Okay, yeah I know, I know, the pig again. What can I say? Today's recipe once again comes from Mr. Bittman's How to Cook Everything. I'm grilling up a curry mustard pork loin with a little smoke added in for kicks. When I first pushed on CarterHayes to post his mustard recipe it wasn't for this dish, but in hindsight I think that some homemade mustard would have been better than the Dijon I used. Mr. Bittman suggests that the pork loin isn't the most flavorful cut you can get, but I respectfully disagree. Yes, the tenderloin is less fatty and prone to burning, but if you keep your eyes on the prize this cut will hold it's own against any of the more 'porky' selections. This is one of the simplest recipes in Bittman's book, and I'm looking forward to having leftovers, you'll need:
A pork loin roast (I went with a tenderloin two pack about 2 1/4 lbs worth)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (or some of the good homemade stuff)
2 tablespoons Hot Curry powder
salt and black pepper to taste
a beer to drink while you're grilling
Mix the dijon, curry powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. This should end up being a pretty thick paste. Rub this paste all over the meat anywhere from 10 minutes to two hours before you grill. Fire up the grill, open a bottle of whatever beer you have on hand. I suggest a Torpedo or Silver Anniversary Ale because the spicy hoppiness should pair pretty well with the nostril singeing spicy pork. If you're planning on smoking this roast, soak a handful of apple, or other hardwood, chips in water for 30 minutes to an hour before you grill. Keep the charcoal off to one side as you'll want to sear the meat over high heat, and then move to a cool spot for indirect grilling / smoking. Keep a close eye on these as they cook, you'll want to remove the tenderloin from the grill when you reach an internal temperature of 150˚ to 155˚. Cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes before you slice thin. Serve with starch and vegetable of your choice. I'm going with smashed yellow potatoes, sauteed green beans, and a small green leaf salad.
Sounds delish. I like your suggestion on the Sear and Smoke.
Bachelor nite tonite - leftover-aganza: L'Entree - alder-smoked salmon, cold. Le Plat Principal: Dal Makhani (black lentils/red kidney beans/curry/cream) w/ leftover linguini. Le Fromage: Maytag Blue.
We similarly had a leftover night last night, from a BBQ the night before
potato salad, homemade baked beans, and tacos with leftover chicken breast, roasted red bell pepper, guacamole and shredded cheddar.
tonight, more leftovers! Pulled pork tacos!
This turned out to be one of the most succulent dinners we've ever had. The mind blowing spice and smoke mixture is excellently paired with the delicate flavor and texture of pork tenderloin.
I will suggest that pork loin roast and pork tenderloin are two very different cuts. The pork center loin roast is a pretty thick piece o' meat and easy to dry out. The tenderloin is, well, a tenderloin. I applaud your choice of tenderloin in this case. Sounds de-lish.