Fig and Chile Glazed Pork Tenderloin

This past weekend, my friend Anne and I went to Chicama Run to pick up some more meat since Curt and I were running low!  In addition to buying a "Box of Beef," I happened to pick up some pork tenderloin!  I tend to stay away from pork tenderloin because it can be dry if you don't cook it right.  Also, I find that there are a lot of plain old boring pork tenderloin recipes.  I looked on my new favorite website, Pinterest, and found this recipe which looked amazing!  Here's the recipe!

Fig and Chile Glazed Pork Tenderloin

1/2 cup fig preserves

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 tbs chile paste with garlic

 1 tbs soy sauce (or coconut amino/wheat free alternative)

1 tsp kosher salt, divided 2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  

So this was easy peasy!  First, just mix all of the ingredients ( fig preserves, rice vinegar, chile paste with garlic sauce, and soy sauce) in a small bowl.  I was able to find some fig preserves that were only fig and some pectin, so pretty much paleo :)  Also, for the soy sauce, you can either use the coconut amino things that is a soy sauce alternative or else at least go for a gluten free soy sauce! 

My mother in law had given me a tiny little wisk for Christmas one year and this was the perfect size for wisking all of the ingredients together!  I must admit that I was a little skeptical of this recipe, but I figured I'd give it a try.  I liked all of the ingredients individually, but I wasn't sure about how I would like them when all mixed together!

Next, I had to take the silverskin off the pork tenderloin.  The silverskin is the thin, white membrane along the pork tenderloin which connects it to the actual pork loin.  You don't want it for a few reasons.  First, it doesn't look pretty when you cook it.  Also, it is tough and chewy when it is cooked.  Chewy is great when you're describing gum... not so much when you're describing a pork tenderloin.  Anyway, you just take a short and sharp knife and make little cuts and pull it away from the tenderloin.  Make sure to be careful not to cut the meat itself!

So here's the lovely little pork tenderloin.  I took the salt and pepper and seasoned the tenderloin on all side.  This was a snap!  Meanwhile, heat up a skillet to very very hot!  I used an oven safe skillet so that I could just throw the whole thing into the oven afterwards.  That reminds me... heat the oven up to 350!

Next, you want to brown the pork tenderloin.  I did put a little bit of bacon fat into the pan to help the tenderloin brown a little bit.  You just want to brown the whole tenderloin.  You will cook it the rest of the way in the oven.  Caution - this browning may cause smoke in your house and may set off a fire alarm - mine is almost permanently disconnected!

Next, with the tenderloin still in the pan, I spooned the fig mixture over the tenderloin.  I put almost all of the mixture over the pork tenderloin.  Then, I put the whole thing in the oven.

Since my pork tenderloin was somewhat tiny, it really didn't take long at all to cook.  It was in there for about 15-20 minutes, depending on how well you like your pork cooked.  I trust the farm where mine came from and I don't like things dry, so mine was cooked about medium to medium wellish.

Next, I removed the pork tenderloin from the pan and set it on a plate to rest and let the juices settle down.  The last thing you want is to cut into it immediately and have all of the flavor run out everywhere.  While I was doing this, I set the pan back on the stove, over medium heat.  Make sure you don't burn your hand when you touch the pan... remember - it's been in the oven!!!  I thickened up the sauce a little bit and added a little pat of butter to finish it off.  I let everything get all mixed up nicely and whisked it together.

When the tenderloin had settled, I sliced it up and spooned the fig chile sauce over the top.  I have to tell you that this unlikely combination was amazing!!! It was sweet and spicy and salty and delicious!  I'm definitely making this one again!!!  Curt loved it too :)

Pure deliciousness!  I think I served mine with some broccoli or some other green... maybe asparagus? I don't remember... I do remember how good this recipe was though!

Enjoy!

         Jenn