Thursday, November 4, 2010

Mexican Chipotle-Marinated Pork Tenderloin

I got this recipe from the book, "Your Best Body Now," By Tosca Reno. My 4-year-old even thought it was delicious! (She kept asking for more and cried the next day when I told her I had eaten the last bite. Not.Even.Kidding.) WARNING: It is pretty spicy. But served with the Simple Salsa and Brown Rice, it was just right. (See below for tips on how to make it not quite SO hot.)

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 can chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or just a single chili if you want more mild heat)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped white onion (about 1 medium onion)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar (I used balsamic)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound pork tenderloin


  • NOTE: If you don't like hot/spicy food, you could use a single chili from the Chipotle Chili Sauce. It takes some of the 'bite' out of the spice but leaves that rich flavor.
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Process chili, garlic, onion, lime juice, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Add olive oil and blend until smooth.
  2. Place marinade and pork in a zippered plastic bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Sear pork on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, until brown. Transfer pan to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. (I don't have a pan that goes in the oven, so I just transferred my meat to a baking dish.)
  5. Allow pork to rest before slicing, 5-10 minutes. This pork is beautiful by itself or topped with Simple Salsa. (I also served it with Brown Rice.)
NOTE:
Ok, I don't think I had my heat up high enough on the stove top and didn't sear the meat well enough. At the end of my 25 minutes in the oven, my meat was not cooked all the way through. I ended up turning the heat to 390 degrees and set the timer for another 15 minutes. It was still a little pink, but after letting the meat rest, it was PERFECT. Take that information for what it's worth. Try the recipe as it calls for, but if your meat is not done when it *should be* then follow what I did. You should be fine.

Oh, and we fed our family of 4 and 2 missionaries with this meal. PLUS, I made an additional tenderloin (plus rice and salsa) for a family who just had a baby. It was simple to just make two, and I was proud to present such a nice meal to another family!

Enjoy!

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