Spicy Pepper Jelly Marinated Pork Tenderloin

I did an inventory of the freezer this morning and decided it was the perfect week to start cycling through things since we will be away next week.  I had a couple of pork tenderloins stashed away and decided it was the perfect night to try this recipe since I also had a jar of pepper jelly.  I quickly defrosted the frozen tenderloin in a bowl of cool water before proceeding with my recipe.

I combined some of the spicy pepper jelly with red wine, orange zest, juice, red wine vinegar, freshly chopped rosemary and crushed red pepper flakes and marinate the pork tenderloin in this mixture for a few hours.

The tenderloin was removed from the marinade and seared in my cast iron skillet on all sides.  I added some sweet potato wedges to the pan around the tenderloin and popped the entire skillet in a hot oven for 15 minutes or until the pork was done.  I removed the pork and tented it with foil to allow it to rest while the potatoes went back in the oven to finish cooking. 

While the tenderloin and potatoes were in the oven I heated the marinade in a small saucepan to a boil  and allowed it to boil until thickened.  The boiled marinade got brushed on the tenderloin as it came out of the oven to rest.  My sides were the oven roasted sweet potato wedges and French Green Beans with Shallots.

I love it when I can have the flavors and spices from dinner lingering in my mouth still 5 minutes after I have finished eating.  The spiciness of the marinade and glaze on the pork were offset beautifully by the creaminess and sweetness of the sweet potatoes.  The green beans just added another contrast in flavors.

Spicy Pepper Jelly Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Makes 3 servings

1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin
1/4 cup spicy pepper jelly
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 small orange, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in wedges
Canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pat the pork dry and remove any excess fat.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients and then pour over the pork in a resealable bag.  Marinate at least two hours or overnight.  Turn the pork several times to distribute the marinade evenly.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Remove the pork from the bag and pour the marinade into a small saucepan.  Liberally salt the tenderloin.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (I used my cast iron) over medium high heat.  Once hot, add the pork and sear on all sides, about 8 minutes.  In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato wedges with some canola oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the potatoes to the skillet and place the entire pan in the hot oven.  Cook until the internal temperature of the pork reads 135-140, about 15 minutes.  Remove the pork when done.  Return the potatoes to the oven to finish cooking.

Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil on the stove.  Boil for about 5 minutes, until thickened.

Brush the cooked tenderloin with the boiled marinade.  Tent the pork with foil and allow to rest 5-10 minutes before slicing. 


Barely adapted from Ellysaysopa.com

My rating: