What Does "Best" Mean?

NOTE TO READERS:  This post was written earlier this week right at supper time. I am posting it this morning before I leave for a travel adventure. The adventure is immediately followed by some family time. So I'm taking a little time off from the blog. Look for me back here in a few weeks. 

I may have mentioned once or twice that there are times I get tired of cooking. But NEVER EVER have we gotten tired of eating. And I think I may have agreed in our wedding vows to keep my husband fed. (Truthfully, he would NEVER complain if I announced I didn't feel like cooking. I'm just teasing.) So I am always on the lookout for quick, easy recipes. We both love pork tenderloin. And we love it marinated in bourbon soy mixture we've used for years. But there are times when I don't start the prep hours ahead of time. Like tonight.

Last week I saw a recipe online called BEST Baked Pork Tenderloin. Who am I to argue with the recipe developer? So it's in the oven right now. I had all the ingredients on hand except for oranges. There were lemons in the fridge but for whatever reason, orange juice sounded really good on this very hot evening. I needed a trip to the grocery store for a few items, so I tossed two oranges into my cart.

The fresh corn in the refrigerator needed to be cooked, too. Before I have to stop calling it "fresh" corn. Jessica fixed corn-on-the-cob while we were all at the lake over Labor Day weekend. She buttered each ear, salted and peppered it and wrapped each one in foil. So I did that, too. I put the pork in the oven for 30 minutes. The corn went in beside it at the 25 minute mark. She did hers at 350-375 for about 30 minutes. Fingers crossed that my adjustment of time and temp works out. It's nice to think it can all cook at the same tine. Another time I might roast cut up potatoes instead of corn. The goal is "cook it all at one time."

So at this very minute I am sitting down. The pork and the corn is cooking without needing any more attention from me. I have asparagus that I'll slide into the hot oven—I'll bump the temp up to 450º—when the pork comes out. The pork needs to rest before we slice it anyway.

And the very best part? The extra tenderloin will go into the freezer for one of those nights when I'm less inclined to cook that I was tonight. We have frozen cooked pork tenderloins many times. It's once of those foods that is delicious after being frozen and thawed.

So. Was this really the BEST? This recipe came from Creme de la Crumb, a website with wonderful recipes. I made it exactly like she did. The verdict—it is very, very good. But our first love is still the Bourbon Marinated Pork Tenderloin that we've made for years. Maybe I'll call this one "Next Best Baked Pork Tenderloin." I will agree that it is the best tenderloin I've made with a rub. 

The thing with calling any recipe "best," is that they are so personal. Even in our own household we don't always agree on what's "best." Rest assured this recipe is really good. Good enough to make again. I'm happy to have this recipe as another option for pork tenderloin. And it does get bonus points for being so quick to put together. Faster than our usual marinade. Check out her website for more good recipes that come with beautiful photographs. I have marked several other of her recipes to try. 

BEST BAKED PORK TENDERLOIN—that is not marinated in our fav mix 😂

2 to 2-1/2 lb pork tenderloin (my pkg was about this weight, 2 tenderloins to a pack)
1 tablespoon oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon, lime, or orange juice (or a mix of juices)
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional but highly recommended)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease a large baking dish. (I lined the pan with foil instead.) Pierce tenderloins all over with a fork. Rub oil onto all sides of the meat.

Stir together Italian seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, salt, chili powder, smoked paprika (if using) and black pepper. Sprinkle mixture over tenderloin(s), patting it onto the surface of the meat on all sides. Place in prepared baking dish and drizzle citrus juice over the top.

Bake for 25-35 minutes until outside is browned and crispy and centers are cooked through to desired doneness. (National Pork Board recommends an internal temp of 145º [medium rare] to 160º [medium] with a 3 minute rest before slicing.)

Spoon juices from the dish over the meat. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice into 1-inch pieces. Spoon any remaining juices from the pan over the slices.

A Most Favorite Recipe

Bourbon Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Today I realized that I needed to post this recipe again. It's been a few years since it's been on the blog. We are having it for supper tonight. (I borrowed a finished photo from an earlier blog post.) But what pushed me to share it again is that Mommy and Jessica have both made it this week, too. All three of us picked this recipe in a single week. Three times in one week might be a record. This pork tenderloin is right at the top of our all-time "best recipes" list.

