Cuban Grilled Mojito Pork Tenderloins Recipes

CUBAN PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Using thin knife, trim silver skin from tenderloin. Mix orange juice, grapefruit juice, cilantro, cumin, oregano, garlic, salt, and hot pepper in gallon-sized zip-top plastic bag. Add pork, close, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Meanwhile, make Rice and Black Bean Salad.
• Prepare outdoor grill for direct medium-hot grilling. For a gas grill, preheat grill on high. Adjust temperature to 400°F. For a charcoal grill, build fire and let burn until coals are covered with white ash. Spread coals and let burn for 15-20 minutes.
• Lightly oil cooking grate. Remove pork from marinade, drain briefly, but do not scrape off solids. Place on grill and cover grill. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned and instant-read thermometer inserted in center of pork reads 145°F, about 20-27 minutes. Transfer to carving board and let stand 3-5 minutes. Cut on slight diagonal and serve with rice and black bean salad.
• Rice and Black Bean Salad:
• To make salad, bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rice and cook (like pasta) until tender, about 16 minutes. Drain in wire sieve, rinse under cold water, and let cool.
• In medium bowl, whisk orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Whisk in oil. Add cooled rice, black beans, scallions and cilantro, and mix. Let stand at room temperature for up to 4 hours. (If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, or rice will be hard.)

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MOJO SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill and on lid.
• Squeeze enough juice from oranges to measure 5 tablespoons. Mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large heavy knife), then whisk together with orange juice, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon oregano.
• Pat pork dry and rub each tenderloin with 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon oregano.
• When fire is hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 1 to 2 seconds), grill pork on lightly oiled grill rack, covered with lid, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally into center of each tenderloin registers 155°F, 12 to 14 minutes total. Let pork stand 5 minutes before slicing.
• Serve pork drizzled with mojo sauce.

CUBAN GRILLED MOJITO PORK TENDERLOINS

Steps:

• In medium metal bowl, mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, the mint and salt. Use handle of wooden spoon to crush mint into the brown sugar and salt. You are bruising (or muddling) the leaves to release flavor. When mint is fragrant and leaves are slightly crushed, add cold water, rum and lime juice. Stir well to dissolve salt and sugar.
• Pour mint marinade into 1-gallon resealable plastic food-storage bag. Add pork and seal bag. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes but no longer than 8 hours.
• Spray grill rack with cooking spray or brush with oil. Heat coals or gas grill for medium-high heat. (Check the temperature of the coals by placing your hand, palm side down, near but not touching the cooking grill rack. If you can keep your hand there for two seconds [one-thousand one, one-thousand two], the temperature is high; three seconds is medium-high; four seconds is medium; five seconds is low.)
• Meanwhile, in 8-inch skillet, heat cumin and coriander seed over medium heat 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant (you are dry-roasting the spices, so there is no need for oil). Remove seed from skillet to a plate and cool completely. (If left in skillet, seed will continue to cook and may burn.)
• In spice or coffee grinder (used for grinding spices only), grind roasted seed, brown sugar and mustard to a fine powder. (If you don't have a grinder, place seed in resealable plastic food-storage bag and pound with flat side of meat mallet; mixture will be not as finely ground but will still be delicious.)
• Remove pork from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Rub pork with oil and coat each with half of the dry rub.
• Grill pork covered about 20 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Remove pork from grill when still slightly pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center reads 155°F. Allow pork to rest 5 minutes (temperature will continue to rise to 160°F). Slice pork to serve. (To broil, line broiler pan with foil. Spray broiler rack with cooking spray or brush with oil. Broil pork 4 to 5 inches from heat as directed above.)