Like beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin is supremely tender - an excellent candidate for the grill. In this recipe I season it with jerk seasoning and serve with strawberry gastrique. The biggest drawback to tenderloin is that it isn't a uniform cut of meat ranging from 2 1/2 to 3 inches thick at one end and petering out to nothing at the other. My solution is to fold the thin end back over on itself then tie it with twine. This results in a piece of meat that will grill to an even medium (which, by the way, is what you want). Cook it past medium and it's tough, dry and flavorless. (Larger image.) Serves 2.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: Serves 2.
Ingredients:
- 1 pork tenderloin
- 1 Tbsp. jerk seasoning
- Strawberry gastrique
Preparation:
1. Fold the narrow end of the tenderloin back over itself to produce a roast with consistent dimensions and tie in a two or three places with water-soaked twine.
2. Rub the jerk seasoning into the meat and let it sit on the counter for 1 hour.
3. In the meantime make the gastrique. The sweetness and tang is a great complement to the spiciness of the jerk seasoning.
4. Build a two-layer fire.
5. Quickly sear the tenderloin over direct heat and then move off the heat and lower the lid. Cook to an internal temperature of 140 degrees (about 15 minutes).
6. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.