Roasted Citrus Pork Tenderloin

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Citrus Pork Tenderloin

Just when I think I can’t possibly come up with another preparation for a pork tenderloin, I’ll find a new twist that I love. I’d originally made a version of this tenderloin while out on the boat this year. I’d put it together in the morning, then grilled it on the boat. The orange, lime, honey, and garlic meld together to give wonderful flavor to the pork. And the sugars in the orange juice and honey give the create a beautiful, deep carmelization. Just served it with something simple like sesame noodles or potato salad. Everyone always loved it!

As it was such a big hit over the summer, I figured it would be something that would translate nicely to a one-dish meal, now that the weather has turned cold. So instead of grilling, I seared it off in a cast iron skillet, ten added some sweet potato wedges, Brussels sprouts, and fresh cranberries. The whole thing is placed into the oven to finish off cooking. In about 30 minutes, you’ve got a delicious (and complete!) meal.

I’d never roasted cranberries before, but now that I have – it certainly won’t be the last time! The flavor concentrates, and their sweetness really comes out. Not to mention that they were so gorgeous and festive dotted in-between the roasted veggies. For a meal that’s so easy, it’s really impressive. Something a little different than ham or crown roast of pork – also much more economical. I know I’m trying to pinch a few pennies between now and Christmas! Everyone will love this one.

Roasted Citrus Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts & Cranberries

For the marinade:
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 Tbsp honey
1/3 cup olive oil

For the roast:
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 lb each)
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges
2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved if large
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
olive oil
kosher salt

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a lidded jar, and shake well to combine. Add pork tenderloins to a resealable bag and pour in marinade. Let sit for at least 1 hour, or up to 8.

Preheat your oven to 425. Place 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet (like cast iron) and add the pork tenderloins. Sear until nicely browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Turn off heat and add the sweet potato wedges and Brussels, nestling in-between and around the pork. Scatter the cranberries over the top. Drizzle with about 1 Tbsp of olive oil, and season with a hefty pinch of kosher salt.

Place in oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 140. Remove the pork from the oven onto a cutting board and tent with foil, continue roasting the vegetables for 10 minutes more…until starting to brown around the edges.

Slice pork and serve with the roasted vegetables and cranberries.

  • Pork can also be grilled. Marinade as directed, then grill pork tenderloins over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until pork reaches 140 degrees.

Homemade Caramel Corn

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caramelcorn

One of my favorite things about our local fireman’s carnival in the summertime is their homemade caramel corn. Sure, you can get great caramel corn on the boardwalk in Ocean City…but the site of a giant copper kettle full of popcorn, butter and brown sugar being continuously stirred by one of our local hard-working guys is one to behold. For me, that scent wafting through the air means summertime on Chincoteague.

But then fall arrives, and the carnival is over for another year…leaving me without a giant tub full of caramel corn to munch on. So, I decided to start taking matters into my own hands a couple years ago, and started making my own. A few basic ingredients and about an hour – and you have a giant batch of caramel corn that stays good for a couple weeks, or also make excellent gifts when bagged up and tied with a pretty ribbon.

Peanuts, are of course optional…but we love the nutty crunch that it adds. Looking forward to playing around with some different ingredients to change the flavor up a bit…maybe a little cayenne to spice things up, or a little cinnamon and nutmeg for an autumnal spin! With Halloween coming up, it’s the perfect excuse to try making this classic for yourself at home – you won’t regret it!

Homemade Caramel Corn

1 cup popcorn kernels, un-popped
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 250° F. Line two baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, set aside.

Pop popcorn using your preferred method, I use and air-popper and have to do two batches. Place the popped popcorn onto the baking sheets.

Meanwhile, to make the caramel, melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, mix in the corn syrup, brown sugar and salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently.

Once the mixture reaches a boil, let the mixture continue to boil for 5 more minutes without stirring. Remove the mixture from the heat, stir in the baking soda and vanilla extract. The mixture will bubble up and become frothy. Evenly drizzle the caramel sauce over the popcorn on the baking sheets, and use a silicone spatula to gently toss and coat thoroughly. It’s okay if there are some clumps of caramel throughout, it will melt and become better spread out while baking.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, removing from the oven to toss/stir every 10 minutes. After 40 minutes, test a cooled piece of popcorn. If it is not completely crispy (i.e. still slightly mushy when you bite it), bake for 10 minutes more.

