Well, it's that time of year again where fall and winter flavors become an automatic craving - without even thinking about it. Normally, I'd be back home pheasant and wookcock hunting with me mum and dad, but with the pandemic, things just aren't back to normal yet.
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What's so great about pork tenderloin? It's cheap, fast to cook, and takes on the flavor of anything you desire. Spicy, savory, herby, you name it. And plain and simple with salt and black pepper works, too.
I think there are two keys to making a great tenderloin:
- Sear it properly - about 2 minutes per side on medium-high heat
- Whatever you choose to flavor it with (rub, marinade, etc.) use enough herbs or spices and salt
A great sear provides texture and creates fond that can be used for tasty pan sauces. Another bonus with pork tenderloin compared to pork loin is that it has a small diameter. This means you'll get a taste of the outside with every bite.
Spice Rub
I use garam masala, cinnamon, cumin, garlic powder, cracked black pepper, and salt for this rub. Garam masala is a blend of many spices and is a must. Check that spoon out, too! My mom made it. There's more in our store.
I usually bring a bunch of spice jars out and decide how to combine them on the countertop.
Before applying the rub, prep the pork by cutting off any excess fat or silver. After mixing the rub ingredients, shake them all over the tenderloin and massage into the pork with your fingers. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and toss into the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes. I did about 2 hours this time.
Pear Sauce
I use two pears, a sweet apple, and about an inch of sliced ginger for the sauce. Brown sugar along with a bit of garam masala and nutmeg are added.
The fruit needs only to be roughly chopped since it will cook down. Nothing fancy here. Skins on.
Heat some oil in a saucier and begin to cook down the fruit. Add in any spices you'd like. I used a pinch of garam masala and some grated nutmeg. Cinnamon may have made its way in there, too. Once the fruit gets soft, add in a cup of water and let it cook a bit. Add in another cup, cover the pot, and let it simmer while you get on to other things.
Marinate the Beans
Cut the bean ends off, roughly chop the shallot, and toss them with grapeseed oil, salt, and pepper. Set these guys aside. By the way, that's another one of my mom's homemade spoons! I use them every day.
Get on to Cooking
Now that the pan is on medium-high heat with grapeseed oil, sear it on each side for about two minutes.
After it's seared, melt two to three tablespoons of butter and add the pear halves, cut side down. Put in the oven for 10 minutes or until it reaches your intended internal temperature (for me, that's 140º).
By this time, the sauce should be done cooking down. Purée it with an immersion blender and put it back on medium-low heat. Reduce it until it reaches a thick consistency. Season to taste.
Once the pork is done, remove it to rest on a cutting board. The pears can stay in the pan until plating.
While the pork rests, sauté the beans and shallot until charred and bright green. Brush on the honey and balsamic vinegar mix and reduce heat while letting it caramelize a bit.
Plating is easy with this one. Just after the veg is done, slice the pork into one-inch cuts. Spoon some pear sauce on a plate and add the pork. Slice each pear half at an angle into three pieces and put on the plate along with the vegetables. Garnish with some cilantro and you're done.
🔪 Gear
- Chef's knife
- 3 quart sauté pan
- 3 quart saucier
- 11" carbon steel pan
- Immersion blender
🐶 Leela Storm's Suggested Pairings
- 🎵 Steely Dan - FM
- 🍷 Crisp white Burgundy
- 🍺 Amber
- 🥃 Scotchy scotch
🍽 Kitchen Critique
The first thing that blew me away is how present the spice rub was on the pork. So flavorful, but not overpowering. The second thing is how well the pork paired with the sauce. Each component is distinct with savory undertones pulling them together. The beans and shallot are delicious with some char and the balsamic vinegar helps to clean things up.
The halved pear is like dessert and deserves to be paired with vanilla ice cream. It's sweet and very caramelized, still going great with a bite of pork.
Lots of pairing and pearing here.
We love cilantro, and it goes great with the spices - brightening things up.
This is a dish of great fall flavors that complement one another perfectly.
✔ Takeaways
- Pork tenderloin is a blank canvas - do whatever the hell you want to it and it'll leave you happy.
- If you're cooking for more than two, prep two tenderloins. They're typically between 1 and 1.4 pounds each.
- Use spice! Develop some flavor! Don't short-cut the sear!
📖 Recipe
Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Pear Ginger Sauce
Savory spices bring fall flavors to this pork tenderloin dish with pear ginger sauce and sauteed green beans. Caramelized pear halves provide a sweetness that touches on dessert.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: dinner
- Method: stove
- Cuisine: american
Ingredients
Pork
- 1 - 1.5 lb. pork tenderloin
- 3 tbsp butter
Spice Rub
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
Sauce
- 1 yellow delicious apple, chopped
- 1 - 2 pears, chopped
- 2 cups of water
- 1-inch chunk of ginger, sliced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- Pinch of garam masala
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 tsp or so apple cider vinegar
Beans
- A handful of green beans
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 extra pair, halved
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Pork Prep
- Mix the spice rub together and apply it to the tenderloin, massaging it into the meat with your fingers.
- Wrap the tenderloin in plastic wrap and toss in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Cook the Sauce
- Add the chopped fruit and ginger to a pot that's heated on medium heat with a splash of olive oil and cook it until soft.
- Add one cup of water along with brown sugar and spices and cook until reduced by half.
- Add another cup of water with the apple cider vinegar, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover.
Green Bean Prep
- Chop the ends of the beans off and roughly chop the shallot.
- Toss with grapeseed oil, salt, and pepper and set aside.
- Mix the honey and balsamic vinegar and reduce by ⅓ in a small pot over medium heat.
Pear Prep
- Cut the pear in half and remove the core area. Set aside.
Begin the Main Cook
- Add a tablespoon or so of grapeseed oil to a pan and heat on medium-high.
- Unwrap the pork and season lightly with more salt.
- Sear the pork on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.
- Melt the 3 tablespoon of butter in the pan, add the pear halves cut side down, and place in a 400º oven for 10 minutes, or until it reaches your desired internal temperature.
- While the pan heats, use an immersion blender to mix the fruit into a purée. Cook further until reduced and thick.
- When the pork is done, remove to a board to rest for 10 minutes.
- While the pork rests, heat a pan on medium-high with a splash of grapeseed oil.
- Add the green beans and shallot to the heated pan and sauté until charred but still crisp - about 5 minutes.
- Brush the vegetables with the honey balsamic sauce and toss - about 2 minutes.
- Slice pork into 1-inch pieces, 3 per plate.
- Slice each pear half twice at an angle, creating 3 pieces per half.
Plate
- Add a couple of spoonfuls of sauce to a plate.
- Place the pork slices on the sauce.
- Place vegetables to the side.
- Place pear slices to the side.
- Garnish with cilantro.
Notes
If you'd like a dessert to follow this main course, put the sliced pears in a bowl with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.
Keywords: pork tenderloin, pear ginger sauce, caramelized pear
Tell us what you think!