On Tuesday night, Mommy prepared dinner for J-Daddy's boss and a few co-workers. She had to keep an eye on Baby Girl and Little Sister while she cooked, so a tried and true recipe was a must. On Friday, Jessica took dinner to a dear friend. And this pork tenderloin was her choice. We are having the pork tenderloin tonight because it was on sale last week at the grocery store.

Mommy's menu was pork tenderloin (she doubled the recipe and used the oven directions) served with macaroni and cheese, sauteed apples, roasted asparagus, rolls, and a blueberry pie. She worked out a detailed cooking schedule in advance to get everything done on time. That meant doing as much early preparation as possible. She still had to do school pick ups that day. The pie was baked the night before. The sauteed apples were done a little early and kept warm in a slow cooker until serving time. The mac and cheese was prepped that morning and it was ready to bake late afternoon.

When she entertains, Mommy writes down her schedule in detail to hopefully avoid surprises. She keeps a notebook of menus that includes each recipe and the cooking schedule for each "company" meal. She is building quite a collection of meal plans that will be used again and again. I suggested that she add the guest list and the date to make it fun in years to come.

For her Meal Train delivery yesterday, Jessica prepped the tenderloin on the grill. Her meal included roasted vegetables (Brussels sprouts, butternut squash and red onion) and creamed corn casserole, along with a dessert. In addition to taking the meal, they stayed to share it, providing some welcome company.

When there was a cake fiasco the afternoon the dinner was to be delivered, this clever girl made a quick adjustment. The cake, while still delicious, had overflowed the pan. Jessica cut the cake into cubes and layered them with fresh berries and whipped cream into pint Mason jars. She turned the disaster into individual desserts. That was probably more fun than the original cake!

Tonight we are having the pork tenderloin with roasted asparagus and baked potatoes while we watch the SEC women's basketball tournament on TV. Then I'll put one of those tenderloins into the freezer for later. That's like money in the bank, as far as I'm concerned!

A dirty recipe page usually means the recipe is a good one.

If you look carefully at the cookbook page pictured above, you might notice that the recipe posted here is slightly different. We've made this so many times over the years that we've adjusted it to suit us--less black pepper and no added salt. And current best practices say not to rinse meat. Just pat it dry.

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 used 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
 

Pat tenderloins 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.
 

It's also good cooked in the oven, if you don't have a grill, or if it's raining,
Put tenderloins in an oven that has been preheated to 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until thermometer reaches 155-160 degrees. Let rest before serving.

It does a mother's heart good to see that her daughters have become excellent cooks, but more importantly, to see that they are thoughtful, hospitable people. Well done, children.

*Thanks to both daughters for sharing their food photos.

Pork Tenderloin And Apples

If I were cooking supper for us tonight, it might be this recipe. Instead I'm cooking for the kids at church. But I'll share this recipe I made last week.

I didn't feel like cooking. Sinus headache. It's that time of year. But we did need to eat. I had printed this recipe out a few days earlier. I had already bought the pork tenderloin. I had everything else here. The recipe came from the Mayo Clinic website. I found it when looking for a low-sodium recipe. I am thinking this might a good meal to share, but I wanted to try it out before I took it to anyone. This was simple enough, even for a night when I didn't want to cook.

If your chopping skills are good, this is really quick to put together. I chopped one large onion and one large apple and minced a little fresh rosemary. That was the hard part. The tenderloin is just browned and popped in the oven.

Let me give you a tip—if you buy a package with two tenderloins in it (that's how ours usually comes) cook the smaller one.  I cooked the larger one and it wasn't done in 15 minutes. Ten minutes more in the oven and it still had not quite reached the proper temp. So I sliced it diagonally and put it back in the oven for another minute or two. Slicing it let the internal temperature reach 160 degrees in a hurry.  (In case you were wondering, I made pulled pork from the other tenderloin from that pack.)

Next time we might just cook it on the grill. Our grill is one step out of the kitchen door, so for us that's as easy as the oven. Either way is fine. The flavor all comes from the sauce.

The sauce was delicious--apples, onions, rosemary, balsamic vinegar. All things I like. Smelled so yummy as it cooked. Daddy-O isn't a huge fan of rosemary. I love it. Another time I might split the difference and use it, but not put quite as much as the recipe calls for. We will do this again for sure. I think the next time I need to take a meal, I will make this—now that I know this is good enough to share.

