Island Pork Tenderloin (Optional Salad)

Mrs Goodall's Note:

This is the most awesome pork tenderlion ever!! It is from Bon Appetit and is a very poplular "internet recipe"...(I can't believe no one has posted it here yet!) Posting this for ZWT II, Jamaica! The whole recipe includes the pork and salad, which is a lovely salad, but after making it the first time, I usually just make the pork and skip the salad.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

FOR PORK

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 (1 lb) pork tenderloin (approx. weight)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

FOR GLAZE

• 1 cup dark brown sugar (not light)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce (Tabasco)

FOR SALAD VINAIGRETTE

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

FOR SALAD

• 3 navel oranges
• 5 ounces baby spinach leaves, trimmed (6 cups)
• 4 cups napa cabbage, thinly sliced (from 1 medium head)
• 1 red bell pepper, cut lengthwise into thin strips
• 1/2 cup golden raisin
• 2 avocados

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, then coat pork with spice rub.
3. Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until just beginning to smoke, then brown pork, turning, about 4 minutes total. Leave pork in skillet.
4. Make glaze and roast pork:.
5. Stir together brown sugar, garlic, and Tabasco and pat onto top of each tenderloin. Roast in middle of oven until thermometer inserted diagonally in center of each tenderloin registers 140°F, about 20 minutes. Let pork stand in skillet at room temperature 10 minutes. (Temperature will rise to about 155°F while standing.).
6. Make vinaigrette while pork roasts:.
7. Whisk together juices, mustard, curry powder, salt, and pepper, then add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.
8. Prepare salad ingredients while pork stands:.
9. Cut peel, including white pith, from oranges with a sharp knife, then cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Toss spinach, cabbage, bell pepper, and raisins in a large bowl with about 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Halve, pit, and peel avocados, then cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
10. Assemble salad:.
11. Cut pork at a 45-degree angle into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Line a large platter with dressed salad and arrange sliced pork, oranges, and avocados in rows on top. Drizzle some vinaigrette over avocados and oranges. Pour any juices from skillet over pork.

Reviews

[hodgemo2]

Wow! This was FANTASTIC! I only made the tenderloin so I can't comment on the salad, but the pork was out of this world; what a nice blend of sweet and spicy, rub and glaze. I made a couple of small tweaks. I only used one tenderloin (about 1 1/4 lb?) but used all the rub/glaze. I browned the meat in a skillet for almost 10 minutes (flipping to brown all sides) and then transferred to a pan to bake. I'm afraid of undercooking pork, so I baked it for 40 minutes at 350. The end result was fantastic. I have so many other pork tenderloin recipes to try, but I may never move past this one!

[Chef #511197]

This is by far one of the best meals I've made in awhile. The pork was excellent; very tender, sweet and mildly spicy. I made it with the salad because I like 'one stop shop' type meals where the meat and veggies are all rolled into one. I thought the dressing was a bit tangy so I added some honey- this was before I realized I'd be pouring the glaze over the whole dish so next time I'll leave the salad dressing as is. The other thing I like about making it with the salad is it looks beautiful when you slice the meat and lay it on the bed of salad- the spinach, red pepper, orange and avocado make it look as fantastic as it tastes.

[KillerTasteBuds]

I've made this several times now, and always comes out delicious. Just the right amount of sweet and spicey.