Whole pork tenderloins are an affordable way to enjoy a whole cut of meat. You can leave them whole, which means that they can be a great centerpiece to a meal, and you don't need to do a ton of prep work with them before seasoning and roasting them. But there is one thing that you will want to do before you get to roasting or grilling, and that's remove the silver skin.
The silver skin is a membrane that you'll find on some cuts of meat like ribs, and yes, tenderloin. You'll also find a silver skin on some of the easiest (and most difficult) cuts of steak to cook, like skirt steak. It's described that way because it is indeed a bit silvery when light hits it at certain angles (I've always considered it a little more white than silver). But it's pretty much inedible when cooked. It's chewy and sometimes hard to cut through using a steak knife, so good luck getting your teeth through its plastic wrap-like texture. That's why it's always a good idea to get rid of the silver skin prior to cooking, because it's just not an appealing item you want to encounter while eating.
Read more: 14 Cheap But Delicious Beers You'll Wish You Tried Sooner
Fortunately, removing the silver skin from pork tenderloins isn't terribly difficult. Using a sharp paring knife (or a knife with a thin blade), simply start at one end of the tenderloin by slicing just beneath the silver skin, and work your way along the length of the meat, pulling on the silver skin outwardly with a bit of tension. Silver skins are tough enough that they shouldn't rip if you tug on them a fair amount.
The thing should come off easily, and if it rips, you can simply just cut beneath it with the knife to get the process started back up. Once it's all gone, you're ready to roll with cooking. Pork tenderloins are great when encrusted in a heavy dose of herbs and spices and roasted whole (and you should cook it to medium-rare), but we're also a big fan of pounding them out and coating them in saltines, Midwest-style, which gives them a crisp and buttery crust.
For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more!