PORK TENDERLOIN with APPLES AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound pork tenderloin*
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped apple
1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly coat a heavy baking pan with PAM.

Heat olive oil over high heat in skillet. Sprinkle pork with black pepper. Brown in oil on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and place in baking pan. Roast the pork for about 15 minutes, until a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees. (That's for medium.)

While pork is in the oven, add onion, apple and rosemary to the skillet. Saute over medium heat until the onions and apples are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and vinegar. Increase heat and cook about 5 mintues, until sauce is reduced.

To serve, slice pork on the diagonal and place on a platter. Spoon sauce over top.


*If your tenderloin is larger, allow extra time for cooking. There is plenty of sauce.

Too Tired To Cook--But I Did

There are nights when I am too tired to cook and Granddaddy will say, "We'll just go get something." I appreciate the sentiment, but if we don't want pizza or a burger, it's quite a drive to dinner. At this point I usually check the refrigerator and see what I can find that requires little effort. 

Last night was one of those nights. I had pork tenderloin in the refrigerator that needed to be cooked anyway. I have absolutely THE best recipe for pork tenderloin but it requires several hours in a marinade. And it was already 5:30. So I tried something different.

Pork tenderloin cooks quickly. It's always tender. And leftovers are good. Can't beat that combination. Here's what I did...

Pork Tenderloin with Herb Rub

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 - 1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (or use about a tbsp. of fresh minced if you have some)

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 - 1 teaspoon paprika

salt, to taste

1 pork tenderloin, about 1-1/4 lb

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix all dry ingredients. Using dry hands, rub herb mix over all sides of tenderloin, pressing gently to make sure the herbs "stick."

In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. (If the garlic starts to burn, remove it from pan.) Put tenderloin in the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes until nicely browned on all sides. Use tongs to turn the meat. Move tenderloin to a roasting pan and bake for 20-30 minutes, until internal temp reaches 165-170 degrees. (I really do use a meat thermometer. Started checking after 20 minutes but mine took 30 minutes to reach the temp.)

Remove from oven and put a foil "tent" over the meat and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Feel free to adjust the herbs to suit your taste. Or what's in your pantry. But this is a good starting place.

This took about 15 minutes of prep and then it went into the oven while I sat down and rested. It would have taken longer than that to get to a restaurant. You can fix a quick salad or bake a potato to finish the meal. I lined my roasting pan with foil so the clean up was minimal. And now we have leftovers for tonight! 

The tenderloins I usually buy come with two in a package. This rub really does make enough for only one. Double the amounts if you want to cook them both. I put the other in the freezer. Might try a different rub next time---but this one was good. 

I'll give the marinade recipe later. It is our all time favorite! But it does mean I have to plan ahead. It's nice to have another option.

A Week Of Family And Food

Summer supper—pork tenderloin, orzo spinach salad, grilled corn, sautéed apples.

What a week! We had Little Lady and her mama and daddy in residence here at the farm for a whole week. We had not seen her in far too long. Last time we saw her in person, she barely had hair, she wasn't walking, and she had maybe four teeth. Now you can see the curly hair. And she walking AND talking. (Some words that you could understand, many words that we can understand.) And has too many teeth to count. 

We caught up on things that Mimi does best. Like reading books, snuggling....

...making music, singing songs (Wheels On The Bus is a fav)...

...and spending time on the porch.

Little Lady explored the farm as she waddled over every inch of the front and back yards.

And she got her first tractor ride with Daddy-O.  

That was a big hit! 

Mimi worked a little magic on the christening gown. 

Because of the pandemic, we are having a christening a year later than we planned. 

Thankfully the gown still fit—except around the neck. 

I added ribbon so that we can tie to fit instead of using the traditional gold pins.

It's going to be quiet here this week without those little feet pattering around the house. But we are thankful for the family time we enjoyed. Family time outside around the farm and family time around the table as we shared meals and stories. Here is the menu for one of those meals:

Because my friends have said they liked having recipes for an entire menu in one post, I'm adding another set. I cooked many meals—so many meals—while they were here, but this dinner was the favorite. All recipes we have used before but this combination is worth recording. We grilled the pork tenderloin and the corn, but both of those can be done in the oven. We've done it both ways.

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There are so many good ways to cook pork tenderloin. There are several recipes here on the blog. But hands down, this is our family's favorite. For us, it's one of those never-fail recipes.

