Mouthwatering Mustard and Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin

 

This is just barely a recipe ~

only 5 ingredients, and two of them are salt and pepper.

 

Mustard, brown sugar and pork, mmm, mmmm, fit for a king!

And that’s a good thing because this is some delicious pork tenderloin ~ juicy and a bit sweet and savory. 

 

Herb-Roasted Pork Loin for Bitter Cold Weather

It’s -6° right now = Winter time = bitter cold with snow on the ground ~ perfect weather for delicious roasted pork loin ~ it warmed our bellies and our kitchen too!

Amen, Maxine!!!

Search no further for an affordable delicious roast that’s almost impossible to ruin.  

Blend caraway and celery seeds, onion powder, paprika and salt and pepper.  Rub the mixture into the roast and pop it in the oven for a scrumptious entree.

 
I served it with mashed potatoes and broccoli ~ and to round it out, I even made a little gravy out of the pork drippings. Ummm! Mmm!

A perfect little meal for anyone on a cold winter day!

Herb-Roasted Pork Loin 
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

One 4 pound boneless loin pork roast, trimmed
½ teaspoon each salt and seasoned pepper
½ teaspoon caraway seed
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon paprika

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a small bowl, combine seasonings and massage into meat with your fingers, covering the whole roast.
Place pork in a roasting pan, cover with a lid.
Roast meat for about 3 hours until instant read thermometer registers 150°.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
Slice and transfer to platter, serve.




Enjoy!




RIP, Glenn Frey...

Cocoa-Chile-Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin

We know cocoa powder is generally used in desserts; however, occasionally, I’ve added it to savory dishes with wonderful results.  

Unsweetened cocoa adds a deep flavor to meat, particularly, when it is combined with chili powder, in a dry spice rub.  To that mix, add a little cinnamon, brown sugar and seasonings to coat pork tenderloin.  I let it stand for about an hour, but for even more flavor, coat the meat and refrigerate it overnite.


I saw this recipe on CHOW, and Bill and I were amazed with how good it turned out.  I adapted the recipe slightly, omitting cumin, as that’s one spice not bought, nor used here.  The spicy rub is easy, has a nice deep color for the pork and tastes scrumptious!  I will be repeating this soon!

Cocoa-Chile-Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Adapted
Ingredients for the spice rub:

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine; set aside.

For the tenderloins:

2 (1 to 1½ pounds) pork tenderloins
1-2 tablespoons oil

Method:

Trim pork of any silver skin and pat dry with paper towels.
Using your hands, rub the tenderloins all over with the oil.
Sprinkle them with all of the spice mixture, and rub until evenly coated.
Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Heat grill to medium.  If the meat has been refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before grilling.
Place tenderloin on grill, cover grill and cook, turning every 5 minutes, until the pork is browned all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145 to 150 degrees, about 20-30 minutes.
Transfer pork tenderloins to a cutting board and let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Cut crosswise into ½” thick slices and serve.
4-6 servings

ENJOY!

 

Simple Oven-Baked Tenderloin Pork Chops

They’ve done it again; new pork labels were in the grocer’s meat case the other day.  This time, the chops I bought were called "Tenderloin Pork Chops."  Never heard that one before, but here it is, the same chop as always:

Same, just a new name

The pork chop has a T-shaped bone running through it, similar to the T-bones of beefsteaks.  The chop is loin meat, separated by a t-bone, from a bit of tenderloin meat. 

Bill and I are both pork chop fans and this recipe, from Zweber Farms, is one of the best recipes for delicious, moist oven-baked pork chops that I’ve made.  

The chops are coated with a spicy rub and baked in a moderate oven, with the bone itself retaining moisture as it cooks, keeping the meat from drying out. 

The chops were tender and juicy; great tasting bone-in pork chops!

Is “Tenderloin Pork Chop” a new label to you?

Simple Oven-Baked Tenderloin Pork Chops

Ingredients: 

4 bone-in pork chops
2½ tablespoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
¼ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon sweet basil
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper

Method: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine seasonings in a small bowl and sprinkle chops on both sides.
Arrange them on a baking sheet.
Bake for 20-30 minutes flipping them half way.
When nearing the end of the baking time, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.  A done chop is 145-150 degrees.
Serve

ENJOY!

Cajun Rubbed Grilled Pork Chops

Shoe-leather pork!  

That’s what we had for dinner one evening years ago, after grilling pork chops on the Weber for the first time ~ they went straight from the packaging to the grill to the garbage.

Then I learned about rubs and brines to tenderize pork before grilling.  Pork is the one of the most versatile meats that can hold its own with bold seasonings. 

Purchase chops of about 1” thickness, no thin or frail chops.  Then rub them with the Cajun spices and let set in the refrigerator for at least an hour, before grilling them to perfection.

The flavors of this Cajun rub are spicy, with a touch of sweetness for moist and delicious chops.

We were amazed how tender and delicious the chops turned out ~ we ate Succulent and Smoky Chops for dinner last night!

Cajun Rubbed Grilled Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 (1” thick) center-cut loin pork chops, with excess fat trimmed

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Method:

Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl, 1-8 hours before grilling.

Coat the chops with the rub and place in a Ziploc bag.

Refrigerate 1 to 8 hours.

Transfer chops onto the grill over medium heat.

Cook for 18-20 minutes to 150 degrees internal temperature, turning once or twice.

ENJOY!

Spice-Rubbed Grilled Tilapia

Paprika is so much more than a little dusting of color for your deviled eggs and potato salad!

Smoked paprika, Pimenton de la Vera, has a smoky quality and taste I really like for a robust dish.  It’s the Spanish cousin of the more popular sweet Hungarian paprika.  

