Pork tenderloin is widely regarded as one of the most tender cuts of meat on the pig. It is located at the top of a pig's back along the spine and is relatively small in relation to the rest of the loin -- according to J&B Butchers, a typical pork loin weighs around 34 lbs., but only 2 lbs. of that is pork tenderloin. Fortunately the tenderloin strip is easy to identify and can be easily cut away from the rest of the pork loin.
Step 1
Place the pork loin in front of you on a cutting board so that the top of the loin is face-up. This is where the backbone is located. If the loin is boneless, there will be a cavity running the length of the loin where the backbone used to be.
Step 2
Identify the strip of meat running parallel to the rest of the loin along the backbone's location. This strip will be thick and rounded at one end and thin down to a point at the other end. It will be attached to the rest of the pork loin by fatty tissue.
Step 3
Grab the strip and pull on it gently to expose the connective fat between the tenderloin and the rest of the pork loin. Run your knife's blade along this fat to sever the tenderloin from the pork loin. You should not experience much resistance as you cut -- there are no bones, tendons or ligaments that should be in your way. This should fully remove the tenderloin from the pork loin.
Tips and Warnings
- Trim the tenderloin prior to cooking it. Fat is easily removed from the tenderloin's exterior prior to being cooked, but afterward the fat will be more difficult to identify.
Things You'll Need
- Knife
- Cutting board
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