Cuban Pork Tenderloin Recipes

CUBAN SPICED PORK TENDERLOIN AND SOFFRITO RICE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Heat medium pot with tight fitting lid over medium high heat. Add oil and bacon and brown bacon. Add onions and peppers and saute 5 minutes. Bring broth to a boil. Add rice. Cover the pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 to 18 minutes, until rice is tender.
• For pork, cut 4 slits into each loin and nest garlic and bay into meat. Place meat on nonstick baking sheet. Combine the spices. Coat meat with oil. Rub spices over the pork tenderloins and place in oven. Roast meat 25 minutes. Remove from oven. Let juices redistribute, then slice and serve with soffrito rice and garnishes of chopped tropical fruit or chopped cilantro and scallions.
• Suggested drink: mojitos!

CUBAN PORK

Steps:

• Flatten the pork tenderloin slices slightly, and set aside. In a bowl, mix together the lime zest, olive oil, cumin, salt, crushed red pepper, and garlic. Reserve the lime juice. Rub the seasoning mixture onto both sides of the pork slices.
• Spray a heavy skillet or ridged grill pan with cooking spray, and place over medium heat. Pan-fry the pork slices until browned on both sides, 6 to 7 minutes per side. After you turn the meat over, pour the reserved lime juice over the meat and continue cooking until no longer pink in the center. Serve hot, topped with pan juices.

CUBANO PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil an oven-proof pan large enough to fit the tenderloin over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute until just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and mustard. Transfer to a bowl and season with pepper.
• Place tenderloin on a flat work surface. Slice horizontally through the middle, being careful not to cut all the way through to the other side. Open the 2 sides and spread them out like an open book. Place pork between 2 sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a 1/2-inch thickness. Trim any extra pieces so the tenderloin is rectangular.
• Chop the pork trimmings finely and add to the onion mixture. Spread onion mixture onto pork. Lay ham slices over it and sprinkle Gruyere cheese on top. Roll tenderloin up along the long side. Tie with cotton kitchen string. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat remaining oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Sear tenderloin in the hot oil until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
• Transfer pan to the preheated oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the tenderloin reads 145 degrees F (71 degrees C), 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

STUFFED CUBAN PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking parchment paper. Insert knife one-third of way up from bottom of tenderloin along 1 long side, and cut horizontally, stopping 1/2 inch before edge. Open up flap.
• Keeping knife parallel to cutting board, cut through thicker portion of tenderloin about 1/2 inch from bottom of tenderloin, keeping knife level with first cut and stopping about 1/2 inch before edge. Open up this flap.
• Press sides of tenderloin down so it lies flat. Cover with plastic wrap; pound with flat side of meat mallet to 1/2 inch thick. Spread mustard down center of tenderloin. Top with cheese slices, pickle relish and ham slices, folding to fit, if necessary.
• Tightly roll up tenderloin lengthwise, and tie tightly with twine. Brush tenderloin with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tenderloin; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until browned on all sides. Transfer to pan; roast 28 to 32 minutes or to at least 145°F. Remove from oven; tent with foil and let stand 3 minutes.
• Remove strings from pork; cut into 1/2-inch slices. Serve with extra mustard, if desired.

CUBAN PORK TENDERLOINS

Steps:

• In a bowl whisk together first 11 ingredients and transfer to a large heavy ziploc plastic bag, add in the tenderlons to the marinade; close bag tightly and turn to coat.
• Place the bag in a large bowl and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Set oven to 400 degrees.
• Transfer the tenderloins to a baking dish and discard the marinade.
• Cook for about 25 minutes.
• Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

CUBAN STYLE MOJO PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Mash the 2 garlic cloves with the salt, either using a fork or a mortar and pestle. Mix in the cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
• Combine the garlic/salt mash with the orange juice and lime juice in a gallon zip top bag and add the trimmed pork tenderloin. Press out as much of the air as possible and then place in the refrigerator.
• Marinade the pork for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, flipping it occasionally to ensure all parts of the pork are marinaded.
• When you're ready to start cooking, adjust a rack to the middle position of your oven and preheat it to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking tray with aluminum foil. This will make your clean up so much easier!
• While the oven is heating, create your spice rub mixture. Again, smash the garlic and salt together, then combine with the other ingredients. You can actually just put everything in your mortar and pestle it around, if you'd like. If you don't have one, use a fork to mash minced garlic and the salt together, then combine everything with a fork in a small bowl.
• Remove the tenderloin from the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. This is really important because it will not brown up well and develop the tasty crust if it's too moist on the outside!
• Rub the spice mixture into the pork tenderloin as evenly as possible.
• Place a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat and melt the butter. After the butter has melted and foaming has subsided, add the tenderloin and let it cook without moving it for 3-4 minutes so it can develop a nice, browned exterior. Flip the pork and continue browning, turning when necessary, until all sides are browned. This should take about 8-10 minutes total.
• Once the tenderloin is fully browned, move it to the prepared baking tray, place in the oven, and cook for approximately 15-18 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer shows 140-145 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Remove the tenderloin from the oven, tent it loosely with foil, and allow it to sit for 5-10 minuets. After waiting, the internal temperature should be about 150 degrees.
• Cut on a slight diagonal, serve, and enjoy!

PORK TENDERLOIN CUBANO

Steps:

• Mix first 10 ingredients in large resealable plastic bag. Add pork to marinade. Close bag and turn pork to coat. Refrigerate overnight, turning pork once.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer pork to baking pan; discard marinade. Roast until thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150°F, about 25 minutes. Let pork stand 5 minutes. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange on platter. Garnish with orange slices and cilantro sprigs and serve.

CUBAN PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the tenderloins on an 18-inch piece of heavy-duty foil. Coat with 2 teaspoons garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano and onion. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and the orange juice. Wrap the tenderloin in the foil.
• Make the chimichurri sauce: in a bowl, combine the parsley, lime juice, vinegar and the remaining olive oil, garlic, oregano and salt. Season with pepper.
• Heat one side of grill to medium. Place wrapped pork on unheated side. Cook over indirect heat in covered grill, turning occasionally, for 1 hour or until pork is fork tender and has reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees. To serve, slice pork and top with chimichurri sauce. Serve with spicy black beans and rice as well as a slice of fresh pineapple.