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 used 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
 

Pat tenderloins 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.
 

It's also good cooked in the oven, if you don't have a grill, or if it's raining, 
Put tenderloins in an oven that has been preheated to 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until thermometer reaches 155-160 degrees. Let rest before serving.

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We absolutely love this dish! If there is an issue with feta in your household, you can sub crumbled goat cheese like we did this time.

ORZO SPINACH SALAD

1/2  box (16-oz) orzo, cooked according to package directions
1/2 bag (5-oz) baby spinach, roughly chopped
1/3 cup chopped red onion (use the amount that you want)
4-oz. container crumbled feta cheese (or crumbled goat cheese)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper (I used a few grinds of fresh pepper)

While orzo is cooking, mix the dressing--oil, vinegar, basil, pepper. Set aside.
Drain orzo thoroughly when done. Stir in chopped onion, spinach and feta. Whisk dressing again. Pour dressing over the pasta and mix to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

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The corn was perfect with this supper.  Daddy-O started it on the grill about 15 minutes before he put on the tenderloin. It all was done at the same time.

GRILLED CORN

fresh ears of corn, shucked and cleaned

Lawry's seasoning salt (or your favorite seasoning)

black pepper

Place an ear of corn on a sheet of foil. Add a couple of pats of butter, sprinkle with seasoning salt and pepper. Roll it up tightly, twisting the ends so the butter doesn't leak out.

Put corn on medium grill, not directly over the heat, for 30 minutes. Close lid of grill. Turn corn in quarter-turns as it cooks. 

You can also put the wrapped corn in a preheated oven, 350º-ish, for 30 minutes. It won't have the brown color that you get from grilling but it's as delicious. Jessica says that if she also is baking another dish at 375º or 400º, she slides the corn in with it at that temp.

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I just realized I've never put the directions for sautéed apples here on the blog. It's a family favorite. It was one of those things I would make these when I needed one more things on the plate. 

All of these amounts are approximate. Just used the number of apples you have. Or the number you need to feed the crowd around your table. Make the butter and sugar match. Like I said, these are more "directions" instead of a "recipe."

SAUTEED APPLES

6 apples, peeled and sliced

1-2 tablespoons butter

1-2 tablespoons brown sugar

ground cinnamon

a little water

Melt butter in skillet. Add sliced apples and stir to coat. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Add a little water. (The apples will release some liquid as they cook.) Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are as tender as you like them. I turned them low and put the lid on this time, to cook a little slower. 

The butter and brown sugar cook down to make a nice glaze. I don't use very much of either, although you can make it as buttery and sugary as you want to. 

Happy New Year!

If you live in the South, chances are you had this same meal today. Nothing says "Happy New Year!" like the traditional dinner you eat to insure your wealth for the coming year—peas (for coins) and collards (for folding money) along with pork and cornbread. At least that's what my mother always said. We were afraid not to eat it (I didn't like collards back then) for fear of being broke. I would hold my breath and swallow a couple of bites of collards and figure I didn't have to eat any more for a whole year. I still would not skip this meal on New Year's Day for anything. Tradition dies hard.

Baby Sister is still here with us. She ate her share of peas and more than her share of cornbread. She swallowed one small bite of collards. So I guess her piggy bank will be full in 2013.

Since it is raining today we didn't make the Bourbon Marinated Pork Tenderloin on the grill like we often do. Might also have something to do with the fact that I forgot to mix up the marinade in time. So I poked around on the internet and found a new recipe. Completely different flavor from our standard but very, very good. It's nice to have a quicker, easier recipe.

GARLIC HERB CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN

1 tablespoon jarred minced garlic (or about 2-3 cloves, minced)

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped 

1/3 teaspoon dried thyme (I used a rounded 1/4 tsp)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pork tenderloin 

Mix garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt & pepper with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl. Rub all over pork tenderloin. Let marinate 30 minutes to 2 hours in refrigerator.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large, heavy oven-proof skillet (I used a cast iron pan) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add pork. Brown on each side, about 4 minutes per side.

Put skillet in hot oven. Cook about 20 minutes, or until thermometer reaches 145-150 degrees when inserted into thickest part of meat. Remove from oven. Place meat on cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes, until thermometer reads 160 degrees. Slice.

