Last week McCall mentioned the pecan smoked tenderloin at Impastato's. I did not have beef tenderloin as times are tough, but I did have a big plump pork tenderloin sitting in the fridge. So here is what I did.
Nothing brings as much flavor with as little work as a brine. I like molasses and citrus flavors on my pork. Lacking molasses, I decided to first make an Old Fashioned Cocktail. I combined a half cup of bourbon (in this case a purple and gold waxed Makers Mark), the zest of one orange, and 5 dashes of Peychaud bitters. Dissolve 1/2 cup of Kosher Salt and 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar in 2 cups water. Add 2 bay leafs, 6 black peppercorns, and the juice of one orange. Combine all wet ingredients. Put loin in this bath for at least 6 hours.
Came home from work and fired up the Cameron Indoor Smoker with some pecan wood chips. Smoked the pork loin for an hour and half. Then, seared the loin (still whole) until the outside was crusty. Let the loin rest for 10 minutes.
While the pig relaxes, drain excess grease from pan and add half a bottle of dark beer or bourbon and the juice of one orange. Reduce sauce by half.
Slice pork into 2 inch medallions and spoon sauce over pork. What resulted was incredibly juicy with a crisp exterior. The smoke flavor did not penetrate as deep into the meat as I would have liked; but the flip side was that the smoke flavor did not overwhelm the dish. The bourbon hung in the background like a shifty character in a dark bar. Which is exactly what I had hoped it would do.
I served this with a vinegary and herbaceous salad. But with fall here now, I would suggest a nice risotto or even grits. In fact, at Martin's Wine Cellar right now they have a jar of Truffled Sea Salt available. I would sprinkle this on top of either the risotto or grits and make whoever you serve this dish to a very happy human.
Nothing brings as much flavor with as little work as a brine. I like molasses and citrus flavors on my pork. Lacking molasses, I decided to first make an Old Fashioned Cocktail. I combined a half cup of bourbon (in this case a purple and gold waxed Makers Mark), the zest of one orange, and 5 dashes of Peychaud bitters. Dissolve 1/2 cup of Kosher Salt and 1/2 Cup of Brown Sugar in 2 cups water. Add 2 bay leafs, 6 black peppercorns, and the juice of one orange. Combine all wet ingredients. Put loin in this bath for at least 6 hours.
Came home from work and fired up the Cameron Indoor Smoker with some pecan wood chips. Smoked the pork loin for an hour and half. Then, seared the loin (still whole) until the outside was crusty. Let the loin rest for 10 minutes.
While the pig relaxes, drain excess grease from pan and add half a bottle of dark beer or bourbon and the juice of one orange. Reduce sauce by half.
Slice pork into 2 inch medallions and spoon sauce over pork. What resulted was incredibly juicy with a crisp exterior. The smoke flavor did not penetrate as deep into the meat as I would have liked; but the flip side was that the smoke flavor did not overwhelm the dish. The bourbon hung in the background like a shifty character in a dark bar. Which is exactly what I had hoped it would do.
I served this with a vinegary and herbaceous salad. But with fall here now, I would suggest a nice risotto or even grits. In fact, at Martin's Wine Cellar right now they have a jar of Truffled Sea Salt available. I would sprinkle this on top of either the risotto or grits and make whoever you serve this dish to a very happy human.
This post doubles as your After Work Today. Go make an Old Fashioned or better yet have your grandmother make one for you, as I am sure her recipe is the definitive one in your family. Its Brown Likker Season.
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1 comment:
If I were a pig, I would love a six hour soak in an old fashion. Hell, I might take a bourbon bath when I get home tonight. Sounds very relaxing.
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