Pork Basics

PORK BASICS

The flavours in these "un-recipes" will work for either tenderloins or chops. Tenderloins cooked whole are best done in the oven or on the barbecue wrapped in foil and protected from the intense heat. Because they are so tender you can cook these with as little fluid as you wish and they need far less time than you might imagine ... 15 minutes at 400 degrees is usually enough to leave just the smallest hint of pink after searing and allowing the meat to rest before cutting will finish the cooking. They can also be sliced into medallions and marinated to be cooked on the stove top or on the barbecue grill or cooked gently in a sauce. Chops usually need a little more cooking with moist heat, but some are tender enough to be treated exactly as medallions.

You can choose to sear both tenderloins and chops or not. I think they look nicer if you do. To keep the number of pans down, start with one that can go from stove top to oven.

The basic recipe then is a choice and you decide which cooking method is right for your pork. After that I give some possibilities for rubs, marinades, sauces, bastes, and toppings. You may use only a rub or only a marinade etc. or you may mix and match but try to keep the flavours harmonious if you do.

For example, the tenderloin I cooked last night was rubbed with ground ginger, salt and pepper, sprinkled with freshly grated ginger, topped with walnuts and cranberries, and basted with gingerale. I baked it covered with foil for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees. After the cooking was complete, I kept the tenderloin warm while I scraped up the brown bits in the pan and deglazed the pan with cream which I used as a sauce when I served it. Next time I would cut the cooking time and increase the heat.

Even if the suggested ingredients do not mention salt and pepper, you will likely need them.

RUBS: ... DIJON, GARLIC, WINE VINEGAR, THYME AND SAGE
... ROSEMARY + FRESH GINGER
... GINGER
... OIL, SAGE, SAVOURY
... CUMIN, SALT, PEPPER + GARLIC SLIVERS INSERTED IN SLITS
... TED READER'S SPICE RUB (bulk recipe follows)

½ c. paprika
1/4 c. chili powder
3 T. salt
2 T. coriander powder
2 T. garlic powder
2 T. curry powder
2 T. dry mustard
2 T. sugar
1 T. black pepper
1 T. basil
1 T. thyme
1 T. cumin
1 T. cayenne

BASTES: ... APPLE JUICE + APRICOT JAM
... CHICKEN BROTH + APPLE CIDER VINEGAR + APRICOT JAM
... WHITE WINE
... GINGERALE + FRESH GINGER + CANDIED GINGER

MARINADES: . .. OLIVE OIL,PEPPER,CUMIN SEED,CORIANDER SEED + CAYENNE
... LEMON ZEST, JUICE, GARLIC, BASIL, THYME, PARSLEY, OIL


TOPPINGS: NUTS
DRIED FRUIT
APPLE SLICES
ONIONS BROWNED WITH MEAT
CARAWAY SEEDS


SAUCES/ GLAZES: ...CITRUS FRUIT OR GINGER MARMALADE + PAN DRIPPINGS
... CREAM OR YOGURT + PAN DRIPPINGS
... APRICOT JAM + PAN DRIPPINGS
... ONIONS, APPLES+ SUGAR BRAISED 5 MINUTES + STOCK + CALVADOS