Barbecue Coffee Pork Medallions with White Cheddar Grits

For the Finale of The Great American Recipe I wanted to bring a true representation of my cooking to the entree. - pork tenderloin and grits. This dish goes through different permutations in our house because you really cannot go wrong with this combination of flavors. Truth.

For the Finale, I decided on a coffee-cocoa rubbed pork tenderloin served up on a bed of jalapeno cheddar grits slathered with the combination of a red-eye style pan reduction and my Somethin' Somethin' Sauce, a sweet and savory Kansas City style barbecue sauce. I finished it with a Hungarian style quick pickle for that bright, spiciness to cut through the heaviness of the dish.

Hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!

Author

Brian Leigh

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

1 hours

Servings

6

Category

Entree

Cuisine

Americana

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sorghum
• 1 tbsp espresso powder
• 2 tsp smoked salt
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp coriander
• Remainder of the marinade
• 1 cup coffee, brewed
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 2 Hungarian peppers
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 cup old fashioned grits
• 1/2 cup onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 ounces butter
• 8 oz of white cheddar, shredded
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 4oz can jalapenos, diced
• 1 4oz can green chiles
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked salt
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• Somethin’ Somethin’ Sauce

Directions

1. With a sharp knife, pierce the pork tenderloin all over.
2. Prepare the marinade by mixing all the ingredients into a bowl.
3. Submerge the pork tenderloin in the marinade, pressing the meat into the marinade.
4. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
5. After 1 hour, turn the pork tenderloin over, pressing the meat into the marinade.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, placing an oven safe skillet inside.
7. Remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator and lightly brush with grapeseed oil, or another high heat oil like avocado.
8. Over high heat, sear the tenderloin on all sides.
9. Over high heat, sear the tenderloin on all sides.Place the skillet directly in the oven and bake for approximate 20 minutes or until the desired internal temperature of 145 degrees is reached.
10. Let the tenderloin rest for 15 minutes prior to carving.
11. Using the pan that the tenderloin was seared and roasted in, transfer the remaining marinade to a sauce pan over medium heat.
12. Add the coffee, deglazing the pan to get up all that beautiful fond.
13. Add the brown sugar and let reduce down by half, stirring occasionally.
14. Taste and adjust salt levels. It supposed to be salty, bitter and packed with savory flavor!
15. Set aside to cool and transfer to a squeeze bottle.
16. Thinly slice red onion and Hungarian peppers
17. Add to glass container (mason jar is preferred)
18. In a small saucepan, add vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes and water, bringing to a boil.
19. Pour the hot liquid over the onions and jalapenos, covering.
20. Set aside to cool.
21. Finely dice the onions, garlic, and jalapeno.
22. In a sauce pan, sauté the onions, garlic, jalapeno and green chiles in butter until soft.
23. Add the teaspoon of white vinegar to the pot and let sit for 30 seconds.
24. Add the chicken broth and heavy cream and bring the pot to a simmer.
25. Whisking constantly, add the smoked paprika, black pepper, smoked salt, and the grits. Whisk constantly until it begins to thicken.
26. Using a spatula, fold in the white cheddar until all the cheese has been incorporated.
27. Best if served within 15 minutes of final cooking.
28. A dollop of grits!
29. A few pork tenderloin medallions!
30. A drizzle of the coffee sauce!
31. A drizzle of Somethin' Somethin' Sauce!
32. Top with the quick pickle!
33. Make sure the first bite you take contains all those pieces and enjoy!