Pork Tenderloin?!
Answers: How do you know when pork tenderloin is done? Is it like steak and you can have it any way? Or does it have to be a certain colour (like chicken) before you can eat it?
It was once believed that like chicken, pork had to be cooked well done, because it is a white meat. It seems as though this was just an old wives' tale tohugh. I wouldn't cook it rare, but I much refer my pork to be medium, as it has a better flavour than the dry, well done pork we were all used to having. It is also a lot more juicier.
For medium pork, cook it to an internal temperature 160 F or 70 C.
If you don't have a thermometer, stick the tip of a knife into the thickest part of the meat, then pull it out and hold the tip to your lip, as it is the most sensitive to heat. If it is hot, it's cooked, and if you do want it medium, the meat should yield and spring back under pressure.
Hate to tell you this JB, but you're wrong. Pork is not like chicken and can be eaten medium. Today’s pork is a lean, wholesome product. Because it is so lean, overcooking will yield a dry, tough result. Ground pork and sausages, like all other ground meats, should always be cooked to well done.
regardless of the type of meat - the best way to tell if it is done is use a meat thermometer. here is a good chart to use...
Pork should be cooked to 155 degrees minimum. The very best way is to purchase an instant read meat thermometer (can find them at a good grocery store). We cook ours on the outdoor grill over low medium heat for about 40 min. Its always done at that point. Let it rest for 10min. or so covered with foil, before you slice it. Bon Appetit!
A lot of pork tenderloins will come with a pop up thermometer to show when it's done. The only fail safe way (without a thermometer) is though is to cook it for the time allotted in a recipe and cut into it at the thickest part. Pork should be white on the inside... not pink. It's somewhat like chicken... you really don't want pork medium, or rare... it needs to be cooked all the way through. Don't cook it too long though or it will dry out!~
This is for a 4 lb. piece of meat. If you are going to cook it in the oven, I would cook it at 200 - 215 for 4 hours uncovered. The wrap in foil for another 2 hours or so. The typical timeline is 1.5 hours per pound but cooking it longer (1.75 per lb.) at a lower temp will produce a meat that is very tender. An internal temp of 190 will produce very good meat. This is the way I cook mine on my smoker. The meat will be done with no need to check the temp.
Get one . It's like driving blindfolded without one.190F deg in a smoker is perfect but it's shoe leather in a oven .Low and slow is different than in an oven .140F deg is about right remove and loosely foil tent to allow for residual cooking, It should still have a slight pink color inside rest for 20 min the temp should go up to 150+ Good eats Pork is hard to cook tender and not dry Good Luck .Tenderloin is not Boston Butt, or Shoulder, or Picnic those 3 are good for a smoker tenderloin is lean so cook it properly And I've never seen a Pop-up in pork, Chickens,Turkeys Yes U.S.A !
Buy one. A chef wouldn't cook without one.
If the juice runs clear then it is done. Also you could push on it with your finger. If it is not cooked it will be mushy in texture.