Life Is Good

Bourbon Marinated Pork Tenderloin

As I was driving early this morning to a ukulele gig, a wild turkey and a black crow were walking down the highway, side by side. Kind of looked like they were buddies, out for a stroll. As I got up to the birds, they stepped aside and let me pass. I looked in the rearview mirror as I drove on, and sure enough, they were continuing their walk. For real.

Where else could I live and see sights like that? I love rural life. Now, on to the recipe.

After the ukulele band played, I headed home, knowing that supper would be easy tonight because I had put pork tenderloins in to marinate first thing this morning. If we had to pick one single recipe that was the only one I could share, I think this would be it. It is our son-in-law's favorite thing that I make.

 

Daddy-O handles the grilling chores here. He's good at it. And yes, he really uses a meat thermometer. It's the surest way to cook to the proper temperature.

I've posted this recipe on the blog a few years back, but I'm happy to post it again. It's just a really good, surefire recipe that's often a celebration meal for us. But tonight we just celebrated getting supper on the table. 

BOURBON MARINATED PORK TENDERLOIN

2-1/2 lb. pork tenderloins (usually one package contains 2 tenderloins and is about this weight)

3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup bourbon*
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced (I use 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Rinse tenderloins and pat dry.

Combine soy sauce and remaining ingredients in a gallon ziploc plastic freezer bag or shallow dish. Add tenderloins. Seal bag or cover dish and chill 4-12 hours. Turn once or twice while they marinate. Remove pork from marinade, discarding marinade.

Grill, covered with grill lid, over high heat (400 to 500 degrees) for 30 minutes or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat reads 155 degrees, turning occasionally. Remove from heat; cover with aluminum foil and let stand 10 minutes or until thermometer reads 160 degrees.

If you don't have a grill, or if it's raining, it's also good cooked in the oven.
Put tenderloins in an oven that has been preheated to 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until thermometer reaches 160 degrees. Let rest before serving.

Tonight I served this with baked sweet potatoes and fried apples. I know there probably should have been something green on the plate, but this suited us just fine. I put one tenderloin in the freezer. (Wrap it properly.) I've done that many times. It's just as good later.

 *Someone gave us a bottle of black cherry bourbon as a gift. It is a really sweet bourbon. (So I'm told. I don't drink any kind.) We discovered that we can use this sweet bourbon and leave out the brown sugar. It tastes just like the usual way we make it. I've also eliminated the salt from the recipe. No one has noticed.