Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Blood Orange-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

Blood Orange-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

Ahhh blood oranges.  The beautiful bright spot in an otherwise bleak winter.  I buy out every grocery store in my area that carries them throughout the months of January to March.  Most of the oranges are reserved for margaritas and martinis, but I always squirrel some away for snacking and recipes as well.  Like this gorgeous pork tenderloin.

The pork is marinated in a  mixture of blood orange juice, rosemary, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard, then seared and roasted.  Meanwhile, you make a super simple blood orange sauce for the finished pork.  The result is a perfectly roasted, flavorful, and healthy dinner.  The sweet-tart blood orange juice is a great contrast to the earthy rosemary and sweet, tender pork.

I don't know what your plans are for Valentine's Day, but this pork tenderloin would be a wonderful option if you're cooking at home.  It's super easy, is prepped ahead, and is elegant and beautiful.  Serve this with a side of roasted asparagus and some goat cheese grits, and you have a lovely dinner.  And it's low-maintenace enough that it leaves you with plenty of time for smooching your sweetie!

Blood Orange-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

Blood Orange-Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
adapted from Grill It!  by Bobby Flay

2 1/2 cups fresh blood orange juice (squeezed from 8 to 10 blood oranges)
1/2 cup + 1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 1-lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 Tbs honey
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together 1/2 cup of the blood orange juice, 1/4 cup of oil, 1 Tbs of the balsamic vinegar, and the Dijon mustard.  Combine this mixture with the pork tenderloin a gallon-sized ziploc bag.  Seal and agitate the bag to coat the pork, then transfer to the refrigerator.  Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, and up to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, pour the remaining 2 cups of blood orange juice into a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat until it's reduced to 3 tablespoons, watching it carefully so it doesn't boil over.

Transfer the reduced juice to a  blender or small food processor, and and add the remaining tablespoon of vinegar and the honey.  Blend until smooth.  Add the remaining 1/1/4 cup of oil, and blend until it's smooth and emulsified.  Transfer to a small bowl.  The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before serving as well.

When you're ready to cook the pork, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.  Remove the pork from the marinade and season generously on all sides.  Cook in the skillet for 7 to 9 minutes, turning every 2 minutes or so, or until it is well-browned on all sides.

Transfer the skillet + pork to the oven and cook until the pork registers 140 degrees in the thickest portion, 13 to 18 minutes.  Remove from oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Slice the pork and serve with the blood orange sauce.


5 comments:

Josie said...

Would chicken be a good substitute? I don't eat beef or pork.

Josie said...

I could kiss you for this. Tequila for breakfast, FTW!!

Josie said...

I so rarely see blood oranges used in savory recipes even though I can totally see them pairing well with rosemary! Such a great "fancy" at-home dinner meal.

Josie said...

Absolutely! Just adjust the cooking time accordingly to cook the chicken to 165 degrees. Enjoy!

Josie said...

I normally hoard them all for margaritas, but I couldn't pass this one up. So good!

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