{"id":3264,"date":"2014-01-16T03:00:51","date_gmt":"2014-01-16T11:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/?p=3264"},"modified":"2014-01-16T07:51:36","modified_gmt":"2014-01-16T15:51:36","slug":"how-to-grill-pork-tenderloin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/16\/how-to-grill-pork-tenderloin\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Grill Pork Tenderloin"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/84278866\" height=\"270\" width=\"480\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/2013\/11\/13\/how-to-cook-the-perfect-pork-chop\/\">Pork chops<\/a> are the simplest cut to cook, and pork tenderloin comes a close second.<\/p>\n<p>Like the pork chop, the tenderloin comes from the <a href=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/21\/know-your-pork-the-midsection\/\">loin primal<\/a>, but it is even leaner and more tender since it is rarely used (it is the long strip of muscle that runs alongside the rear of the spine).<\/p>\n<p>This means you can make a truly exceptional dish with a cut of tenderloin\u2026 but only if you can achieve the daunting task of not overcooking it!<\/p>\n<p>(Longtime readers might know how to do this, but I\u2019ll reveal the secrets later on\u2026)<\/p>\n<p>Instead of using the stove as with the chops, here I used the grill. This was not only to add in a bit of variety, but to address one of the issues of cooking a tenderloin\u2013its size.<\/p>\n<p>The long strip doesn\u2019t really fit in any household-size pan (unless you are a member of the Cyclops family), so tossing it on a big grill grate is often the most practical move.<\/p>\n<h2>Ingredients and Equipment<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/2013-08-20-17.19.25.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3265\" alt=\"Grilled Pork Tenderloin Ingredients\" src=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/2013-08-20-17.19.25-e1386733663187.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The ingredients you need for grilling a pork tenderloin are even more basic than what you\u2019d need if you cooked in on the stovetop:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>A pork tenderloin (or two)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/2013\/09\/13\/the-most-important-ingredient-in-your-pantry\/\">A brine<\/a><\/strong> for adding flavor and preventing overcooking<\/li>\n<li><strong>Some pepper<\/strong> or any other spices\/herbs\/sauces you might want to use to change things up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And apart from a grill, the equipment you\u2019ll need is quite minimal as well:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>A grill<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/10\/bring-the-science-essential-analytical-tools-for-your-kitchen\/\">A thermometer (or two)<\/a><\/strong> to ensure you don\u2019t over- (or under-)cook<\/li>\n<li><strong>A pair of tongs (and perhaps a long spatula)<\/strong> for flipping the meat<\/li>\n<li><b>A knife<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>The Recipe<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Prepare the brine.<\/strong> As I have mentioned before, lean cuts such as those found on the pork loin benefit from brining. It makes them hold onto liquid more readily, and keeps them from overcooking and drying out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Remove the silverskin.\u00a0<\/strong>The outside of much of the tenderloin is covered in a milky membrane known as the silverskin, which prevents the brine from penetrating your meat. Using a knife, cut and peel this layer off as much as you can.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brine your tenderloin and preheat your grill.<\/strong> A soak of about an hour will do. You can (and should) brine your tenderloin up to a few days before you cook to save time if you are cooking during the week.<\/p>\n<p>You want to preheat your grill so that the tenderloin can cook at a low temperature of around 225\u00b0F (110\u00b0C) to start off.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Coat your tenderloin in pepper.<\/strong> Some good freshly-ground pepper is all you really need, but feel free to change things up with different spices, herbs, and sauces. Tenderloin has a great texture, but not much taste on its own.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cook the tenderloin slowly at 225\u00b0F until it reaches an internal temperature of 125\u00b0F (52\u00b0C).<\/strong> Insert a probe thermometer (if you have one) into the thickest part of the tenderloin. Otherwise, check that sucker with an instant read thermometer every 5\u201310 minutes. If you\u2019d like to add some <a href=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/2013\/09\/25\/how-to-hack-your-grill-into-a-smoker\/\">smoke<\/a> to the mix, now would be the time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sear the tenderloin over high heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 140\u00b0F (60\u00b0C).<\/strong> You may need to take the tenderloin off and add more coal to heat up. This is perfectly fine. You want to scorch the outside to create a Maillard reaction to make a delicious brown crust without overcooking the inside.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Let the meat rest five minutes before serving.<\/strong> Allowing the meat to cool down a bit will allow it to hold onto its juices when you cut into it (rather than spilling them all over your plate). Wait until the temperature reaches 120\u00b0F (50\u00b0C), or just tear in after five minutes.<\/p>\n<p>Slice the tenderloin up and serve with the veggies of your choice!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Pork-Tenderloin-Recipe1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3272\" alt=\"Pork Tenderloin Recipe\" src=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/Pork-Tenderloin-Recipe1-e1389850266792.png\" width=\"480\" height=\"137\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>The Perfect Weekday Grilled Dinner<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/2013-08-20-20.28.33-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3267\" alt=\"2013-08-20 20.28.33-2\" src=\"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/2013-08-20-20.28.33-2-e1389887479975.jpg\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Even if you don\u2019t ever buy a whole hog yourself, a pork tenderloin is a great cut of meat to know how to cook.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s quick to cook and goes well with any flavorings, which make it incredibly versatile and an excellent choice for those weekday evening grill sessions.<\/p>\n<p>With a couple of basic kitchen hacks (brining and using a thermometer) you can ensure you are always putting a juicy and delicious meal on the table every time!<\/p>\n<p>In upcoming installments, we\u2019ll tackle more of the bits and pieces of a hog that require a little more elbow grease to cook.<\/p>\n<p>Stay tuned!<\/p>\n<span id=\"pty_trigger\"><\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pork chops are the simplest cut to cook, and pork tenderloin comes a close second. Like the pork chop, the tenderloin comes from the loin primal, but it is even leaner and more tender since it is rarely used (it is the long strip of muscle that runs alongside the rear of the spine). This [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[260],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-whole-hog-project"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3264"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3277,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3264\/revisions\/3277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/theguycancook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}