Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Chocolate Spice Rub Recipe
Inspired by our mention in an issue of the Saveur 100. It is a nice twist to a more traditional pork tenderloin, and will produce beautiful results if you prepare and grill the loin properly.
You can adjust the size of the tenderloin, depending on how many you are serving. This recipe will easily work for smaller or larger tenderloins. Any unused rub can be store in a container in the fridge for up to two weeks.
directions
1. The night before, trim any remaining shiny membrane from the tenderloin and place it in a large pot or bowl with enough brine to completely cover the entire piece. The amount of brine needed will vary depending on the size of the tenderloin, but the proportion should be approximately 3 tablespoons of salt to 1 quart of water. Place tenderloin and brine in the fridge overnight.
2. In the morning, rinse the tenderloin in cold water and pat it dry with paper towels or a clean dish cloth, and place it in the fridge uncovered until you are ready to prepare and grill it.
3. About 30-40 minutes before grilling, remove tenderloin from the fridge and let it warm up. At the same time, place the white peppercorns, coriander, cocoa, sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cumin, coffee (if using), and chili powder in a blender or food processor and process until everything is finely ground.
4. Rub tenderloin evenly with olive oil, and then rub generous amounts of cocoa spice rub on all sides until nicely covered. Even coverage is critical to help keep the tenderloin moist while cooking.
5. Turn on your grill to high. Make sure all grill grates are clean and well oiled. Grill all four sides of your tenderloin for approximately 4-5 minutes. The goal is to get a nice even grill with no burning. When internal temperature reached 145 degrees, remove the tenderloin from the grill and let it rest, well wrapped in aluminum foil, for another 5 minutes. The tenderloin will continue to cook and the internal temperature should reach 150 degrees.
serves 4-6