Honey Hoisin Pork Tenderloin
Way back in the early 2000s, I was a frequent writer for Cooking Light magazine. Sadly, Cooking Light‘s last magazine issue was December. It was, and will remain, one of my favorite food magazines. Realistic, healthy-ish and full of delicious content. Their food editors tested and retested recipes and always made me proud of the finished product.
I have dozens of Cooking Light recipes which you can find if you search my name on MyRecipes.com, but this Honey Hoisin Pork Tenderloin is one I’ve shared time and again. I’ve simplified the recipe over time, but you can check out the original here. I prefer the current method, using a grill or grill pan. The original method was to cook the pork in a high heat oven, but the honey always ended up getting rather smokey in the oven.
You can watch a video tutorial of how to make this dinner, thanks to the Memorial Hermann Resolution Challenge recipes I did for the new year. Watch the video for coconut lime cauliflower rice while you’re at it, it’s the perfect side for this dinner. Pretty please subscribe to my YouTube channel for more cooking and recipe videos!
Marinate the pork tenderloin overnight if you have time. If you’re in a rush, leave the pork sitting out in the marinade at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes. Meat needs to come to room temperature before you grill it, anyway.
A few notes about ingredients:
- Buy pork tenderloin from a good source. In Texas, the meat at Central Market is my favorite. You can also buy it from Whole Foods. Look for pasture-raised pork. One of my favorite local heritage pork farmers is Yonder Way Farm. If you’re local, check them out!
- Use organic tamari because soy is a highly sprayed crop. You can also use coconut aminos if you’re avoiding soy, or soy sauce if that’s what you have on hand.
- Find good-quality salt, such as Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which has something of a cult following among chefs. There was even a panicky rumor that it was being discontinued. You can also use Real Salt or Himalayan salt. Just use your discretion and use good quality salt without fillers and chemicals.
- Compare the hoisin sauce available at your market and get the one with the least amount of sodium and ingredients.
There’s not much else to say about this recipe other than it’s quick, delicious and a weeknight favorite in our house. Leftovers are delicious in fried rice, a quick stir fry or on sliders for sandwiches. Enjoy!
Honey Hoisin Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 scallions white and green parts
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound pork tenderloin trimmed
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to high heat.
- Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Pour ¾ of the mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag; reserve remaining mixture. Add pork to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator for 45 minutes or up to overnight, turning bag occasionally. If you marinate for 30 minutes or less, keep the pork out at room temperature.
- Remove pork from bag and pat dry with a paper towel; discard marinade. Grill pork on medium-high heat, about 4 minutes per side.
- Grill until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink) or 165 (medium).
- Let pork rest for 5 minutes. Cut into thin slices and drizzle with the remaining honey mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve warm.
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