grilling season is fully upon us, this weekend more so than ever.
break up the monotony of the hamburgers & hot dogs {yes, they’re good but by the 4th cookout…ENOUGH ALREADY.} & become the hero of the grill by cooking up this insanely good piece of meat.
brined to tender perfection & topped with an amazing sweet & spicy blackberry jalapeno glaze, this pork tenderloin has the potential to make even vegetarians weep openly with joy.
yeah. that good.
BLACKBERRY JALAPENO GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN
serves 6-8
FOR THE BRINE & PORK TENDERLOIN
1/4 cup, plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3 cups warm water
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup ice cubes
2 pounds pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE BLACKBERRY JALAPENO GLAZE
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 to 2 jalapenos, roasted, seeded & minced
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1/2 cup seedless blackberry preserves
1 1/4 cups red wine (like a merlot), divided
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
in a gallon sized ziploc bag, dissolve 1/4 cup of kosher salt in the warm water. add vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, ice cubes & pork. set aside & let brine for 20 minutes. time it. any longer & the pork will lose its delicious texture.
while the pork is brining, make the blackberry jalapeno glaze. melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat. toss in the jalapenos & garlic & cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened. stir in the blackberry preserves & 1 cup of the wine. bring to a simmer, stirring well, & reduce by half.
while the glaze is reducing, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup of wine & cornstarch. once the glaze has reduced, stir the cornstarch mixture in & cook for 5-6 more minutes, until thickened & irresistible. keep warm until pork is done.
after 20 minutes, remove the pork from the brine & pat dry with clean kitchen towels or paper towels. preheat the grill to medium high. rub with olive oil & season with remaining salt & freshly ground pepper.
place the tenderloin on the grill & cook for about 6 minutes on each side, browning evenly along the way. when an instant read thermometer reaches 135° in the center of the tenderloin, brush 1/4 cup of the glaze evenly over the pork. cook for 5-6 more minutes, or until desired doneness is reached. transfer to a cutting board & cover with an aluminum foil tent. let rest for at least 5 minutes.
slice & serve alongside remaining glaze.
