Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cherry and Blood Orange Red Wine Sauce

Pair this with a Sangiovese — and use it in the marinade too. Can’t find one? Chianti is the same thing.

Ingredients

Marinade

1 cup dry red wine (Sangiovese or Chianti)

1 blood orange, zested and juiced

2 shallots, chopped

1 tbsp toasted mustard seeds

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dried thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pork and Sauce

2 pork tenderloins (about 2 lbs total)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1 cup dried cherries

2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

Optional: beurre manié (1 tbsp all-purpose flour kneaded with 1 tbsp unsalted butter), for thickening

Potatoes

4 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds

2 Vidalia onions, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

1 Roma tomato, chopped

2–4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs (regular or Italian seasoned, not panko)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup water

Preparation

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Place the tenderloins in a glass dish and pour the marinade over. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, turning once.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, onions, and tomato with enough olive oil to coat, 2–4 tablespoons. Season generously with salt. In a separate bowl, combine the oregano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, breadcrumbs, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Stir until combined.

3. Transfer the potato mixture to a baking dish. Drizzle with the water. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top. Bake uncovered until the potatoes are tender and the breadcrumbs are well toasted and golden, 1–1 1/2 hours.

4. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade, letting any excess drip off. Reserve the marinade. Pat the pork dry with paper towels, then spread the mustard evenly over all sides.

5. Pour the reserved marinade into a large sauté pan with the chicken stock and dried cherries. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Whisk in the butter (or the beurre manié for a thicker sauce). Keep warm.

6. Heat a grill to high. Grill the tenderloins, turning occasionally, until deeply charred and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°F, about 15 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.

7. Slice the pork crosswise and serve over the potatoes. Spoon the sauce generously over the top and garnish with blood orange slices.

Notes

Inspired by It’s Not My Best.