the pork on both sides. Heat oil or ghee in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot and glistening, place the pork medallion in the skillet, flat side down and sear the first side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Flip the medallions over to sear the other side for approximately 2 minutes. Avoid over crowding the pan, work in batches if necessary. Remove the pork to a cutting board or cooling rack to rest while you make the sauce.oil/ghee
- Brown the butter. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the butter begins to bubble and brown. Pay close attention to make sure it doesn't burn. You want brown butter not burnt butter. As soon as the butter turns golden brown move on tot he next step.5 tablespoons butter
- Deglaze the skillet. Add the garlic to the butter and sauté for 60 seconds. Add the chicken broth or wine, thyme, and sage to the pan and use a wooden spoon to gently scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze any pork drippings. Simmer the sauce until the wine reduces and the sauce begins to thicken.1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 leaves sage, 1 clove garlic
- Toss, sauce, and serve. Turn off the heat and add the seared pork medallions to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated using the recipe calculator and verified database available from Cronometer. Although every reasonable effort is made to provide accurate information this estimate is provided as courteously and convenience only. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
Try the free recipe calculator at Cronometer
Enjoy!
