Zesty Orange Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin is such a versatile meat in that it grills well, cooks in the oven well and takes on great flavor from any marinade or rub. It also cooks fairly fast for a weeknight and then dresses up well for a weekend dinner.
This recipe is from my Mom that she’s been making for years. (Well, my Dad actually grills it) Like most of our recipes, we’ve modified over the years, but it’s maintained that same zesty orange flavor combined with the briny flavor of soy sauce and sweet honey.
Just a few simple ingredients. On this night we only made one tenderloin, but the marinade and sauce is enough for two full tenderloins, since that’s usually how they are packed.
Then zest that orange fully. This is the essence of the great flavor that permeates the meat and brightens up the sauce flavor.
The marinade pulls together quite quickly in one bowl. The combination of honey and garlic adds great layers of flavor to the orange zest.
Marinate for one hour.
Remember to leave half of that marinade to simmer down for a sauce to serve on the side.
After the 30 minutes it’s ready for the grill. We do use our favorite meat thermometer to ensure we hit the 145 degree temperature desired. Turn often to get a nice char around the entire loin. After it comes off of the grill, let rest, tented with foil, while finishing up the sauce.
After resting, carve into 1 inch slices. This is fully cooked but still has a beautiful pink color throughout.
Drizzle that sauce!
The sweet, zesty sauce it a perfect accompaniment to the grilled pork. Serve the remaining sauce on the side. The sauce can also be drizzled over rice, potatoes or veggies on the side.
On this night, we served with wild rice and a very fruit forward Zinfandel from one of our favorite wineries. It was delicious and something we look forward to serving to guests next time we make this dish!
Zesty Orange Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- Zest of one orange
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 cup orange juice (either store purchased or freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 cup vermouth (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 sprigs of parsley
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 2 pork tenderloins (one package)
Instructions
- In a medium size bowl add the orange zest, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, orange juice, vermouth, sesame oil and honey. Whisk together.
- Reserve 1/2 of the marinade.
- Pour the remainder into a glass bowl or plastic zip bag. Add the, sprigs of parsley, thyme and pork tenderloins. Marinate for 1 hour.
- Heat grill to high. Remove from the marinade and place tenderloin on the grill. Discard the marinade and parsley/thyme sprigs. Grill for approximately 25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from the grill and let rest with foil tented over the pork.
- Meanwhile, once the pork is on the grill, heat the remaining marinade to a boil on the stove. Reduce until slightly thickened, coating the back of a spoon.
- Serve with a drizzle of sauce and orange slices from the zested orange as a garnish. Serve the remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!
