Succulent Grilled Pork Tenderloin

I love pork tenderloin because it is just that... tender.  I love the flavors you can produce when you marinate it over night.  I think it makes for a nice Sunday meal.  This tenderloin recipe came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Succulent Grilled Pork Tenderloin

• 2-3 pounds pork tenderloin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp. dried, ground ginger)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, pineapple juice, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. Place the pork tenderloins in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the pork. Seal the bag and refrigerate the pork for 8-12 hours (perfect to prepare overnight for grilling the next day).
2. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Grill the pork tenderloins for 8-12 minutes per side, until the pork is cooked through. Tent the pork with foil and let it rest 5-10 minutes before cutting into slices and serving warm.  I looked it up online and you want the tenderloin to reach an internal temperature of between 148 - 150 degrees... then you'll know it's done.

Garlic Balsamic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

I've been wanting to try this recipe for a while so when I saw that Smith's had their pork tenderloin on sale the other day I couldn't pass up the opportunity.  I let this marinate for almost twenty-four hours and it was really flavorful.  And wow, tenderloin is every bit as tender as the name suggests.  It puts the other pork cuts to shame.  This recipe comes from The Sisters Cafe.

Garlic Balsamic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

4-5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 pork tenderloins (about 1¼ pounds each)
2 tablespoons canola oil (if preparing in oven)

Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Rub the paste all over pork. If you have time, marinate overnight. If not, it will still be great.

Grill Preparation:
Sear the tenderloins on all sides, then grill for about 20-30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees.  Let it rest before slicing.

Oven Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat canola oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add pork, and brown on all sides.

Transfer pan to oven.  (Or transfer pork to oven-safe pan like a 9X13 pan lined with tin foil, lightly coated with cooking spray.)  Roast pork, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, and let it rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Ranch Pork Roast

What this picture really needs is a green salad!  Unfortunately, my fridge is really lacking in the vegetable department right now.  I haven't been able to get a Bountiful Basket for the past two weeks!  I keep forgetting to order right at noon and by the time I sign on, they are gone.  In fact, all of Utah County was sold out by the time I signed on early Monday evening!  Ugh!  Anyway, this pork roast is wonderful and SO easy.  It is really, really moist.  It reminds me of Kalua Pork but with a slightly different flavor.  This is another recipe I found at The Sisters Cafe.

Ranch Pork Roast

1 Pork Sirloin Tip Roast (these are sold in four packs at Costco - they are about 2lbs each and 98% fat free!)
Ranch Dressing Mix (dry packet)

Place the roast in a crock pot and sprinkle half of the ranch dressing packet over roast.  Fill crock pot about 1/3 full with water and cook on low for 5-8 hours.  The roast is done when you can easily shred it with a fork.  You can drain off some of the water before serving.  That's it!

Chili-Rubbed Pork with Apricot Glaze

I just realized this is my 100th post!  This recipe comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  I haven't made anything from her site that I haven't liked so far.  I sent Ben to the store last night to pick up the ingredients I needed for this roast.  I don't normally keep apricot jam or fresh ginger on hand.  Luckily, Ben was able to find both!  This recipe calls for a really unique blend of things sweet and spicy - it's full of flavor.  We grilled ours but you could also roast it in the oven.  Just make sure you plan ahead because the rub needs to have time to sit and marinate on the pork.

Chili-Rubbed Pork with Apricot Glaze

2 (1-pound each) pork tenderloins, fat trimmed

Spice Rub:

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups apricot jam/jelly

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I omitted.)

2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (I used 1 tsp. dried.)

2 small limes, juiced

Combine chili powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mixture on the pork tenderloins. Cover the tenderloins and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Prior to grilling or roasting, melt the apricot jam in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining glaze ingredients. Place half of the glaze in a serving bowl and set aside to serve with the pork tenderloins later.

Grilling Instructions: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grill the pork tenderloins for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 160 degrees F. When approximately 4 minutes of cook time remains, brush the pork tenderloins with the apricot glaze remaining in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, turn the pork tenderloins and brush glaze on other side. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove pork from the grill, tent with foil and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Roasting Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the pork tenderloins in a lightly greased, foil-lined 9X13-inch pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Brush with the apricot glaze remaining in the pan. Bake for 15 more minutes. Again, brush with glaze. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until the pork reaches 160 degrees internally. Remove the pork from the oven, tent with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve the sliced pork over couscous, rice or potatoes with the reserved glaze alongside.

Cafe Rio at Home

My cousin Liesel let me in on the secret recipes for Cafe Rio goodness in the comfort of your own home. :) My five year old has reverted to his old picky self lately and won't go near anything with "little green things" in it. But my three year old ate this up.

Cafe Rio's Sweet Pork Barbacoa

Pork Roast
*Cook pork in crock pot on low for 5-6 hours. Drain water and fat; then shred pork. Return to crock pot and add:
2 cups sugar (I think 1 is plenty.)
1 can Coke
1 pint fresh salsa (Bottled salsa works.)

*Cook an additional 2-3 hours. Serve in warm tortillas with cheese, beans (I like black), cilantro lime rice and tomatillo & cilantro dressing.  Or make as a salad with tortilla on bottom and lettuce and other toppings piled on top.

Cilantro Lime Rice

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
*Heat oil, add rice stirring to coat; add broth and salt and bring to boil. Cover and cook on low for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. (Mine was done in only about 10 minutes.) Then add:
Grated rind and juice from one lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves (I used about 2 Tbsp dried cilantro.)

Tomatillo and Cilantro Dressing

1 envelope buttermilk ranch dressing
1 cup mayo
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cilantro leaves
3 tomatillos (remove husk cover, core and cut in half)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
*Put everything in blender and blend until smooth. If you refrigerate it for a while it will thicken.