Sweet and spicy pork tenderloin

I was a little skeptical of this one, because I'm not a huge fan of meat (other than taco meat) and chili seasoning, but we really liked it.  I think it's my favorite pork tenderloin I've made, and I've tried lots of marinades and such...

I wanted to grill it, I like to grill in the summer to avoid using the oven, so I adjusted it slightly.  I added the dry rub to the pork, then grilled for however many minutes on each side, (we had it two days in a row, and we perfected the cooking time, but now I cannot remember how long per side).  We just try to get it to the right temperature.  With a minute or so remaining of cooking time, I added the sauce and let it cook into the pork.  Super yummy.  My kids complained that it was a little spicy, but I thought it was great.


from mel's kitchen cafe

Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 (12- to 16-ounce each) pork tenderloins, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture and use the rest to rub over the pork tenderloin on all sides.
2. In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it is rippling and hot. Add the pork tenderloins in a single layer and cook the pork until browned on all sides, 5-7 minutes total (flipping as needed). Transfer the pork to an aluminum-foil lined baking pan and bake until the meat registers 140 degrees at the thickest part, about 15-18 minutes. Transfer the pork to a platter or plate and tent with foil, letting it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
3. In a bowl, combine the reserved spice mixture, ketchup, vinegar and sugar and brush over the cooked pork. Slice the pork and serve.

Recipe Source: from Cook’s Country April/May 2012

5 minutes per side (x4)