Bourbon Pork Tenderloin

[dougdog]

Jeff,

Earlier I'd written:

I'm going to use this for an upcoming party next month where the theme/competition is to pair whiskey with a food dish...I intend to win!

The party was held on December 10th. This year’s theme was to pair whisky with food. (This a SMSW crowd) I had started preparations on my dish earlier in the day. First thing in the morning (7:00 am) was to make the marinade (I combined equal amounts of AAA and WT 101 for the bourbon parts) and get the two fresh pork loin roasts soakin’ in the “sauce”.

Around 1:00 pm, I started the mesquite coals on the BBQ, when the coals were ready; the roasts went on for 45 minutes. (They were 2¼ pounds each) While the roasts were BBQ’n the marinade was being reduced. I took the roasts off early (par-cooked) for final preparation at the event.

Determined to make my presence known, I spent much thought regarding presentation.

I took a 24 inch white oval platter, and placed the re-heated, sliced medallions of loin in two rows, long ways down the platter. I placed 4 leafs of mustard greens, 2 on each side of the pork. I then filled in and around the mustard greens with mandarin oranges. After the oranges went on, I put a can of Planters, fancy, whole cashews over everything. Then, I ladled the simmering reduction sauce over the pork and the cashews. (Not on the greens and oranges) I placed about 6 or 7 maraschino cherries for a contrasting dash of color and served.

I did win the first place trophy.

I paired my dish with Caol Ila, 15yo, Faunna & Flora edition Islay Malt. The smoke on the meat cancelled the smoke and peat in the malt and allowed the luscious fruits and flowers not normally evident in this whisky to come to the forefront and interact with the pork tenderloin and garnishes. The playful exchange between the spicy bourbon sauce and the Islay Malt was superb. If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. That doesn’t mean I won’t try other things, it just means that this combo is known to work!

There was a small awards ceremony, and a “photo-op”. In the picture, from left to right is JT in the blue shirt, John is the one responsible for introducing me to Single Malt back in 1994, which eventually led me to bourbon. Dave, in the red shirt, is also a malt freak, a very good cook and won the second place food dish, he’ll enjoy a glass of bourbon with me if JT is not around. In the back is George, he is the one who put a circa 1945 distillation Glen Grant 26yo in front of me and said,”taste this”…that, has since, cost me a lot of money! (Happily so), George will drink Bourbon and/or Scotch…but just the good stuff!

You can see our host’s “Italian missile-toe” hanging in the doorway.

Thanks again Jeff for the recipe!

dougdog

[ratcheer]

I wish you had gotten us a picture of the completed dish. It sounds like it was awesome!

Tim

[luv2hunt]

Wow Doug! I'm impressed! You can cook for me anytime!

Dawn

[dougdog]

Tim,

You will just have to use your imagination...

My dish was the last one to hit the table prior to everyone getting started...there was absolutely no time to preserve the "Kodak Moment" in time....and, I had a camera there, and intended to take a picture...it was all planned...just didn't work out that way.

Literally in just moments there was a crowd...in just minutes, the plate was completely ransacked!

I'll make this plate again...maybe for D-Day if we ever get a larger group together...but in any event I'll get a photo and post it here in the future.

D-Day Dougdog

[ratcheer]

Completely understandable, Doug.

Tim

[jeff]

Congratulations Doug I'm glad everyone liked it, and it sounds like your presentation got you over the top! I wish I could have tasted it

[jspero]

1lb (or so) whole pork tenderloin
1/2 cup bourbon (I use AAA)
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbs dark brown sugar
Crushed red pepper to taste
Salt to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together in a large zip-lock bag, add tenderloin and marinate for about an hour. Remove tenderloin, reserving the marinade, and grill to desired doneness. Reduce remaining marinade in a saucepan over medium heat until you have a loose syrup consistancy. Cut tenderloin into medalions and top with reduction sauce.

I tried this last night on the grill. I let the tenderloin marinade for 4 days, though. All I can say is “WOW!” This was REALLY good. And the house smelled great after reducing the remainder of the marinade. Thanks for posting this. It’s a keeper.

Jay

[cowdery]

Four days apparently is good, but I have found it is possible to over-marinade this dish. When you do, it gets very bitter.

[jspero]

Four days apparently is good, but I have found it is possible to over-marinade this dish. When you do, it gets very bitter.

I didn't intend to let it marinade for 4 days, it just kind of worked out like that. I found that it had a nice "woody" flavor to it with hints of the orange juice. The bourbon was the dominant flavor. I used EW 1783 (10yo, 86 proof), which I think has a nice woody flavor to it straight. I cooked it over charcoal, which may have also contributed to the woodiness.

I think next time I'll try a 2-day marinade and see if I notice a difference. I tried it as leftovers a few days later and didn't notice any flavor change (like when Chinese food or pizza sometimes taste better the next day).

Jay

[Sijan]

I'm using a modified version of this for some pork chops tonight - they're marinating right now. Used a cup of OJ and a cup of bourbon, mostly WT101, and a large chunk of brown sugar, plus some salt, peppercorns, crushed red pepper, garlic & a few other misc. seasonings.