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The effort:payoff ratio with pork tenderloin simply doesn’t compute. Pork tenderloin, grilled for ten minutes, will get raves of deliciousness even from a kid who isn’t a protein lover. Then kick it up with some herbs and spice that crust up on the fire and, well, it just isn’t fair how easy this is for the reception it gets at the table. The best part, is that the slightly undercooked center will bloom very nicely in subsequent meals with just a slight reheat, or within noodle or soup dishes, or even in run-on sentences like this.

I was thinking of a favorite chimichurri seasoning by Tyler Florence, but was missing a few ingredients. Having no time for a store run, I made this marinade work with what I had on hand. You should do the same. This is a simple marinade that makes citrus and vinegar working overtime by seeping into the already tender tenderloin. The garlic, jalepeno, and herbs form a slight crust when grilled, so that every bite has punch.

Making twice as much PT as you need pays off because the reheat is as equally impressive as the first serving.

Some chimichurri recipes call chopping the ingredients yourself. I find that an easy rough chop into the food processor is all that’s required of me, and the processor does the rest. This marinade will keep for a day in a ziploc bag. About thirty minutes before grilling, put the tenderloins in the marinade bag, zip up, and leave the bag o’loins on the counter to let the tenderloins marinate while they come to room temperature for grilling. The other white meat is oh so yummy, especially when served in our recommended 4-6 oz portions, and alongside a crisp salad, steamed vegetables (I seem to have truckloads of broccoli from the csa) and maybe a crusty roll.

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