When our kiddos were all under one roof, they each had their favorite foods and meals. This was Alex’s favorite dinner entree’. It was often part of the dinner I prepared this meal for many occasions such as his family birthday dinner, when he was home from college and when he came home from the State Tennis Tournament when he and his doubles partner made it to day to of competition. This dinner is perfect for a weeknight dinner, dinner with company or a special occasion. What I like about this entree’ is that you can prepare the marinade the night before, place it in a large ziplock bag. The next afternoon, transfer it all to a baking dish and while it roasts in the oven prepare the side dishes, set the table and by the time the tenderloin is out of the oven and ready to slice, you are ready to call your people to the dinner table. Any remaining tenderloin and side dishes make a delicious lunch or encore meal the next day.
The side dishes that come to mind when I think of making this are anything from steamed broccoli, or asparagus, acorn squash, sweet potatoes or a nice wild or brown rice. If I have any homemade applesauce on hand (also on the website), it makes a nice accompaniment too. There is just something about maple syrup that makes me think of this as an autumnal dish, but really this is so simple and good that anytime of the year I think you’ll find this pleasing as you gather YOUR people around a table.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcester sauce
1 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
Method
1. Place all ingredients either in a mixing bowl or large measuring cup (I use my 4 cup glass measuring cup) and blend with either a small whisk or fork.
2. Place the tenderloin, into a large ziplock bag and pour marinade over the tenderloin. Zip the bag, removing as much air as possible and allow to marinate for an amount of time from 1 hour to overnight. I like to massage the tenderloin in the bag before placing in the fridge.
3. When you are ready to start preparing dinner, preheat oven to 350 degrees and place tenderloin and marinade in a baking dish. I use my glass 9x13 or something similar. As tenderloin bakes, prepare side dishes. Tenderloin should roast uncovered for about 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees.
4. When you remove tenderloin from the oven, allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing into rounds. Serve on a plate with side dishes, spooning juice over top.
