Pork Tenderloin ala salsa

[BBQKaeding]

Ok, please no hate mail or bad reputation on this post, but my it's just my wife and I tonight and I have been preparing for a big brew day tomorrow so there wasn't much time. She brought home some pork tenderloins tonight and I felt I had to treat, just one, right. We've done this recipe countless times with chicken and pork tenderloin and it's among my very favorites. But because it was a small cook, I decided to use my original Japanese mushi Kamado that I've been cooking on for about 30 years. I know this is a KK site and I love mine too, but tonight I decided to spark my first love. She's petite by comparison and perfect for this dinner. I hope you don't mind and still enjoy the pics.

The exterior of the Kamado was refurbished by me about 10 years ago with Rust Oleum grill paints and lots of tender loving care. She has had probably a thousand hours of cooking already but was looking pale from being weathered in the great Northwest without so much as a cover. I'm fond of her, if you can't tell. I crafted the table in which she's mounted as part of the refurbishing project.

The tenderloin was marinated in a freshly made salsa with a number of additions, including soy sauce, sriracha, honey, scallions, etc. My wife hasn't divulged the complete recipe, but you get the idea. The magic of this cook is not just getting the meat done just right, but getting the smoke flavor into the salsa and keeping it on the meat during the cook. It's served tonight with a variant of sesame noodles that is infused with fresh squeezed orange and zest of the fruit.

So now for the pics. Start your engines!

A home-brewed wit beer and some oak ready to be added to the Lazzari mesquite lump charcoal. No, I drink the beer and don't add it to the fire unless things get really out of hand.

Another one...

Closeup of the tenderloin in the marinate. The tail of the tenderloin has been folded and skewered to allow for an even cook throughout.

Placed on the Kamado

I can't read Japanese, but a friend of mine who knows nothing about Kamados told me it said "mushi kamado", although she didn't know what that means.

Rustic?

Placing the marinate over the tenderloin while it cooks is key. If you're not comfortable doing this you can reserve marinate for this purpose but I'm always careful to make sure it it cooks though before the meat is done. The smokey salsa makes you want to dance.

Closeup of the tenderloin during the sear

Anther one, better centered .  It looks like a huge chicken breast, but it's not. However, I highly recommend this recipe for chicken breasts too!

After the sear, I shut down the Kamado and let the meat dwell, checking the internal temperature until it reaches 135 F, about 20 minutes. Onto the cutting board (note the skewer)...

While it rested, I refilled my beer. I let it rest only 10 minutes because it cools quickly and my wife and I are really hungry now. It's in no danger of drying out, trust me.

Closer. These pics are high resolution so if you're patient you can click on them, then click <<FULL SIZE>> and see it so close you can almost smell it.

Well, I guess I should be polite and slice it, egh?

Plated with the sesame orange noodles

Thanks for viewing!

 

 

 

 

Edited July 15, 2016 by BBQKaeding
edits

[Aussie Ora]

Mate that looks absolutely delicious some great flavors happening there for sure and that old kamado looks cool

Outback Kamado Bar and Grill♨

[CeramicChef]

Now that's a pork tenderloin done right!  Beautiful money shot.  Kudos to you and your "Mushi Kamado"!

[MacKenzie]

That tenderloin is just dripping goodness.   

[tinyfish]

Terrific  cook and pictures too.

[Shuley]

That looks super tasty!

[ckreef]

Great looking tenderloin. Going to try a salsa marinade next time. Excellent pictures.

.

Nope we don't care is was on Mushi. We post other grill pictures frequently. If it's a good cook then it's a good cook regardless.

.

Reef's Bistro

[Bruce Pearson]

I think Those Mishi Kamados were the first to show up in the good ol USA. I had one when I was married about 35 years ago and loved it, cooked on it all the time. It got lost somewhere after the big D. but I never forgot about it and when I saw the Komodo Kamados a few years back decide I wanted one again. It took me till this year to full fill my dream. I love my KK one of the guys said its a cooker and backyard art. I'm glad I didn't buy a 23 or else I would have put it in the house as a piece of art work.

Man those pictures are wonderful!! everything looks so delicious. keep them coming.

[Bruce Pearson]

Those pictures bring back fond memories of days long past and a bit of nostalgia. thanks for posting them

[tony b]

Excellent cook.  No guilt  paying homage to the original ceramic cooker. Without them, there would likely be no KKs today. 

[Steve M]

Fantastic meal and pics

[BBQKaeding]

10 hours ago, Bruce Pearson said:

I think Those Mishi Kamados were the first to show up in the good ol USA. I had one when I was married about 35 years ago and loved it, cooked on it all the time. It got lost somewhere after the big D. but I never forgot about it and when I saw the Komodo Kamados a few years back decide I wanted one again. It took me till this year to full fill my dream. I love my KK one of the guys said its a cooker and backyard art. I'm glad I didn't buy a 23 or else I would have put it in the house as a piece of art work.

Man those pictures are wonderful!! everything looks so delicious. keep them coming.

Thanks so much for your reply. I was hoping there was some appreciation for heritage here .

My (short) story: My father was a career man with Hallmark Cards and was a recipient of the R.B. Hall Award - back when it mattered. He was the first salesman in Hawaii for Hallmark well before it was a vacation destination. One of his clients owned all the "Mark's Hallmark" card shops in the NW (David Lipman) and Mr. Lipman imported the original Japanese Kamados as gifts. He presented one to my dad when I was only 16. I fell in love with it but he wouldn't give it up even though I begged (he didn't use it much, at least as much as I would). He did grill the fresh salmon and steelhead that he caught before work quite frequently though, and occasionally steaks from our steers (he was much better with the fish though). He later told me he bought a knock-off from Import Plaza to appease me but sent it back after it arrived when he discovered it was an absolute POS. So he called David Lipman and asked a favor (very rare for my dad). The rest is history. I think I was 19 or 20 years old when I received that green Kamado. And I'll never forget the look on the butcher's face when he handed me a five rib prime rib custom cut on my request. He literally hesitated to let go of it and started mumbling some cooking advice! He thought that no kid had the rite to such a beautiful cut of meat. I only wish he could have tasted it when it came off the cooker, perfectly medium-rare with smoked aroma and delicate char. I was hooked - line and sinker. I still am.

Ok, thanks if you read this post. I'm tearing up now and GTG. I'm so glad that Dennis and all of you are keeping this passion alive. Cook low, slow and prosper!

[ckreef]

Great story.

Reef's Bistro

[tony b]

Excellent story.