Pork, Glorious Pork!

I have a friend who converted to Judiasm several years ago. When I asked her if there was anything she missed about Christianity, she lowered her head and moved it slowly from side to side. In a burst of energy usually reserved for Catholics in the confessional, her head shot up and she blurted out 'pork tenderloin!'. Huh? I had expected to hear words like 'Christmas' or 'Easter' or even 'Jesus'. A craving for pig flesh? I hadn't anticipated it, but why not? I have replayed that conversation in my mind many times (having the benefit of knowing the outcome) and have come to the conclusion that hers was a solid answer. Pork tenderloin is one of the great loves of my culinary life. Unlike chicken - which I use as an excuse to eat interesting sauces - pork tenderloin has such an amazing flavor that I frequently eat it hot off the grill sans sauce or complicated seasonings. A pork tenderloin tossed on the grill for 20 minutes with nothing more than a grind of salt and pepper is more appealing to me than the most expensive steak.

A brief and informal history of the relationship between humans and pigs is pretty much as follows: 5000ish BC... humans decide that it's hard to go out hunting wild boar for food consumption, but because of the animals' adaptable nature and omnivorous (read 'eats anything') diet, easy to get the animals to come live with them. Bingo! The pork industry is born! Thank you, China! Fast forward to 1539 and you will find Hernando de Soto landing in Tampa, Florida with 13 pigs that would become the first pigs to immigrate to America and start the pork culture. Because the pigs reproduced quickly and sometimes escaped, forming gangs of feral roaming pigs, Manhattan Island erected a wall to protect its grain fields from being eaten by these pigs. That area is now known as Wall Street. At some time between 5000 BC and 2010 AD many, many, many talented and creative people pushed pork to the limit to create the multitude of pork products we celebrate today. Charcuterie (cured, smoked pork products) is a subject for endless discussion (that will not be happening here today). Fresh pork in the form of ribs, loin, chops and my beloved tenderloin can be turned into a taste extravaganza fit for almost anyone's enjoyment (religious beliefs aside).

As mentioned above, I love fresh-grilled pork. An easy way to create a very healthy meal is to create kebabs of 2ish-inch cubed pork tenderloin combined with chunks of red peppers and onions (I've been known to throw a pineapple or two on there also), brushed the entire thing with olive oil and sprinkled with ground salt and pepper. Fourish minutes per side on the grill will do it for you. Instant meal of pure deliciousness! If you're looking for something a little spicier, check out the following recipe created by the people at Omaha Steaks in their cookbook entitled simply 'Meat'...

Indonesian Marinated Pork Kebabs

For the Marinade:

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice (they used lime)

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut oil (I have also used vegetable oil when peanut oil was not at hand)

2 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger (have used ginger powder also - 3 tbsp)

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp light brown sugar

4 small dried red chiles, seeded and crumbled (I've used 2 tbsp red pepper flakes)

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tbsp Sriracha Hot chili sauce (this was not in the original recipe, but I love the flavor - you can skip it if you're not into real spicy stuff)

For the kebabs:

1 2ish pound pork tenderloin (original recipe calls for pork loin), cut into 2ish -inch chunks

2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 2ish inch pieces

2 onions, quartered and then cut in half crosswise

For the marinade:

Combine lemon juice, soy sauce, peanut oil, ginger, sugar, chiles and turmeric in a large mixing bowl. Add the pork, toss to coat well. If using pork loin, you will have to marinate for about 4 hours. If using tenderloin, marinate for about 1 hour (even more attractive, right?).

Prepare the grill to a medium heat.

If using wooden skewers, make sure they soak in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent fire. I personally like metal because they can be used over and over again and there is never a chance of fire. Thread the pork, peppers and onions on the skewers - alternating each ingredient. Grill the kebabs for about 4 minutes per side.

NOTE: Ten years ago I spent about $12 on a digital meat thermometer. It has proved invaluable (and continues to provide service). It was purchased at a supermarket. It has no superior pedigree but has enabled me to cook meat to perfection. Do yourself a favor and buy one. Knowing the internal temperature of your meat is critical. For this dish and all pork tenderloin dishes, the internal temperature of the meat should be between 135-140 degrees. I know, I know ...we were all brought up to believe that it had to be 160 or we would die of trichinosis. Because of current health regulations, trichinosis has almost been completely eradicated and only about 6 people a year get it. Hey you standing there in Iowa! You have a better chance of being killed by a shark while standing in your living room than getting trichinosis! Please don't overcook your pork! The flavor and texture of the tenderloin can only truly be realized when it is a light pink color. I have been feeding pink pork to my kids since they were under a year old and nobody has gotten sick or died from it.

Okay, enough ranting. I really hope you try these kebabs, either the spicy way or the non-spicy way. They come together quickly, are very low in fat and are just absolutely a great way to showcase the amazing wonderfulness of pork tenderloin! Enjoy!