Variation #1
A make again please. The kitchen smells divine when this is cooking.
2 pork tenderloins
4 tbsp Kosher salt
4 cups of water – 1 cup boiling, 3 cups cold
Five spice powder – about 2 to 3 tbsp or enough to coat tenderloins
Black tea – ground to a powder using a mortar and pestle
Olive oil, enough to cover the skillet
4 cloves of garlic, slivered
Brine the pork – Heat 1 cup of water. Add salt and whisk to combine. Add 3 cups of cold water. When mixture cools, pour into a glass dish. If the tenderloins are fresh, remove the silver skin and fat. If frozen, place in brine and do this later. Add pork tenderloin to the brine. Refrigerate for 5 hours.
In a small bowl, mix the 5 spice powder and ground black tea together. Sprinkle over tenderloins then massage in. Place them on a tray or pan until 30 minute before it’s time to start cooking them.
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Remove tenderloins and pat dry. In ensafe 12″ skillet, add enough olive oil to cover the pan. On medium heat, sear the tenderloins 2 minutes per side.
Place slivered garlic under tenderloins and put skillet in oven. Cook for about 16 minutes, to an internal temperature of 160 °F. Rest meat for 12 minutes. Serve with lemony rice and blanched asparagus or green beans with black garlic vinaigrette.
Variation #2
Defrost pork tenderloin in water, then remove from the water, pat dry, remove the silver skin, fat and any membranes. Rub with achiote paste and place in fridge, uncovered for 30 minutes to 8 hours.
1 pork tenderloin
French’s mustard, about 3 tbsp, enough to coat a tenderloin
Rosemary, chopped, about 1.5 – 2 tbsp
Preheat oven to 400 °F. Heat oil an oven-safe saute pan to medium heat. Sear pork about 1 or 2 minutes per side. Mix French’s mustard and rosemary. Completely coat the tenderloin with the mixture and cook in the oven until the internal temperature is 160° F, about 16 – 20 minutes. If the ends are cooked but the middle is not, cut the tenderloin in pieces and cook a few extra minutes. Rest the meat minutes.
Variation #3
1 1/2 Tsp paprika (sweet/mild/Spanish)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 Tsp chili powder
1/8 Tsp cayenne powder
Brine the pork. Use 1 Tbsp of salt per cup of water. Use enough water to cover the tenderloin. Let the meat in the brine about two hours. Even 30 minutes helps and no more than 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 °F.
Sear pork for one minute per side. Cover with dry rub. Cook for about 15 minutes. Cook to an internal temperature of 145 °F. I usually cook it to 160 °F. Rest for 10 minutes.
Variation #4
- 1 tsp rose harissa, use more or less to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chilis
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika