The wife came home with one of those sealed bags with 2 small pork tenderloins in it from the grocery yesterday. I normally buy the whole loin so this was new to me.
So I opened it up and vac sealed one of the tenderloins for the freezer. The other I seasoned and wrapped in saran wrap for dinner today.
Last night as I was pondering how to cook this small loin, I thought smoke then sear. It works well with venison backstrap and these tenderloins are about the same size.
So today I took the seaoned tenderloin out of the fridge and went to set the Kamado up. I emptied all the lump out of the firebox and placed a Weber replacement charcoal grate where the smoking stone normally sits, just a few inches under the cooking grate. Placed some lump charcoal and hickory chunks (gotta have some smoke, right?) to one side of the grate.
Lit a Weber cube and put the cooking grate in place
The tenderloin was rubbed with olive oil and seasoned with Chophouse rub.
This stuff is great on pork chops and loin. The tenderloin was very small on one end ...
So I tied it up with some butcher's twine. Hoping that it would cook more evenly (is that a word?).
I had the Kamado Kooker holding around 250* so I placed the tenderloin opposite the coals. When the IT reached 90* I turned the other side of the tenderloin towards the coals still on the opposite side of the Kooker.
Once the IT reached 120* I opened both vents completely and let the Kooker start a rapid climb in temp. In just a few minutes the Kooker was at 400* according to the ET-732 probe that is opposite the coals and the IT of the loin was at 135*, so I took the probe out and place the loin directly over the hot coals.
After searing on all sides the IT was 148*, I removed it to a pan, covered with foil, and let it rest while I got the collards prepared.
I sauteed the collard greens in olive oil with crushed rep pepper and fresh chopped garlic. I know, I know, but I don't like boiled greens (sorry Grandma
). This way they are warm and still have some crunch to them, and mighty tasty too. Time to plate it up.
The tenderloin only had about a 1/8" smoke ring, but OMG tender and juicy, with a nice sear on the outside. I am glad there is another one of these tiny loins in the freezer. I don't think I will change anything for the next one. Thanks for looking everyone.
Last night as I was pondering how to cook this small loin, I thought smoke then sear. It works well with venison backstrap and these tenderloins are about the same size.
So today I took the seaoned tenderloin out of the fridge and went to set the Kamado up. I emptied all the lump out of the firebox and placed a Weber replacement charcoal grate where the smoking stone normally sits, just a few inches under the cooking grate. Placed some lump charcoal and hickory chunks (gotta have some smoke, right?) to one side of the grate.
Lit a Weber cube and put the cooking grate in place
The tenderloin was rubbed with olive oil and seasoned with Chophouse rub.
This stuff is great on pork chops and loin. The tenderloin was very small on one end ...
So I tied it up with some butcher's twine. Hoping that it would cook more evenly (is that a word?).
I had the Kamado Kooker holding around 250* so I placed the tenderloin opposite the coals. When the IT reached 90* I turned the other side of the tenderloin towards the coals still on the opposite side of the Kooker.
Once the IT reached 120* I opened both vents completely and let the Kooker start a rapid climb in temp. In just a few minutes the Kooker was at 400* according to the ET-732 probe that is opposite the coals and the IT of the loin was at 135*, so I took the probe out and place the loin directly over the hot coals.
After searing on all sides the IT was 148*, I removed it to a pan, covered with foil, and let it rest while I got the collards prepared.
I sauteed the collard greens in olive oil with crushed rep pepper and fresh chopped garlic. I know, I know, but I don't like boiled greens (sorry Grandma
The tenderloin only had about a 1/8" smoke ring, but OMG tender and juicy, with a nice sear on the outside. I am glad there is another one of these tiny loins in the freezer. I don't think I will change anything for the next one. Thanks for looking everyone.
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