Sunday, April 18, 2010

Island Pork Tenderloin


The past few times I have cooked pork I used recipes that feature a lot of peppers, chili powder, and overall Southwestern or Mexican flavors - what Jon and I call "our kind of flavors." Last week I decided to go with other flavors and decided on a sweeter recipe, something I don't do often and as Jon says, things that aren't our kind of food. To explain, we both are fans of savory over sweet, and don't like fruit in our food - you'll never see either of us eating a salad with dried cranberries in it.

Anyway, back to the recipe. I chose
this recipe for Island Pork Tenderloin from the blog Pennies on a Platter. I made a few changes and additions, noted below.

Ingredients

  • 2 1-lb pork tenderloins

For spice rub:

  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon - I omitted this; the brown sugar would be enough sweet for me

For the glaze:

  • 1 c packed brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
  • 1 tbsp Tabasco
  • Added: 1/3 c chicken broth
  • Added: rind of one orange, grated using a microplane

Directions

  • Coat the pork with the spice rub
  • Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-proof pan over moderately high heat
  • Add pork and sear it until golden brown on all sides. Remove from heat.
  • Mix the glaze ingredients and brush them onto all sides of the pork.
  • Cover the pan and transfer it to a 350 degree oven until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees, about 20 minutes.
  • Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover it, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

I loved the addition of the orange rind! I think it is what brought all of the flavors together. I am glad I omitted the cinnamon - I really don't see it going with this dish at all.

Making pork tenderloin is such a simple way to create a great meal. Just pair it with some roasted potatoes and veggies or a salad, and done! Everything can cook in the oven at the same time, too.

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1 comment:

  1. Ahhh...you omitted the cinnamon. I wondered why the rub wasn't as dark! :) It does seem strange, but the cinnamon is actually a fine tasting addition.

    I'm going to try your version sometime, though, without the cinnamon and with the orange zest. Sounds pretty delightful!

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