The Basics: How to Make Breaded Peppercorn Pork Medallions
A comforting winter dinner
From the store to the kitchen to the table: We outline the steps that get you from something raw to something cooked using simple ingredients, free of measurements and complicated techniques. A method that you can have in your back pocket and whip out whenever you like. We call it recipe-free cooking.

- a bowl
- a fork
- a resealable plastic bag
- a meat mallet
- two plates
- a knife
- a baking sheet
- plastic wrap
- a frying pan
- paper towels
- two eggs
- whole black peppercorns
- breadcrumbs
- salt
- a one-pound pork tenderloin
- vegetable oil
Illustrations by Bill Russell


I see no reason that this wouldn't work well with venison.
Would this work well with venison?
If you're OK with an extra step, it's a good idea to dry off the pork cutlets with a paper towel after they've been flattened, then coat them with flour before they go into the egg mixture. It's called a bound breading, and helps the coating stay stuck to the meat better.
I LOVE this! The fact that there is NO measuring...you can eyeball it, throw a handful in, etc. This is the way cooking should be! This is also why I HATE to bake. :>D