How Do I Separate a Center Loin Roast From a Whole Loin?

Filet mignon is the most familiar steak cut made from whole tenderloin.

Tenderloin is the psoas major muscles on all quadruped mammals, called so because it is in a part of the body that does the least amount of work and exertion. Pork, beef and lamb tenderloin are the three most common tenderloins sold in supermarkets, and are usually sold in butcher fashioned cuts like filet mignon and center cut loin. However, full sized tenderloins are also sold in club stores and supermarkets.

Things You'll Need

• Boning knife

Instructions

1. Trim the fat from the surface of the loin, including the thin membrane of connective tissue called the "silverskin." A thin, flat blade like a boning knife is essential for this task.

2. Examine every side of the loin in order to determine the center portion, which is uniformly thick.

3. Cut the "head" and "tail" from the roast, the thin end and the thick end, preserving the uniform center loin. In most loins, this can be divided into two loins of equal size.

References

• Filtsai: Trimming a Tenderloin
• Steak Perfection; Beef Tenderloin; Joe O'Connell; May 2001