Adobo-marinated Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

So, what was for dinner tonight?  How does adobo-marinated pork tenderloin with grilled pineapple salsa sound?  Well, to me, it sounded like a really LONG recipe but it was also intriguing so I went with it.  My family does tend to like all things grilled and I am in Florida so it’s definitely nice enough outside to grill.  Okay, seriously, I’ve grilled in 3 feet of snow so, if I want something grilled, then I have something grilled – shoveling just gets my metabolism worked up.  The recipe came from the September 1999 issue of Cooking Light.  Yes, I just got around to making it – don’t judge me. 

Ingredients in this recipe were pretty easy to come by except for the crystallized ginger – you will definitely need to find a health food store near you to get this.  I have not looked at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s to see if they carry – okay, neither of those are within driving distance of me – but, if you have a health food store near you, they should definitely carry it.  Comes in a nifty plastic pouch not unlike what raisins come in.  (Side bar: after my travels to numerous stores to find this stuff, I completely forget to use it.  Seriously.  It goes in the salsa but it was just fine without it.  Maybe I’ll go mince it up and add it now.  That salsa was pretty doggone good and I don’t plan on letting it go to waste.  I see me using it on chicken or salmon or even with chips – it was delicious!)

The recipe itself was pretty simple.  The hardest part was all the chopping which was really only for the salsa.  Oh, and you have to juice A LOT of limes.  You could buy bottled lime juice and that would make your life much easier but, I’m a glutton for punishment AND I have kids who can help me roll and juice the limes, so I went the “fresh” route.  Grilling didn’t take too long – you grill the pineapple slices and the bell peppers and, of course, the pork tenderloin – and didn’t require excessive attention.  This is a bonus because I was free to do the chopping and prepare my other vegetables!

*Secrets on the best way to peel and core a pineapple – chop off the top and the bottom (this makes it flat and stable for peeling).  Use the knife to “peel” the pineapple – I usually cut from top to bottom trying to get off as much peel as possible without taking away all the pineapple.  Go back and pare out the “eyes” (really, what are those thingies called?) and then slice.  Core each slice with a knife or, better yet, an apple corer.  So easy!  Working the pineapple should only take a few minutes.

So, how did it turn out?  Well, actually, it was pretty good.  I think the recipe name is a bit misleading (adobo-marinated pork tenderloin) as there’s no adobo to be found in the marinade.  The pork was flavorful from the lime juice in the marinade but not overly limey or acidic and it didn’t flare up on the grill. (bonus – I didn’t have to rush out and rescue it with a squirt gun).  The salsa was DELICIOUS!  I used one large jalapeno instead of two and the salsa had heat but wasn’t overwhelming.  I will seriously make that salsa on a regular basis.  Husband and Thing 1 liked both pork and salsa.  Thing 2 liked the pork and then proceeded to judge the salsa based on the fact that she thought it had tomatoes in it (um, hello, no tomatoes!).  She tasted it after my husband basically shoved it down her throat and actually liked it but wouldn’t get any out of the bowl.  No, she’s not 4 – she’s 14.  Teenagers. 

Okay, here’s the recipe.  Happy cooking, eating and drinking!

Pork:

1 cup fresh lime juice (about 8 limes)

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried cumin

1 ½ teaspoons salt

6 garlic cloves, crushed

2 pounds pork tenderloin

1 ½ teaspoons olive oil

Cooking spray

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

1. Combine first 6 ingredients n a 2-quart baking dish.  Trim fat from pork.  Place pork in dish, turning to coat; cover and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning pork occasionally.
2. Prepare grill.  (really, that’s what the recipe says.  I grilled over what I call medium-high – my gas grill showed the temp around 375 degrees.)
3. Remover pork from dish; discard marinade.  Brush with oil.  Insert a meat thermometer (if you want- I didn’t) into thickest portion of pork.  Place on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 25 minutes or until thermometer registers 160 degrees (slightly pink).  *helpful hint – don’t spray a lit grill with cooking spray.  This will only have bad results and large flames.  Either spray before you light or buy non-aerosol grill spray.*  Cut into ¼-inch thick slices.  Sprinkle with cilantro and green onions.  Serve with Grilled Pineapple salsa.  Yield: 8 servings

Grilled Pineapple salsa:

5 (1-inch) slices fresh pineapple (about 4 ½ pounds)

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

Cooking spray

½ cup finely chopped red onion

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoons minced crystallized ginger

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced

1 drained canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced.

1. Preheat grill.
2. Place first 3 ingredients on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side. (I grilled a little longer to blacked the peppers a little more)  Discard stems and seeds from bell peppers; dice pineapple and bell peppers.  Combine pineapple, bell pepper, onion, and remaining ingredients; toss gently.

Serving size: 3 ounces pork and 1/3 cup salsa

(totals include salsa) Calories: 194; Fat 5.6mg; Protein 25.5g; Carb 10.5g; Fiber 1.5g; Chol 79mg; Iron 2.8mg, Sodium 306mg, Calcium 42mg