tenderloin

Tenderloin is a cut of meat taken from a long, slender muscle that runs along the spine of the animal. It is renowned for its tenderness, because the muscle does relatively little work. The term is most often used in reference to beef and pork, but similar cuts exist in other species.

Beef tenderloin comes from the loin primal and consists of a single, continuous muscle that can be left whole as a roast or trimmed and portioned into steaks. The whole muscle is the largest part, sometimes called the sirloin end or the butt end at one side and the tail at the other. In culinary terms, the center portion is commonly known as filet mignon when cut into thick individual steaks, while a thicker center region is used for a Chateaubriand roast. Beef tenderloin is very lean and tender but expensive, and cooks best with dry-heat methods such as searing and roasting. It is typically cooked to medium-rare or medium and often trimmed of silverskin and excess fat before cooking.

The pork tenderloin is a lean, cylindrical muscle along the back and is smaller than the beef tenderloin. It is usually sold as a whole roast or cut into medallions. Pork tenderloin cooks quickly and can dry out if overcooked, so it is commonly marinated, browned, and finished with gentle heat or glaze.

Other animals can have analogous tenderloin cuts, though sizes and flavors vary. In culinary usage, tenderloin remains prized for its tenderness and versatility in both roasts and individual portions.