Choosing Pork Tenderloins

Tenderloins—even when sold as a pair in the same package—can have dramatically different sizes.  

Pork tenderloins are almost always sold in pairs in vacuum-sealed packages. After buying dozens of packages, we found that the average tenderloin weighs 12 to 16 ounces. However, we did find some packages with larger tenderloins (up to 1 1/2 pounds) or with two tenderloins of dramatically different sizes. Larger loins are fine for grilling but hard to fit in a skillet. When shopping, pay attention to the total weight of the two tenderloins (which should be 1 1/2 to 2 pounds) and squeeze the package to see if the tenderloins feel similar in size.