Pork medallions are thin, boneless cuts from the pork tenderloin. Pork medallions are tender and lean with just a bit of marbling. Because they are lean and tasty, recipes using pork medallions are often found in cookbooks for the calorie conscious.

When purchasing pork medallions, look for meat that is reddish pink in color. Uncooked pork medallions should be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than two days, but cooked pork medallions can be kept refrigerated for four or five days. Uncooked pork medallions can be frozen for up to six months when wrapped in freezer bags or other wrapping material appropriate for freezing.

The pork medallions are often sautéed, grilled, broiled or braised and served with a sauce. When cooking pork medallions, use a meat thermometer to gauge their temperature. Pork medallions are done when their internal temperature is 160ºF.

First prepare the pork medallions by seasoning them with salt, pepper and other herbs and spices. Some herbs to try with pork medallions are fennel, sage, thyme, ginger and marjoram.

To saute the pork medallions, heat oil or butter in a frying pan at medium high heat and cook the seasoned pork medallions in the pan, about two minutes on each side. To grill the pork medallions, brush them with oil and then place them on the grilling rack above the coals for about two minutes on each side.

To broil, brush the pork medallions with oil and put them on the broiler pan. Place the broiler pan about four inches from the heat source and broil the pork medallions for about two to three minutes on each side. To braise, sauté the pork medallions in butter or oil for about a minute on each side. Pour broth, wine or water into the skillet with the pork medallions and simmer for two or three minutes.

Because pork medallions are so lean, sauces are often served with them to enhance their flavor and make them more tender. There are many interesting and unique types of sauces available for purchase and plenty of sauce recipes to try at home. Some favorite sauces to use with pork medallions are red wine sauce and Dijon mustard sauce.