We bought a huge pack of pork tenderloin from Costo last month, and I wrapped each of the 5 'loins in plastic wrap and froze them. I thawed one to cook on Saturday but hadn't thought of what to actually do with it, so we made something else for dinner that night and I pulled out some cookbooks to see what I could find. Not surprisingly, I found a nice sounding recipe in Bruce Aidells' Complete Book of Pork. The recipe called for brining and grilling the tenderloin, and at the end of the recipe, there was a note about butterflying the tenderloin to lessen the time needed for brining and grilling. We out of the house longer than we'd intended on Sunday, so butterflying the tenderloin was a perfect solution. The brine - soy sauce, ginger, orange zest, orange juice, salt, sugar, and Chinese 5 spice - soaked through that pork in about 3 hours. Once it was removed from the brine and blotted off with paper towel, I rubbed it with a dry rub - paprika, more 5 spice, brown sugar, and salt. It grilled up quickly, and had a great color and crust from the brine and rub.
So good! The orange was a strong flavor, but not overpowering. It was juicy and tender, and very excellent with a side of stir fried bell peppers.
I'm trying to get back in the habit of writing out a menu plan for the week, or even just for the few days ahead. I've been very unorganized in the kitchen lately, and have had to toss out more leftovers/moldy produce than I'd like. Which is why this week there was no farmers market post! I went to both markets this week - the Wednesday day market downtown and the Saturday market, and kept my hands in my pockets.
There will hopefully be a little less food to chop up for the worms this week (who seem to be all or mostly all still alive!). And I'll be able to start fresh next Saturday at the market, with more room in the fridge.
So good! The orange was a strong flavor, but not overpowering. It was juicy and tender, and very excellent with a side of stir fried bell peppers.
I'm trying to get back in the habit of writing out a menu plan for the week, or even just for the few days ahead. I've been very unorganized in the kitchen lately, and have had to toss out more leftovers/moldy produce than I'd like. Which is why this week there was no farmers market post! I went to both markets this week - the Wednesday day market downtown and the Saturday market, and kept my hands in my pockets.
There will hopefully be a little less food to chop up for the worms this week (who seem to be all or mostly all still alive!). And I'll be able to start fresh next Saturday at the market, with more room in the fridge.
9 comments:
Hands in the pockets . . . how I can relate to that one! I'm making myself stay home even though I forgot to get rice papers yesterday. I know if I go to the store I'll get all sorts of other things that I don't need.
Gorgeous pork loin, such good lean meat.
Tanna, that is my problem - I go to the store for one thing and come out with 11!
I have the same problem with farmers markets...I buy to much and never have time to cook and use it all!
The brined pork looks good. I'll have to pick up some pork tenderloin next time I'm at Costco.
I've never brined a pork tenderloin like that before, but it sounds delicious! I think I even have one in the freezer.
Babe, Bruce is the man! Follow everything he says, you will be happy. Brining pork is the only way to go now that we have made pork "the other white meat", fat free and taste free. Can you give us the ratios for the brine?
We cooked pork tenderloin in class this week and I took two of the extras home with me. I still haven't decided what I'm going to do with them, but this looks great!
Yum orange and pork with all those Asian flavours! It had to be sooo good.
OK, I'll have to go wipe the drool off my chin!!! Looks fabulous.
YUM!!
xoxoxox
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