Friday, August 29, 2008

Hot and Sweet Pork



Recently, both my next door neighbors (one on either side of me) had babies. Needless to say, I have not been drinking the water.
I always like to bring the new mom and dad a nice meal after all the grandparents leave and "Real Life" sets in. I kid myself every time I do this. I scour through cookbooks, leaf through cooking magazines and say to myself "I am not going to take my Hot and Sweet Pork" - and then I always come back to my Hot and Sweet Pork recipe! (I say "MY" very loosely- my friend Mary prepared this recipe for my family about 2 years ago - it was amazing, and I quickly put it in my meal rotation - and morphed it into "MY" pork - If you really look at it - I just removed the A and the R - tee hee) It is one of those recipes that is perfect EVERY time, and that everyone loves and wants the recipe as well! Heck - after the new mommy ate this pork - even the baby thanked me - that's how good it is!

Hot & Sweet Pork Tenderloin
For Pork:
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Pork tenderloins (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 lbs. total)
2 Tablespoons olive oil

For Glaze:
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon Tabasco

Prepare Pork:
Preheat oven to 350
Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, then coat pork with spice rub.
Heat oil in an oven proof 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.

Make Glaze and roast pork:
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 ( About 20 minutes). Let pork stand in skillet at room temperature 10 minutes. (Temperature will rise to about 155 while standing)

Makes 6 to 8 main course servings.

Because they were new mommies - I went very light on the Tabasco. For my family - I usually do one "Adult" tenderloin with the Tabasco on it and one "Kid" tenderloin with no hot sauce - EVERYONE is happy that way!
Enjoy!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel like you are the "Mrs" Rogers in the neighborhood and I want to be your NEIGHBOR!

Your pork looks delicious!!!!

Anonymous said...

Saw this on FoodGawker and had to come check it out. Sounds wonderful, I'll have to give it a try.

RecipeGirl said...

This sounds similar to a Sweet and Spicy pork tenderloin that I do. How sweet of you to bring dinners. I love to do that sort of thing!

Katie said...

It's always nice to have a go-to recipe in your cookbook (or on your blog!) I'm not a pork person, but it looks great nonetheless.

Rindy R said...

Anonymous - I don't know about that, but it is a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
Mrs. I - I'm sure you'll love it. I have never had it turn out bad!
Recipegirl - I did swing by and look at yours - I don't know how you can go wrong with either one of these recipes.
Katie - I aspire to eat as healthy as you - but I sure do love "MY" pork!

Unknown said...

I just made it today, and OH MY GOODNESS!!!

It is sooo delicious!
Plus it was incredibly easy to make.

I put it on top of my orange rice (jasmine rice cooked by water, butter, and 1 freshly squeezed orange).

It was to DIE for. Love it!
Good work :)

Rindy R said...

S - So glad you loved it. It is so easy - Isn't it?! Now you know why it is in my routine meal rotation!

Andrew & Terri said...

This was the best roast pork I've ever made. I put the spices on this morning and let them sit all day, then followed your directions. It was moist, tender, and flavorful. I'm usually so disappointed in roast pork, so this was a welcome surprise! Thanks.
-Terri

Stefani Sarah said...

Hello :). I arrived here via foodgawker. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. This was very delicious.