Pork Medallions Cherry Spice
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Pork medallions pan-seared, coated lightly in flour, served with a cherry spiced sauce thickened with a veal stock base. Uses star anise and five-spice powder for warmth and complexity. Red wine and sour cherries provide acidity and sweetness. Cooked with aromatics like shallots, carrots, and garlic to build flavor layers. Butter and olive oil achieve a balanced sear. Sauce reduced to syrupy thickness, finished with butter for silkiness. Serve with rice or steamed veggies. Adjust cook times slightly depending on pork thickness and pan heat. Cherry juice and veal fond key to body and tang. Simple but nuanced. Replaces star anise with cinnamon and uses chicken stock instead of veal for lighter notes. Carrots swapped to parsnips for earthiness. Adds fresh thyme for freshness.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
30 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
2 servings
#pork
#cherry sauce
#French-inspired
#chicken stock
#cinnamon
#five-spice
#parsnips
#aromatics
#pan-seared
Starting mid-focus here: pork tenderloin sliced medallions, coated lightly with flour to pull in sauce. The cherry juice—sweetness behind acidity—is magic with deep red wine reduction and aromatics. Par-cooked parsnips instead of carrots add that earthiness I love over the usual sweet notes; tried it differently before and learned that texture matters. Cinnamon sticks swap star anise for less intense spice, but still layered and intriguing. Don’t underestimate resting the pork after sear—keeps it tender. Sauce reduction timing is about watching viscosity and smell more than clock. Butter finishes sauce off with gloss and richness, absolutely necessary for indulgence. Serve with rice or greens, something that soaks flavor. Cooking is sensory; listen to sizzle, smell the softened shallots, watch sauce thicken till coats spoon. Every step builds flavor depth.
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin approx 500 g
- 70 ml all-purpose flour
- 200 ml jarred sour cherries, drained
- 200 ml reserved cherry juice
- 50 g unsalted butter divided
- 20 ml olive oil
- Salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 large shallot minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 60 ml diced parsnip
- 110 ml dry red wine
- 2 medium cinnamon sticks
- 400 ml chicken stock
- 60 ml ground five-spice powder
- 1 fresh thyme sprig
About the ingredients
Don’t skip drying pork well before flouring—wet surfaces won’t brown properly, leading to soggy crust. Flour coating protects while searing, absorbs juices and encourages Maillard browning for aroma. Parsnips offer slight sweetness and creamy texture compared to carrots; if unavailable, carrots or even celery root make fine subs. Use fresh garlic and shallots for freshest aroma; avoid pre-minced for better flavor punch and texture. Butter must be cold when finishing sauce—adds silkiness without breaking sauce. If veal stock unavailable, chicken stock is easier to source and lighter but keep reduction times longer to build richness. Fresh thyme adds bright herbal note, helps balance heavy spices. Adjust spice quantity conservatively; five-spice powder is potent and can overpower.
Method
- Slice pork into six 2 cm thick medallions. Pat dry. Lightly flatten medallions with palm to even thickness—key for even cooking. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess to avoid gummy crusts. Drain cherries separately, reserve liquid carefully.
- Heat skillet over medium-high. Add half butter with olive oil, shimmering hot but not smoking. Sear medallions 3-5 minutes per side, aiming for light browning and slight firmness—medium rare depends on thickness. Salt and pepper towards end. Internal color should hold faint blush—not raw but tender and juicy. Remove, tent with foil to rest—carryover cooking important to keep moist.
- Same pan, reduce heat to medium. Toss in shallots, garlic, and parsnips. Stir gently—use wooden spoon—soften till translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Avoid browning here; want mellow sweetness, not bitter char. Deglaze with red wine and cherry juice. Scrape browned bits stuck to pan—flavor gold. Add cinnamon sticks for warm spice punch. Reduce liquids down to near syrup consistency, watch bubbles slow and thicken—aroma fills kitchen, signals next step.
- Pour in chicken stock, sprinkle in five-spice, and drop thyme sprig. Simmer gently; bubbles slow and fewer. Reduce to about two thirds original volume—sauce thickens, layers concentrate. Taste and adjust salt, hint of pepper. Remove solids by straining or fish out cinnamon and thyme. Return sauce to heat, fold in cherries for one minute infusion, then swirl in remaining butter off heat to gloss and enrich texture. Whisk briskly for emulsification—creates silky mouthfeel.
