Grilled Pork Tenderloin - Recipe #108

I hate grilling - but I love pork tenderloin, so it is no surprise that while I kept this recipe from Trent's mom, I never had made it before the Recipe Challenge. I adore the smell of lighter fluid and charcoal together (though I know it is probably not the best for me), but I can never seem to get them to actually light - or if I do, I don't have the patience for the coals to glow with heat. So I was a little nervous having this as one of my final recipes in the month of October, always iffy grilling weather. Fortunately, we have had a lovely early autumn and I had a willing grill-er/sous chef in Trent. I did have to make one substitution - I could not find guava jelly anywhere, so I substituted red pepper jelly. Delish! I served some of the leftover marinade sauce on a salmon burger.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Brine:

• 1 1/2 Tbs. salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups cold water

Stir salt and sugar in boiling water to dissolve, then add cold water. Add meat and brine in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Rub:

• 3 Tbs. Spanish paprika
• 1 Tbs. cumin
• 2 tsp. ground fennel
• 1 Tbs. ground mustard
• 2 tsp. salt
• coarse black pepper

Mix spices together and rub into meat, then coat with olive oil. Grill meat 5 to 6 min. per side over med. hot coals, turning 1/4 turn each time, and basting with glaze often.

Glaze:

• 1 cup guava jelly
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• salt & pepper

Reserve some glaze for serving, adding cilantro.