The recipe that I started with used all fresh herbs--1 tablespoon each of rosemary and sage and 1 teaspoon of thyme. I only had rosemary still growing in the garden, so I used a mix of fresh and dried. If you need to switch one for the other, the rule of thumb is 1 tablespoon fresh=1 teaspoon dried. 

Recipe Revisited

 

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from someone who wanted to book our ukulele band. We exchanged several emails as we worked out dates and times. In one of these emails, she told me she was a regular reader of this blog and said, "In fact, I'm cooking one of your recipes right now. The Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin is one of our favorites. We make it at least once a month." I think that might be my first ever fan mail.

  

Well, I make a lot of different recipes. So many that I don't always get back around to all of them. Even the ones we liked a lot. So I went to the recipe index (look at the tabs at the top of the post) and found the tenderloin recipe. Oh yeah...that WAS a good one! I had just forgotten about it. 

And then when I grocery shopped on Saturday, pork tenderloins were on sale. That did it. I knew I was making this recipe again. It was the perfect supper last night. The meat was moist and tender. The flavors were delicious, yet subtle. And it couldn't be easier.

SLOW COOKER PORK TENDERLOIN

2 pounds of pork tenderloins (the package I find at my store is about this size & holds 2 tenderloins)

1/4 cup soy sauce (I used low-sodium)

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

2-3 tablespoon maple syrup (I used 3)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon diced onion

1-1/2 teaspoons garlic salt

Put tenderloins in the crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over tenderloins. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.

Thank you, Becky, for reminding me about this one. I first posted this recipe almost two years ago. I won't wait so long to make it again!

We have watched the Boston snow this winter on TV with great fascination. That is unimaginable for us. Our winter storms are different. This is the view out our back door this morning. Sleet and freezing rain fell all over the upstate overnight. Afternoon high should be in the 40s. Might be why so many people choose to move down here.

Mom, Try This

We have reached the stage of life where I now get recipes from my daughters as often as they use one of mine.  Jessica made this last week and said we needed to try it. She found the recipe in the current Southern Living magazine.

Since Daddy-O was available to do the grilling, it sounded like a perfect recipe for a Sunday night. (Or any other night.) It was. 

PORK TENDERLOIN with BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES

     serves 4

1 (3-lb.) package pork tenderloins

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons salt, divided

10 slices bacon

2 (8-oz) packages thin green beans

2 tablespoon olive oil, divided

4 garlic cloves, divided

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup strawberry preserves

1/2 cup quartered strawberries

1. Preheat grill to 400-500 degrees (high heat.) Sprinkle pork with pepper and 1 tsp. salt; wrap 5 bacon slices around each tenderloin, and secure with wooden toothpicks.

2. Place green beans, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 2 garlic cloves and remaining 1 tsp. salt in center of a 24x18-inch pice of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Toss to coat. Bring up side of foil over beans; double told top and side edges to seal,  making a packet.

3. Turn off one side of grill. Arrange pork and foil packet over unlit side, and grill, covered with grill lid, 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, mince remaining 2 garlic cloves; saute in remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Add vinegar; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in preserves. Reserve half of mixture for basting. Stir fresh strawberries into remaining mixture.

5. Remove foil packet from grill; transfer pork to lit side. Baste pork with reserved strawberry mixture. Grill 5 minutes. Slice one tenderloin and serve with strawberry mixture. Save the other tenderloin for another meal. (I put ours in the freezer for later.)

The ingredient list and recipe directions look long. That's only because you have three "recipes" all at once—the pork, the beans, and the strawberry glaze. Trust me, it's easy. One note to keep in mind...all grills behave differently, so adjust as you need to. Our green beans were not done when the pork was ready. I just popped them into the microwave for a couple of minutes. Problem solved.

So Simple So Good

Several weeks ago I was zooming down I-85 (that's the only way people drive on I-85—it's scary) and my phone whistled at me. That's my alert sound for a text message. Now I do not text and drive. But I was really close to the halfway point in my drive. That exit has a Starbucks. So I stopped to get coffee and check my message.

It was from my sister. She was asking me about a recipe she got from me years ago. I called her to see what she needed. She said she had made it many times, but her aging brain didn't remember the cooking time.