- Plate. Spoon sauce over warm pork medallions. Sauce clings, shiny and aromatic. Serve with steamed seasonal veg or fluffy rice—both soak up nuances without overpowering. Remember, carryover and resting time critical—jump to plating too soon and juices escape. Medallions should be tender, moist, with sauce balancing fruit brightness and spice warmth.
- If no chicken stock, use good quality vegetable broth or dilute demi-glace. Parsnips replace carrots well but keep cooking time close. Cinnamon replaces star anise for gentler spice; fresh thyme gives brightness missing in dried bay leaves. Flour dusting prevents proteins drying out and helps sauce stick. Avoid overheated oil; pans too hot burn butter, ruining sauce finish.
Cooking tips
Searing medallions hot and fast preserves juiciness, avoid overcrowding pan to prevent steaming. Rest meat loosely tented with foil—don’t wrap tight or lose crust texture. Aromatic veggie base must soften gently; high heat risks bitter notes, pay attention to translucence and smell before deglazing. Reduction stages are visual and olfactory cues: syrupy sauce bubbles slow, smell intensifies, liquid coats spoon back fully—stop reducing before burning. Strain sauce to exclude cinnamon sticks and thyme for clean finish unless rustic effect desired. Adding butter off heat prevents sauce from separating, whisk vigorously for emulsification. Adjust seasoning at the end—spices sharpen or mute as sauce cools slightly. Each step builds on the last; rushing skews texture or flavor balance.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Dry pork well before flouring. Wet surface yields soggy crust; flour sticks better dry. Flour coating protects meat moisture during sear, prevents drying. Don’t overload pan or medallions steam, lose crust. Use butter plus olive oil mixture for balanced sear. Butter alone burns fast; oil tames heat but sacrifices butter color.
- 💡 Sear over medium-high but watch closely. Medallions 2 cm thick need 3-5 minutes per side. Flip once crisp crust forms—avoid poking or pressing. Carryover cooking happens in rest stage under foil tent. Remove pan from heat when faint blush inside, not raw but tender. Fat loss minimized by resting gently covered, crust stays crisp.
- 💡 Deglaze pan with red wine, cherry juice after veggies soften translucent. Avoid browning shallots and parsnips too much or sauce gains bitter note. Reduction to syrupy consistency is sensory: bubbles slow, thick coating on spoon back, aroma intensifies. Cinnamon sticks add warmth but not overpower; remove before plating or rustic textures persist.
- 💡 Add chicken stock after initial reduction, sprinkle five-spice powder sparingly. Strong spice—too much masks subtle cherry, thyme freshness. Simmer gently, reduce to two-thirds volume. Taste often, salt adjusts late stage as flavors concentrate. Strain solids or pick out cinnamon and thyme sprig to avoid fibrous bits in sauce.
- 💡 Finish sauce off heat by whisking in cold butter in small pieces for silky glaze. Avoid overheating to prevent sauce breaking or oily separation. Adding butter cold emulsifies sauce, providing mouthfeel and shine. Fold in drained cherries last minute for warmth without softening fruit too much. Serve immediately with rice or steamed veg that absorb sauce nuances.
Common questions
Can I substitute chicken stock?
Yes. Use vegetable broth or diluted demi-glace. Keep cooking time longer to build richness. Stock type changes flavor weight, lighter stock needs longer simmer. Adjust seasoning after reduction to balance taste.
What if pork is thicker?
Adjust sear time up or down. Thickness changes carryover cooking—too thick means longer rest needed. Avoid overcooking by watching flesh color, feel more than timer. Use thermometer if unsure, target 60-63 degrees C warm medium rare.
Why no overbrowning veggies?
Bitter char ruins sauce base sweetness. Cook shallots and parsnips low-medium heat till translucent, soft. Flavor extraction gentle, not caramelized. Prevent burnt taste by stirring often, moderating heat. Allows better balance of aromatics with spices and fruit acidity.
How to store leftovers?
Cool quickly, store airtight in fridge max 2 days. Sauce thickens on cooling, loosen with splash water or stock. Reheat gently in pan, avoid microwave overheating. Freeze optional but sauce texture changes; thaw slow for best results.
