Grilled Guava Pork Tenderloin

I need to get different plates.

So this recipe has been my favorite so far. Not just because the food turned out great but because of the people we had over to share it with us. The Adair family are some of my oldest (not age-wise) and very best friends. I probably spent half my youth at their house playing video games, watching movies and there could have been a little trouble making in there, too (that part may be a little fuzzy). We had a great time catching up and our girls always like to see their unofficial “grandparents” and “uncles”.

This recipe was fairly easy and most of the ingredients are really easy to find. We easily fed six people with the meat and had rolls and salad as sides. The meat in this one is done on the grill rather than in the oven which I liked. I love to grill and had never done tenderloin before so I was excited.

TIP: Since the glaze has a good amount of sugar in it from the jelly, it is prone to char from flare-ups on the grill. Keep on eye on the grill and put out any unnecessary flames with a small squirt bottle filled with water.

I think the mojo is really what made this dish so good. Please do not be scared because a habanero pepper is one of the ingredients. You only use half and it gets spread fairly thin in the sauce. It's not super hot but, rather pleasantly spicy. It wasn't really enough to have you reaching for your drink after every bite but it definitely made itself known (if that makes any sense).

I will tell you that the one ingredient I had a little trouble finding was the guava jelly. I couldn't find actual jelly so I settled for guava paste (ate de guayaba) from Pro's Ranch Market and it turned out fine. I'm sure with a trip to Lee Lee I could have found it but I wasn't in the mood for a long trip.

You could easily half this recipe and use only one tenderloin for a smaller family. It would be less expensive and should still turn out great. I highly recommend this recipe, especially if you want to impress any visiting guests.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin a la Rodriguez with Guava Glaze and Orange-Habanero Mojo

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 1/2 pounds each)

2 tablespoons canola oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Guava Glaze, recipe follows

Orange-Habanero Mojo, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat a grill to high.

Brush pork with oil, and then season it with salt and pepper. Set aside a few tablespoons of the Guava Glaze for brushing the cooked pork. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side, brushing frequently with the Guava Glaze. Remove from the grill, brush again with glaze and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slices, drizzle with the Orange-Habanero Mojo, and serve immediately.

TIP: Pork needs to be cooked to around 160 degrees to be done.  To avoid having to cut your pork open to see the center, invest in an instant read thermometer or, even better, I have a digital probe thermometer that I can leave in the whole time.  Both are great kitchen helpers and you'll use them more than you think.

Guava Glaze:

1 cup guava jelly, or apricot jam

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Whisk jelly, mustard, and orange juice together in a small bowl. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Orange-Habanero Mojo:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 small red onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 habanero chile, seeded and finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add lime juice, orange juice, and habanero chile and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half. Whisk in the cilantro and cumin and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Drizzle over pork.

TIP:  Just like last time, it's best to either use higher quality orange juice (not from concentrate, low or no pulp) or squeeze it yourself.  The results will aways be better.