Grill Power

Happy Fourth of July weekend and start of the official grilling season!

As I sit in KilKenney Kitchen this morning, the sun is shining, a cool breeze is blowing and the holiday weekend is going to be gorgeous – a trifecta here in the upper midwest!

Easy to make, tender and moist this Grilled Pork Tenderloin is a nice change from burgers. It works equally well hot off the grill or at room temperature and the quick sauce adds even more great flavor.

Pair the Grilled Pork Tenderloin with a couple of great sides like Mom’s Potato Salad, KilKenney Kale Salad and/or Quinoa with Cilantro and Lime and you’ve got a summer meal everyone will love.

I wish you a fantastic weekend and hope you enjoy these recipes.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

This is perfect summer fare. A quick marinade adds loads of flavor to this pork whether you have an hour or all night. A quick sauce add the final touch. Serve it with a light salad and a few roasted potatoes and you're in for a great weeknight meal.

Servings people

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 1 35

Ingredients

The Marvelous Marinade

4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup soy sauce gluten free
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger

The Perfect Pork Tenderloin

2 medium pork tenderloins about 1 pound each

The Sensational Sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil optional

Instructions

Make the marvelous marinade

Peel and press the garlic cloves
Combine the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, pressed garlic and ground ginger in a cup
Stir to combine

Prepare the pork

Place the pork tenderloins in a large bowl or plastic bag. Pour the marinade over the pork and refrigerate for anywhere from 1 hour to overnight. (I often make this in the morning before work and let it marinate all day).
Heat the grill to medium hot. Remove the pork tenderloins from the marinade and place on the grill.
Cook until the pork is 160 degrees at the thickest part. About 8-10 minutes per side depending on the size of the tenderloins and your grill
Remove from the grill, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for about 20 minutes so the juices can absorb back into the meat

Whip up the sensational sauce

While the pork is grilling, combine the sauce ingredients - soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sesame oil and brown sugar in a small saucepan (If you don't have sesame oil you can skip it and/or add some dried rosemary)
Heat the sauce until it's just boiling. Turn down to simmer and cook until the sauces thickens slightly - about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until the pork is done

Put it all together

Carve the pork - it should be a little pink in the middle and smell fabulous!
Serve the pork with spoonful of sauce and your favorite side dishes. We love it with roasted new potatoes and lightly dressed greens from the farmer's market

Course: Lunch