So – let’s talk pork tenderloin. I know I have said it before, but for the greatest bang for your buck, you really can’t beat pork tenderloin. And I’m sure most of you already know that it is no longer necessary to cook the pickles out of pork to insure against contracting trichinosis. So pork tenderloin prepared carefully, need no longer resemble and taste like dried shoe leather. The secret – don’t over-cook the meat! And then, regardless if you brine, marinate, rub, sauce, etc. the pork, it will turn out tender and juicy. And seriously, don’t hesitate to cook your pork with a little pink still showing.  

So, about this recipe. The pork preparation part is from the Dr. Dan 101 cooking for two site (The best grilled pork tenderloin – Memphis style). And yes, I made a few deviations from the original recipe, but I don’t feel anything was lost in the translation. The BBQ sauce – well let’s just say I’ve been making a version of this recipe for about 40 years.

This recipe for pork tenderloin takes advantage of both a simple brine and a dry rub. Sounds onerous, but really both the brine and rub are easy and fast to throw together. And the result is nothing less than delicious. And exceedingly tender and juicy. Pretty much perfect in every regard.

So do yourself a huge favor, and serve this pork and BBQ sauce to your family and friends while the true grilling season is upon us. (And yes I know you can grill any time of year. But who likes to don a parka just to cook a piece of meat when it’s cold and possibly raining or snowing outside. Not this girl, that’s for sure.)

An interesting note about terminology: Our dear friend Jim enlightened us last evening on the proper usage of the terms “grilling” and “barbecuing”. Simply put, and if I understand correctly, when you barbecue meat, you cook it low and slow using slowly circumvented hot air or smoke from wood chips, with the grill lid closed. When you grill, the lid is mostly up, with direct, fairly high heat coming from under the meat/veggies/fruit, etc. For example you would probably grill chicken breasts, but you would most likely barbecue a pork butt. Actually, most large grills are equipped to both grill and barbecue. And as is the case with many foods cooked on a grill, a little bit of “grilling” and “barbecuing” actually occurs in the quest for a delicious finished product. To prove my point, this recipe includes both grilling and barbecuing techniques. Happy summer and happy outdoor cooking.

• 4 c. water
• 4 T. kosher salt
• 5 T. brown sugar, divided
• 2 pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin
• 2 T. paprika
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. dry mustard
• ½ tsp. granulated garlic
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• lg. pinch cayenne pepper
• vegetable oil
• thinly sliced green onions, garnish, opt.

Combine water, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar together in a one-gallon food storage bag or a shallow glass container. Add the tenderloin to the brine and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Meanwhile combine the paprika, remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne, dry mustard, granulated garlic, and onion powder.

When the tenderloins have finished their time in the salt water bath, rinse well under running water and pat dry with paper towels.  

Place the tenderloins on a small shallow baking pan. Sprinkle all over with the rub. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a cool place (not the refrigerator) for a couple of hours. 

Meanwhile, heat your grill. If you have a large enough grill, heat 1 section to 450-500 degrees. Heat another section to about 300 degrees.  Oil both parts of the grill with the vegetable oil.  

Grill each tenderloin for about 3 minutes per side on the hotter part of the grill with the lid up. Immediately transfer to the cooler section, close the lid, and grill/barbecue each side again until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees at the thickest point. (I use my instant read thermometer.)  Remove from grill and tent with aluminum foil for at least 15 minutes before thinly slicing on the diagonal. Garnish with sliced green onions and pass the Bourbon BBQ Sauce.

BOURBON BBQ SAUCE

• ¼ c. unsalted butter
• ¼ c. minced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ c. brown sugar
• 2 tsp. whole grain mustard
• 1 c. ketchup
• 1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ c. fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste
• ¼ tsp. cayenne
• 2 T. bourbon

Melt butter in a medium sized covered saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent; add garlic and cook until garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Basically cook the sauce until you reach desired thickness. (Sauce will thicken as it simmers. If the sauce is still too thin after 60 minutes, remove the lid. But be warned – simmer at a low temperature or you will have BBQ sauce all over you and your kitchen!) Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.