Remove the baking sheets to a wire rack and allow popcorn to cool completely before breaking apart for serving or packaging. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (no way in hell it’ll last that long).

Source: adapted from Annie’s Eats

Apple, Bacon, & Goat Cheese Salad

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Apple, Bacon, & Goat Cheese Salad

Nothing beats a really good salad in the summertime. Whether it’s a simple Greek salad with grilled chicken – or something a little fancier like this apple, bacon, and goat cheese salad…they always go over well with our family after spending a day outside in the hot summer sun!

Crispy smokey bacon, crunchy apples, tangy goat cheese, candied walnuts – and the pièce de résistance, a delicious apple butter vinaigrette. I think it may be my new favorite salad dressing!

Musselman's Apple Butter

First off, it acted as an awesome emulsifier – it truly was the perfect consistency for a dressing. It also added wonderful flavor. The sweet and spicy notes in the apple butter really worked well with the salad, and combined with apple cider vinegar – there was definitely a ton of apple flavor going on.

I think the recipe for the dressing would also be an amazing marinade for chicken or pork. Looking forward to trying that soon, will report back! In the meantime, enjoy this wonderful salad.

Apple, Bacon, and Goat Cheese Salad

For the salad:
4 cups mixed greens
1 apple, cored and thinly sliced (Fuji, Jazz, or Honeycrisp are my favorites)
4 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled
4 slices of bacon, chopped

For the candied walnuts:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup walnuts

For the apple butter-vinaigrette:
1/4 cup Musselman’s Apple Butter
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Cook the bacon in a medium sized skillet over medium high heat until crispy. Set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Set aside. Drain the bacon fat from the pan and wipe clean with a paper towel.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Prepare the candied walnuts. Add the sugar and butter to the same skillet you cooked the bacon in, and let melt. Once it’s mostly liquid, add the cinnamon and the walnuts, stirring carefully to coat. Cook until sugar is completely dissolved, and starting to caramelize – about 2 minutes more. Pour onto the lined baking sheet, flatten out into a single layer, and let cool.

Prepare the dressing by whisking the apple butter and vinegar in a small bowl or measuring cup. Add the salt and pepper, then slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

Assemble the salad by placing the greens in a large bowl. Top with the sliced apples, crumbled goat cheese, bacon, and candied walnuts. Serve with dressing on the side.

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by the good folks at Musselman’s Apple Butter. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

Tangy Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin

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Tangy Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin

If you’ve been with us a while, you know that pork tenderloins are one of my favorite protein items. Lean, and so adaptable to any flavor combination under the sun. They’re great seared in a pan and finished off in the oven, but I think where they really shine is on the grill…and that’s something we’ve been doing alot more of now that summer is here!

The good folks at Musselman’s asked me to develop a couple of recipes for them, which I always jump at the opportunity! We’re big fans of apple butter in this house, it’s long been a favorite pantry staple of mine to use as the backbone of flavor in dishes.

Musselman's Apple Butter

This time around, I made a simple barbecue sauce using Musselman’s Apple Butter as the base. It’s the perfect consistency for brushing onto meat on the grill as is, but I doctored it up a bit – some honey and brown sugar for additional sweetness, some cider vinegar for a little tang, and some molasses for depth of flavor. A little splash of bourbon would also probably be a great addition!

I used it on pork tenderloins, but would be equally as delicious on chops or chicken. Even barbecue sandwiches! Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to make a larger batch for a cookout. Definitely a good one to have up your sleeve this grilling season.

Tangy Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
3/4 cup Musselman‘s apple butter
2 Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Prepare grill by heating to medium-high heat. While grill is warming up, prepare the pork and the sauce.
 
Season the pork tenderloins with kosher salt and black pepper. Set aside.To prepare the basting sauce, combine apple butter, molasses, brown sugar, vinegar, and honey in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
 
Cook the pork tenderloins over medium-high (direct) heat, turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, begin brushing the sauce onto the tenderloins. Continue turning and brushing until pork registers 140 degrees, about 10-15 minutes more.
 
Remove tenderloins to a plate, and brush with the sauce one more time. Tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

 

Slice the tenderloin and serve immediately. Serves 6, with some leftovers!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by the good people at Musselman’s Apple Butter. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.