Well, I guess we know who is the oldest, because my ancient brain didn't even remember this recipe at all! She told me what she was doing and how good it was and I did know the basic cooking time for a pork tenderloin, which answered her question. But I still have no recollection of ever making this. I do remember making a recipe that is first cousin to this one—Pepperoncini Beef. We liked that one. This pork recipe is similar but milder and tamer.

I trusted her that "my" recipe was a good one and made it for our supper last night. Two ingredients in a slow cooker. Can't get much easier than that. I needed easy because I had of other things to do as I try to get ready for the family to get here in less than two weeks. 

SLOW COOKER PORK TENDERLOIN w/BANANA PEPPERS

2 pork tenderloins (that's how mine are always packaged)
1 (16-oz) jar of mild banana pepper rings

Place pork tenderloins the the slow cooker. Pour banana peppers and the juice over the pork. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. Remove meat and shred with two forks. Serve with (or without) the banana peppers.


I checked the pork after about 6-1/2 hours. It wasn't quite tender enough (these were large tenderloins) so I cooked it another hour. Just be sure not to overcook the tenderloins. Pork tenderloins to do not need to cook a really long time, like some beef recipes that I might cook for 10 hours or longer. I found this out the hard way with another recipe. Cook it too long and the texture of the pork isn't good. Years ago I thought you should never take the lid off a crockpot during the cooking. But this quick check (about 30 seconds) was okay.

The pork was tender and flavorful. We liked eating the pork with the banana peppers. It's easy to skip them if you don't. This is good for sandwiches or you can serve it over rice. I put some in the freezer for later. I will happily take credit for this recipe.

This may be the shortest recipe I've posted here. It balances out the complicated bread recipe I put on the blog earlier this week. I am glad my sister's younger brain remembered this recipe. I'm posting it here so I won't forget it again.

Cooking From Memory

In my new normal I've started using online ordering for groceries. We have one source for this service in our county. My older daughter has been doing this for years and likes shopping that way. When Baby Girl was even smaller it was easy to pick up groceries without having to take a toddler into the store. I have not had a particular need to do so, but now it seems to be a prudent way to get my groceries. 

Using the grocery shopping app has been simple. Finding a delivery time has been harder. Looks like everyone else in our county is using this service, too. Overall I have been happy shopping this way. I haven't always gotten everything on my list. But that's okay. I did check the box to allow substitutions. And that's okay. This is not a time to be too picky. I've had different brands than my usual choice. I've used more store brands than normal. 

In this "happy to get anything" world I was delighted to see that the pork loin roast made it into my cart last week. The item description said it was 2.5 to 3 lbs. When I unpacked the groceries the pork loin looked tiny. It was less than two pounds. Again, glad to get anything. That was still plenty for the two of us.

We cook pork tenderloin all the time. A pork loin is a different cut. I looked quickly for a recipe for a glaze or a rub before I cooked it thinking it might need a flavor boost. Again, everything now is based on ingredients on hand. Earlier in the day I read one recipe that sounded like a good one. By late afternoon I couldn't remember where I found it, so I used the parts of the recipe that stuck in my brain. It was like one of those memory tests where they show you a group of items and then later ask you to write down all you remember.

The part I remembered is worth doing again. So I'm adding the "how I did it" here on the blog for the next time I cook a pork loin.

SWEET & SAVORY PORK LOIN

There are no precise measurements here because I didn't remember what they were. You really don't need them. Trust me. Trust yourself.

pork loin roast

olive oil (or other cooking oil)

salt

freshly ground black pepper 

paprika

about 2 tablespoons brown sugar

about 2 teaspoons minced garlic (I use the jarred kind)

Pat the pork loin dry. Put pork in a pan or bowl and pour a little oil oil over the roast. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and paprika. Spoon a couple of tablespoons brown sugar and a couple of teaspoons of minced garlic onto the roast. Then rub this all over the roast. Transfer to a baking dish and cook, uncovered, according to the directions on the package. Let rest about 5 minutes before slicing.

My package said to cook at 375º for 27 to 32 minutes per pound, until internal temp reaches 145º to 155º. 

We really liked the hint of sweetness from the brown sugar that complemented the garlic. The paprika gave the cooked roast a beautiful color. The loin cut isn't quite as tender at the tenderloin and it takes a little longer to cook. But it was so easy. And now we have plenty of leftovers. I'll vacuum pack some slices and freeze them for later. There is an easy Lo Mein recipe that I want try soon. I'll add a little pork to that "meat optional" dish.

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.