Jamaican Jerk Pork Tenderloin Recipe
December 8, 2009
Jamaican Jerk pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes
December is just flying by. I can’t seem to make time for anything. I have a todo list about a mile long of things I need to do before Christmas. So when Mark proposed the idea of making dinner the other night, I gladly obliged. Mark ran with this marinade and made it drool-worthy. He tied on my frilly apron and took on the kitchen like he owned it. I loved it! You see, the kitchen is my territory and I don’t like to share it much, but I handed it over with a smile when he wanted to make this Jamaican jerk recipe for the first time. It’s hot and spicy with punches of flavor that will send your tastebuds into a whirlwind. Juicy and lean medallions atop a bed of homemade mashed potatoes and all was good in the world.
A medley of spices combine for Jamaican Jerk
Pork tenderloins marinating in Jamaican Jerk spices
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins (roughly 1.3 pounds each)
- 2 shallots
- 1/2 white onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 4 habanero peppers (I left some seeds in to make it spicy)
- 2 teaspoons peeled and chopped ginger
- 4 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
Directions
Preparation: Combine spices, oil, soy sauce and vinegar into a mixing bowl. Chop onion, shallots, ginger, garlic, and habaneros, and toss into same mixing bowl. I lean towards spicy food, so I left some habaneros seeds in – you can remove them if you like, or include them all if you like insanely spicy food. Blend all ingredients in a food processor. In a freezer bag, marinate both tenderloins overnight – or at least one hour if you’re cooking it the same night.
Cooking: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook both tenderloins for 40 – 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes before slicing the medallions.
Note: If you have never worked with habaneros before, be careful not to touch your eyes directly after touching the pepper. You will be in for a painful surprise. While slicing and de-seeding the peppers, I only handle them using the plastic grocery bag they came in, disposing the bag immediately afterwards.