 

Smoked Paprika, Pimenton de la Vera, La Tienda the Best of Spain photo credit

Sweet Hungarian Paprika, Vspicery photo credit

                                 



Unlike Hungarian-grown paprika, in which red peppers are slowly sun-dried into a rich, fruity flavor, with no heat, smoked paprika is made from dried pimento peppers that have been smoked over an oak fire, and then ground into a fine powder for a woodsy smoky flavor.  

Smoked paprika can be sweet or hot ~ a little goes a long way ~ add it to grilled or roasted seafood, meats and stews, or ~ make sinister deviled eggs!

I saw this recipe, loaded with good seasonings, in our local newspaper, The Northwest Herald. Herbs de Provence is a classic blend of herbs from the sunny South of France, which includes thyme, savory, fennel, basil and lavender.  It’s equally good on roasted chicken and in sauces. 

This rub was exactly what the tilapia was begging for:

It gave the fish plenty of flavor that both Bill and I liked.  It’s good ~ give it a try!

Spice-Rubbed Grilled Tilapia

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
2 pounds tilapia fillets
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

Method:

Lightly spray tilapia with cooking spray.
Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
Rub spices into fish fillets.
Grill over medium heat until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serves 4

ENJOY!

Grilled Catfish with Spicy Rub

Three of my favorite things ~ summertime, grillin’ and catfish…

Voila!  Ready to eat!

The seafood case at Jewel is filled with an abundance of large delicious fillets of catfish now. And, grilling is the simplest method of preparing them.  Catfish is a firm-fleshed fish, with a distinct taste I like, which doesn’t fall apart easily, making it perfect for grilling.

The secret to tasty grilled catfish is in the treatment before grilling.  That’s where this rub is the star ~ it’s spicy, adding vibrant flavor quickly to the mild fish, with an appealing color, and a crispy crust also. 

Rubbed for the grill

Perfect summer fare from the grill that will melt in your mouth and is healthy too!

Grilled Catfish with Spicy Rub

Ingredients:

4 catfish fillets

3 teaspoons paprika

3 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

Cooking spray

Method:

Combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl.

Lightly spray grill pan and fish with cooking spray.

Apply the rub to catfish.

Grill over medium-high heat until fish flakes with a fork.

Serve

ENJOY!

Salmon w/Dill Chives and Coriander Rub

Egads! ~ I did a little coriander research, after I made the this rub, and was shocked to learn its family background:

Coriander is the seed of the same plant that gives us cilantro!  It’s from the same family, but having decidedly different flavors; with coriander being a light lemony, citrusy taste, while cilantro is soapy and pungent.

Fresh cilanto, corinader seeds and ground coriander

Julia Child loathed cilantro and so do I.  My nose can detect the odor of cilantro from across the restaurant, as I imagine it’s soapy taste.  I know many people who love it, but I consider cilantro the herb from hell.

There has actually been genetic research of cilantro, and it’s believed that the dislike of the herb is a partly inherited trait, linked to a variation in a gene associated with our sense of smell.  So ~ I’m blaming my cilantro loathing on my genes…

 

Coriander seed is the dried fruit of the coriander plant. It’s used primarily in Indian, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines, Latin American also. When whole, coriander is used mainly in pickling and brining.  

When ground, it has a citrusy spicy flavor and can be added to pancake and waffle batters, sweet and savory dishes, vegetable dishes, stews, curries, marinades and rubs similar to my recipe here…

This is truly a great flavorful rub for salmon, adapted from a Cooking Light recipe.  Besides coriander, I added dill and chives (the recipe said use one or the other), and sesame seeds for a slightly nutty taste, with brown sugar sweetening the mixture just a bit.

Rubbed

Grilled

In a 2002 interview with Larry King, Julia Child told him she never ordered dishes with coriander.  She informed him, “I would pick it out and throw it on the floor.”  She would’ve stomped the life out of it, and I would do the same, Julia!

Bill grilled the salmon and we had a tasty dinner of it, brown rice and steamed asparagus!

What’s your take on coriander ~ cilantro?

Salmon w/Dill Chives and Coriander Rub

Adapted

Ingredients:

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

1 tablespoon each chopped fresh chives and dill

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

Method:

Brush salmon with oil.

Combine remaining ingredients and rub on salmon.

Allow to set for about 10 minutes.

Place salmon on grill under medium-high heat or in a non-stick skillet on the stovetop.

Cook until it flakes easily, about 12 minutes, turning once.

ENJOY!

Buen apetito and Hasta luego!

Woo hoo!  Bill’s 50^th high school reunion is this weekend.  Then we’re off to Las Vegas again.  He surprised me with a suite and “front row” seats to the Elton John concert!

~ ~ ~ 

I hope you all are doing well and I’ll be thinking about you.  I will leave you with this good pork chop rub recipe…

I don’t believe I’ve ever combined dill with pork, but I will from now on.  I adapted the recipe for this rub from “Real Simple” magazine.  It stated that the rub is also good for bone-in chicken pieces and shrimp.

Trust me, it’s delicious!  The blend of ingredients definitely surprised skeptical me, and we had a tasty couple of pork chops for dinner.  You will just have to try it to believe it!   

 

Pickle Rub for Pork Chops

Ingredients:

2 butterfly pork chops, trimmed of fat

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill weed

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon dried mustard

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon Splenda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly spray chops with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix remaining ingredients.

Rub chops well with mixture.

Bake until thermometer registers 145-160 degrees or juice runs clear.

Serve

Buen apetito and Hasta luego!