It's a very important time of year! It's SEC Football Bowl Season (yes, I know other NCAA teams play but I only cheer for SEC teams), NFL Playoff Season and almost Super Bowl Season! I do love the game of pigskin and I always want to serve something super yummy when cheering on our favorites! I took a tour of my old trusty recipe box (you know, the real wooden box that holds your best recipes - those written by hand on recipe cards or photo copies for the best dishes from your family and friends . There was an entire Pre-Pinterest era....believe it - it was real). I happened upon an old and ingredient laden recipe (I'm not always neat when I'm mixing. The goodness level is - the more stained, the better the recipe)! I haven't made this in years and I have no idea why! Bringing back an oldie but a goodie!
For the marinade you'll need:
1/2 cup Kentucky Bourbon
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Brown Sugar (packed)
3 Cloves of Minced Fresh Garlic (can substitute 3 tsp dried if needed)
1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp Powdered Ginger
3 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
Plus:
1 pkg Pork Tenderloin (there are two per package)
Whisk together all marinade ingredients, reserve 1/2 for basting when cooking. Place the tenderloins in a gallon size zip lock bag ( I double bag - no one wants a messy surprise if you have a leak). Add the remaining half of the marinade to the pork and seal tightly. Refrigerate for 12 - 24 hours, flip package over half way thru the chilling cycle. Refrigerate the reserved marinade until time to cook.
When it's cooking time, put the reserved marinade in a sauce pan and heat to a low boil for at 8 - 12 minutes. Whisk frequently to keep this from burning - it has a high sugar content and can get away from you quicker than you think. The cooking will "marry" your ingredients and cook out the alcohol content. You'll use this to baste while cooking your pork.
Remove the pork from marinade and place on a well greased grill (spray with cooking pray - this can get sticky). Grill tenderloins over medium high heat for 30 - 40 minutes or until the core temperature is at least 165*. It was dark and cold tonight so I baked mine in the oven at 350* for 45 minutes. I miss the classic grill marks but this is just as tender and tasty! I baste every 10 minutes and flip half way thru cooking for a nice even brown on the outside. Be sure not to let this dry out by overcooking. I baked open dish, no foil.
Serve this on your favorite bread. I like to mix several pairings to give my guests a variety. Onion Rolls, Ciabitta Rolls and Hawaiian Rolls are my favorites. You can add a cheese of choice, I like Swiss and Sharp Cheddar the best. The hubs loves caramelized onions on top served on an Onion Rolls - it's his fav! I like Swiss on Ciabitta myself! Top the way YOU like it and cheer that team to a tasty WIN!
