Cuban Pork Tenderloin
Prep Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Marinating Time:
30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/4 c. fresh orange juice
1/4 c. fresh grapefruit juice
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
The Secret’s Out for Juicy Pork
DIRECTIONS
Using thin knife, trim silver skin from tenderloin.
Mix orange juice, grapefruit juice, cilantro,
cumin, oregano, garlic, salt and red pepper
flakes in gallon-size zip-top plastic bag.
Add pork, close and refrigerate for at least
30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
Ever order pork at a restaurant and
been blown away by its juiciness
and ;avor? Many home cooks
think tender, restaurant-quality
pork is beyond their skill, or
outside the reach of their own
kitchens. But now the secret is out
for making tender, succulent pork.
and, as any chef will tell you, lean
meat tastes best at this lower
temperature. So for the juiciest,
most ;avorful pork you’ve ever had
at home, prepare tenderloins, chops
and roasts to an internal temperature
of 145 degrees F, as measured by an
instant-read thermometer, and allow
it to rest for three minutes before
enjoying your delicious meal.
Prepare outdoor grill for direct medium-hot grilling. Gas grill: Preheat grill on high.
Adjust temperature to 400°F. Charcoal grill:
Build fire and let burn until coals are covered
with white ash. Spread coals and let burn for
15 to 20 minutes.
Other cuts of pork, such as the
sirloin tip roast and the boneless
butt roast, should be slow-cooked
over indirect heat until tender.
;is “low and slow” preparation is
perfect for crowd-pleasing favorites
like pulled pork.
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 into
center of pork reads 145°F, about 20 minutes.
Transfer to carving board and let stand
3 minutes. Cut on slight diagonal and serve.
Serves 6
In May, the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA) revised
its cooking temperature
recommendation for pork. Today,
145 degrees Fahrenheit (F), down
from 160 degrees F, is deemed a
safe internal temperature for loins,
chops and roasts.* ;e agency
reconsidered its long-standing
guidelines for pork thanks to
consistent advances in food safety
and nutrition. ;is is great news
for fans of juicy restaurant pork,
because chefs have been cooking it
this way for years. ;e new
recommended temperature
generally yields a ;nished product
that is pinker in color than most
home cooks are used to, yet the
change – bringing pork in line with
standards for beef and lamb –
means medium-rare pork is on the
menu, even at home.
Additionally, the USDA food
preparation guidelines advise the
following for all proteins:
• Clean: Wash hands and
surfaces often.
;e revised guidelines re;ect the
ideal preparation for preserving the
;avor and tenderness of lean cuts of
pork. Today, pork is 16 percent
leaner than it was just 20 years ago,
For more information and
recipes to enjoy lean and ;avorful
pork, visit PorkBeInspired.com,
Facebook.com/PorkBeInspired
or on Twitter @AllAboutPork.
PorkBeInspired.com
©2011 National Pork Board,
Des Moines, IA USA. This message
funded by America’s Pork Checkoff Program.
WAREHOUSE ONLY
*Ground pork, like all ground meat,
should be cooked to 160 degrees F.
