An Inspired Cook

Recently I got a Blackstone griddle and I can’t wait to show you how much fun I’ve been having with it. Cooking outdoors is going to be so much fun this summer. This pork tenderloin was so easy to make and it turned out absolutely delicious! It charred over the outside while remaining tender and moist on the inside. There’s nothing more fragrant and flavorful than adding chimichurri to grilled meat. It makes every bite taste like a burst of flavor that you can’t resist. I paired the tenderloin with some foil packet potatoes and a salad which made a perfect meal with very little cleanup. It gets so hot during the summer months here in the Land of Enchantment that I prefer grilling over heating up my kitchen. Starting this weekend I’m planning a new chapter in Blackstone cooking; I hope to find some new inspiration along the way. Wish me luck!

This is my go to Mojo Pork marinade. You’ll need orange juice, lime juice, orange zest, cilantro, garlic, Mexican oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil.

Place all the marinade ingredients into a small food processor or immersion blender and process until it’s completely blended.

This pork tenderloin is just over 1 pound. It usually comes in a sealed pack of 2 tenderloins. One tenderloin will be plenty for Joe and I. The marinade is ready to go.

Place the tenderloin and all the marinade into a zip lock bag and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Make the chimichurri just before you are ready to grill the tenderloin. You’ll need some chopped parsley, chopped cilantro, dried oregano, minced red onion, grated garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. I ground some guajillo chiles that I used in place of pepper flakes.

Combine all the prepared ingredients into a mixing bowl, pour the olive oil into the mix and stir until well combined.

Let it sit for a few minutes, the herbs, red onion and garlic will begin to wilt into the oil and it will become more flavorful. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate if not using within 30 minutes.

Heat your griddle to medium high heat. When hot, add the tenderloin and let cook 3 – 4 minutes on all sides. Total cook time should be around 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees with an instant read thermometer. If it sears too soon, turn down the temperature to medium on the griddle.

Let the pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing. That’s just enough time for me to clean the Blackstone griddle. It’s an easy and quick process once you master it.

Spoon some parsley cilantro chimichurri over the pork and enjoy!

Mojo Pork Tenderloin with Parsley Cilantro Chimichurri

1 pound Pork Tenderloin
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1/2 cup Lime Juice
2 teaspoons Orange Zest
1/3 cup Cilantro
3 cloves Garlic
1/2 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

Combine all the marinade ingredient in a small food processor or an immersion blender and process until it’s well blended. Place the pork tenderloin into a gallon size zip lock bag and pour the marinade over the tenderloin to coat all sides of it.  Refrigerate 4 hours.

Heat your griddle to medium high heat. Remove the pork tenderloin from the marinade and set on the hot griddle. Let sear 3 – 4 minutes on each side, about 15 minutes total or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees with an instant read thermometer. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice pork and spoon chimichurri over top to serve.

Parsley Cilantro Chimichurri

1/2 cup Parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
2 tablespoons Red Onion, minced
1 clove Garlic, grated on a microplane grater
1 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/8 teaspoon Red Chile Flakes, (I roughly ground Guajillo Chiles into flakes)

Combine all the chimichurri ingredients into a bowl and stir. Serve fresh over prepared pork tenderloin.