I hear the gasps. I know what you’re thinking. “What is PORK doing on a website called ‘Yentavision’?! Yentas are not supposed to eat PORK.” It’s true, we’re not.
And yet, it is so delicious.
When I was growing up, my family had some perplexing rules regarding treif – chicken parmigiana, the sporadic ham sandwich without cheese, and shrimp (eaten out) were all fine. But steak and a glass of milk? HELL NO. (Also, that just sounds gross.) I’ll never forget my first pork chop, a dish served one evening on a Caribbean cruise I was taking with my grandma the summer before fourth grade. I ate it unknowingly (I thought it was beef), but it was so delectable – and forbidden – my grandma and I both decided it would be our little secret from my mom.
Over the years I’ve embraced pork, a protein cooked about a once a month in our household. Oven-broiled ribs, slow-cooked pulled pork, the occasional bone-in roasted chop. Not long ago, when a friend mentioned the peach-balsamic tenderloin she had recently, I knew I had to recreate it.
Balsamic? Check. Peaches? Well… it’s April and it’s unlikely we’ll get any peaches at all this year thanks to climate change. So I improvised with peach preserves instead.
Ingredients:
2 TB olive oil
1 1/2-3 LB pork tenderloin (I cooked 2 smaller ones)
Montreal steak seasoning, to taste.
1/8 cup vermouth or white wine
1/2 cup peach preserves
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt, to taste.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the tenderloin(s) by trimming off excess fat and seasoning all sides with the Montreal steak mix.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high. When it’s nice and hot, add your pork, browning on all sides. (Take care not to try to move them before they’re ready – the meat should stick to the pan while it’s searing . When it releases, it’s time to turn.)
Once the meat is browned, place in a roasting pan and set in the oven for about 10-15 minutes while you create the glaze.
Turn the burner down to medium-low and add your vermouth or white wine, scraping at the meaty bits stuck to the pan. Throw in the balsamic, peach preserves, and garlic, taking care to stir and allowing the ingredients to completely combine (but not burn.) Once it’s fairly thick, add salt and remove from heat.
Pour the glaze over the meat and return to the oven, turning the heat up to 375. Roast for another 20-25 minutes. When you take it out, let it rest for about 10 minutes before carving, which will allow the juices to settle. When you do slice into it, the color should be slightly pink in the middle, with a juicy texture.
Enjoy with pan-seared zucchini planks!
