Tenderloin is the pork fillet — the long, lean muscle running along the backbone, corresponding to the beef fillet. It is the most tender cut of pork because the muscle does very little work, and it is also one of the leanest, with little fat or connective tissue. That leanness is both virtue and hazard: cooked gently to a blush it is succulent, but taken past medium it dries out quickly. It suits fast methods — roasting whole, slicing into medallions for quick searing, or marinating for the grill — and takes well to bold flavours such as mustard, garlic, and herbs. Because there are only two small tenderloins per animal, it commands a premium price.