Pork Medallions with Pear-Ginger Sauce →

This quick and easy-to-make recipe features pan-fried pork tenderloin medallions with a sweet-and-savory sauce of pear, spicy ginger, tangy cider vinegar, fragrant rosemary, and a hint of Dijon mustard. The sauce is so good that you might want to double the ingredients for the sauce so you have extra. The dish pairs nicely with Pearl Couscous with Asian Pears and Ginger Vinaigrette, or simple egg noodles and a green salad, or seasonal vegetables. Enjoy!

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Pork Medallions with Pear-Ginger Sauce
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 8- 1 inch thick pork tenderloin medallions

• 2 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1/3 cup minced shallots

• 2 tablespoons minced ginger

• 1 large pear (Asian, Anjou, Bartlett, or Bosc), peeled and diced

• 1 ½ cups chicken stock

• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Preparation:

1. Salt the pork medallions well and let them sit at room temperature while you chop the vegetables and pear.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.

3. Pat the medallions dry with a paper towel. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, sear the medallions until nicely browned, about 3 minutes per side depending on how hot your burner is.

4. Remove the medallions from the pan to a plate and tent.

5. Melt the butter in the same skillet and add the shallots and ginger and cook for a minute or two. Add the chopped pear and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.

6. Add the chicken stock, vinegar, rosemary, and honey and bring to a rolling boil.

7. Boil vigorously until the liquid is reduced by 2/3, about 4-6 minutes. Whisk in the 2 teaspoons of Dijon. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

8. Return the medallions to the still-hot sauce and reheat for a couple of minutes.

Adapted from: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/251435/pork-chops-with-pear-ginger-sauce/

Wine pairing: light to medium-bodied red wines like Pinot Noir or Beaujolais; Zinfandel or Primitivo from southern Italy or French Grenache from the Rhone Valley, and Garnacha from Spain; not overly minerally white wines like Dry Riesling and Viognier will also compliment this dish.

Cuban Style Grilled Pork with Cranberry Orange Sauce →

Pernil is one of my favorite pork dishes. I love the Cuban/Puerto Rican marinade used for slow-cooked roast pork shoulder (pernil) so I decided to use it to marinate boneless, country-style ribs and grill them. The sweet-tart orange-cranberry sauce is the perfect complement to the pork. Optionally, you can baste the ribs with the sauce the last 5 minutes on the grill. Serve topped with sauce or with a bowl of sauce on the side. Black Beans and Yellow Rice are the natural companions with this delicious pork dish. Buen provecho!

1. Marinate the Pork:
Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless country-style ribs about an inch thick

• 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice

• 9 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 small onion chopped

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped oregano

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt Pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a large plastic bag and marinate at least 4 hours up to overnight.

2. Make the Sauce: Ingredients:

• ¾ cup all-natural orange marmalade

• ¼ cup dried cranberries

• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar

• ½ teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

• 2 medium cloves fresh minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger

• 1/16-1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder (or to taste)

• ¾ cup chicken broth

Combine the first seven ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bring back to a simmer and reduce for another 10 minutes. Set aside to bring to room temperature.

3. Grill the Pork

1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in charcoal grill; medium-hot gas grill.

2. Remove the ribs from the marinade and wipe off any herbs sticking to the meat.

3. Place ribs on grill over medium heat, close the lid and sear for 2-3 minutes per side.

4. Move the meat to indirect heat and cook 5 minutes per side. (10 minutes) Check doneness with an insta-read thermometer. Finished temperature should be 140-145 and the juices of the meat should run clear or very slightly pink when pierced with a fork. The finished meat should be barely pink and juicy.

5. Remove from grill and let rest 3 minutes.

6. Serve topped with sauce, or with sauce on the side.

Wine pair: a medium-bodied red wine from the Rhone Valley; Merlot; medium-bodied Rioja; or red wine from the Portuguese Douro Valley. Avoid heavy tannin wines.

Ginger Citrus Soy Marinated Pork Tenderloin →

Pork Tenderloin is a tender, delicious, very low fat source of protein if you don’t overcook it. Very easy to make, it takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare the marinade; you can marinate for about 2-3 hours up to 6 hours. The meat is naturally tender, so you don’t need vinegar in the marinade to tenderize it. The result is a delicious caramelized garlic-ginger-citrus flavored tenderloin.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1/3c. orange marmalade

• 1 lg. garlic clove

• 1 teaspoon minced ginger

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• ½ teaspoon Chili Sesame oil (optional)

• 2 pounds pork tenderloin

Preparation:

1. Combine the first four ingredients; reserve ¼ cup of marinade for basting.

2. Add pork to the remaining marinade and prick all over.

3. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 or up to 6 hours.

4. Cook over a medium grill (about 375-400 degrees) for about twenty minutes (turning every 5 minutes), or until the thermometer registers 145. (Don’t overcook or the pork will be tough.)

5. Baste with reserved marinade for the last 5 minutes.

6. Remove from grill to a platter and tent for 3-5 minutes.

7. Slice across the grain 1/4-1/2 inch slices.

Serve with rice and grilled veggies, a green salad, or the Asparagus and Tomato Salad on this site.

Wine pairing: a medium-bodied red wine with some fruit-forward like a Merlot or Cotes du Rhone, or try a food-friendly Dry Riesling.

Philippine Grilled Pork Tenderloin →

This pork dish from the Philippines is delicious and low-fat due to the lean pork tenderloin and small amount of oil in the marinade. The dipping sauce is sour, salty, savory, piquant, and full of umami. You could add “sweet” to this meal by serving a side of colorful sauteed carrots with or without a raspberry glaze achieved by adding a tablespoon or two of raspberry preserves to the carrots while you sautee them in butter.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of pork tenderloin cut into ½ inch thick medallions

• ¼ cup white vinegar

• ½ cup soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 6 thin slices of ginger minced

• ½ teaspoon sesame oil

• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or ¼ teaspoon chili oil)

Preparation:

1. Place the sliced pork in a single layer in a baking dish.

2. Mix the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and chili flakes and pour over pork slices.

3. Refrigerate and marinate about 4 hours; if necessary flip the slices over after a couple of hours to make sure both sides of the pork slices receive the marinade.

4. Preheat your grill or broiler.

5. Reserve marinade and set aside.

6. If broiling, broil medallions about 7 minutes per side about 4 inches from the flame

7. If grilling, grill over a medium-hot grill for 5 minutes per side; check doneness with an insta-read thermometer. Pork will be “medium-done” at 145 degrees and slightly pink in the middle.

8. While pork is cooking, bring the marinade to a boil in a saucepan and reduce by ¼. Serve as a dipping sauce for the pork.
   

Traditionally served with white rice and vegetables.

Adapted from: Low Fat and Loving It: Ruth Spear, Warner Books, 1991.