Wild Boar Tenderloin with Truffle and Mushroom

At a recent Sunday family dinner, I made a duo (normally I avoid duo’s at all cost… exception made here) of wild boar from the pig I got last fall: braised pork shoulder with chimichurri and a pork tenderloin with a truffle, mushroom sauce.  As with most wild game, fat or lack there of, is a bit of an issue when cooking. A wild boar ternderloin is no exception. It was utterly void of fat, which means it had serious potential for turning into a dried out, rubbery mess. Solution: a quick sear, leaving it pink in the middle (yeah, I know… it’s pork… you won’t die from a bit of pink) and then a rich cream sauce laced with truffle oil, shallots and mushrooms. The result is a juicy pork tenderloin with a fatty, decadent sauce that you’ll want to mop up (cue the French bread).

A quick word on loin vs tenderloin– most pork loins you find in the store are large, thick roast cuts. The loin is the muscle that runs down the back (the tenderloin is attached to it). The tenderloin is the section closest to the spine and it’s normally thinner, darker and cooks much faster. Obviously if you don’t have a wild boar hanging in your garage or vacuum sealed in your freezer, sub it out with a store bought pork tenderloin, if you can find one.

Pork Tenderloin with Truffle, Mushroom Cream Sauce

Serves 4-6

The Goods

• 2-3 lb pork tenderloin
• 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped rosemary
• 2 cups dried mushrooms (porcini, etc), fresh will also work, just sub the mushroom stock for chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 3-4 tablespoons white truffle oil (usage depends on your truffle tolerance/ love)
• 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

The Steps

1. Get out that cast iron skillet or heavy pan. Crank up the heat to medium high.
2. While the pan heats up, season the tenderloins with rosemary, salt and pepper.
3. Add a few tablespoons (or squirts) of olive oil to the pan (if you don’t have one- I’d recommend investing in a cheap squeeze bottle for your olive oil, once you have one by the stove, you’ll wonder how you lived without for so long)
4. With the pan hot and the oil shimmering, add the tenderloins and sear on all sides, 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
5. Meanwhile, with the pork searing, take the dried mushrooms in your measuring cup and add hot water to reconstitute. Drain mushrooms once soft- 10 minutes or so, but reserve the liquid. Roughly chop the mushrooms. Set aside.
6. Mix flour and butter to create a quick roux.
7. When pork hits an internal temp of 145 degrees, take it out of the pan and let it rest.
8. In the same hot pan the pork was in, toss in those shallots, mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, add garlic and cook for another minute.
9. Deglaze pan with one cup of mushroom stock and white wine. Scrape up those brown bits.
10. Bring to a boil and reduce for 2-3 minutes.
11. Stir in butter/ flour mixture (roux) to thicken. Add cream, truffle oil and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
12. Sliced the pork, spoon the sauce over and serve.