Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Smoked Maple Cherry Sauce

It’s cherry season! So naturally, we bought some and were eager to find ways to use them (aside from the usual eating them plain and spitting out the pits…which we still did). In this case, we decided to turn them into a sauce to pair with Grilled Pork Tenderloin! While cherries are often nice and sweet, they are also acidic, so some of the tartness comes forth as they cook. Thus, we decided to build our sauce with Maple Syrup to preserve and enhance the sweet flavour profile in our sauce. We picked pork because it also has a bit of a natural sweetness while being mild enough to pair nicely with the sauce without overpowering it or being overpowered by it.

We served our pork over quinoa and with Grilled Romaine Hearts (with red wine vinegar). However, it would also go nicely with Butter Cabbage, Grilled Zucchini, Mashed Celery Root, Shaved Brussels Sprouts, “Grill Bread,” Grilled Corn on the Cob, and/or Lisa’s Grilled Potatoes!

As a little side note, yes, those are my feet and my pork-obsessed dog begging demanding a meat tax be paid to her in the final process picture. Camera must have slipped!

Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• For the Pork
  • Pork Tenderloin
  • Salt
  • Olive Oil
• For the Sauce
  • Fresh Cherries (about 10-15 per Tenderloin)
  • Smoked Maple Syrup (regular maple syrup will work too)
  • Cracked White Peppercorns

Method:

• Pat your pork tenderloin dry, and then give it a quick salt sprinkle on all sides. Let sit for about 15-30 minutes.
• While your pork sits, remove the pits from your cherries, and then puree the cherry flesh in a blender/Ninja/food processor (you may need to add a little water to encourage the pureeing process).
• Pour your cherry puree into a sauce pan, and add your maple syrup and cracked peppercorns. Begin to heat over low heat, and allow to simmer (stirring occasionally) as you turn your attention back to your pork.
• Heat your grill. When the grill is nice and hot, give your pork a quick olive oil spray on all sides, and place your tenderloin on the grill.
• Cook for about 5 minutes per side (20 minutes in total), flipping as time expires on each side. When your pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F, and you’ve got nice charring all the way around, remove from the grill.
• Let sit for about 3-5 minutes, and then slice the pork. By this time, your sauce should be nice and thick (and if you’ve been stirring, it shouldn’t be stuck to the pan).
• Plate, devour, and enjoy!