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Loin vs Tenderloin

Two cuts people weigh against each other at the counter — here is what actually separates them.

Side by side

LoinTenderloin
Tenderness 72 92
Marbling 40 20
Umami 62 55
Price 52 66
Loin
Father.Jack from Coventry, UK · CC BY 2.0

Loin

Back · centre-cut chop · karree

The long muscle running along the back, barely worked and therefore very lean. Nearly every breaded cutlet in the world comes from here — schnitzel, tonkatsu, milanesa — because a lean, even muscle is exactly what a coating needs to protect.

63°CFaintly pink is correct

A thin, even fat cap along one edge keeps the muscle from drying; a fully trimmed loin cooks noticeably tougher.

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Tenderloin
Julo · Public domain

Tenderloin

Fillet · psoas · filet mignon of pork

A slim muscle tucked under the spine that does almost nothing for a living. It is the most tender thing on the animal and also the least forgiving: with barely any fat, the window between juicy and sawdust is only a few degrees wide.

60–63°CTake it off early

Ask for the silverskin removed, or take it off yourself: it shrinks in the pan and curls the whole muscle.

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Which one to buy

  • Better forLoin : Tenderloin
  • CutletsLoin92 : —
  • RoastingLoin80 : —
  • GrillingAbout the same72 : 70
  • Quick roastingTenderloin— : 90
  • Stir-fryTenderloin— : 78

Other comparisons

→Jowl vs Shoulder→Jowl vs Belly→Jowl vs Loin→Shoulder vs Picnic shoulder→Shoulder vs Leg→Picnic shoulder vs Hock & trotter→Picnic shoulder vs Leg→Loin vs Belly

All cuts

Beef Primals

→Chuck→Ribeye→Striploin→Sirloin→Round→Brisket→Short plate→Flank→Shank→Head & cheek→Oxtail

Pork Primals

→Jowl→Shoulder→Picnic shoulder→Loin→Tenderloin→Belly→Leg→Hock & trotter

Lamb Primals

→Neck→Shoulder→Rack→Loin→Leg→Shank→Breast

Chicken Portions

→Breast→Wing→Thigh→Drumstick→Tenderloin→Oyster

Beef Offal Map

→Tongue→Heart→Liver→Rumen→Omasum→Abomasum→Small intestine→Large intestine

Bluefin Tuna Cuts

→Kama→Akami→Otoro→Chutoro→Tail belly

← Back to the chart

Temperatures are guidance for whole-muscle cuts. Ground meat and poultry need 71°C / 160°F throughout.