Grilled Pork Tenderloins With Gochujang BBQ Sauce

June 28, 2023

This recipe is from the cookbook Butcher on the Block. by Nashvillian Matt Moore who has this to say:

If you ask me, pork tenderloins are one of the most underrated cuts of meat, especially when it comes to entertaining. Typically at most grocers, you will find two tenderloins to each pack, requiring you to spend a few minutes to strip off the silver skin for a little bit of at-home prep. Your local butcher has most likely already done this work for you, delivering a tender, forgiving cut that cooks up quickly with plenty of flavor. To play up the smoke and spice from the grill, I’m adding in one of my favorite Korean ingredients, gochujang (a fermented pepper paste), to serve as my base on an otherwise classic BBQ-style sauce. I like to cook these tenderloins to just above medium rare, then slice them thin after a bit of a rest, and serve them on a platter on their own or alongside an array of fresh salads or grilled vegetables.

Ingredients

2pork tenderloins, 2 1⁄2 to 3 pounds in total, silver skin removed

1/4 cupvegetable oil

2 tablespoonssoy sauce

3cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoonkosher salt

1/2 tablespoonfresh-cracked black pepper

11⁄2 cupsapple cider vinegar

6 tablespoonsgochujang

2 tablespoonsketchup

2 tablespoonshoney

1 tablespoonsoy sauce

1⁄2 teaspoongarlic powder

1⁄4 teaspoonkosher salt

1/4 teaspoonfresh-cracked black pepper

Preparation

To play up the smoke and spice from the grill, I’m adding in one of my favorite Korean ingredients, gochujang (a fermented pepper paste), to serve as my base on an otherwise classic BBQ-style sauce. I like to cook these tenderloins to just above medium rare, then slice them thin after a bit of a rest, and serve them on a platter on their own or alongside an array of fresh salads or grilled vegetables.

1. About an hour before cooking, marinate the pork. Combine the pork, oil, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet or in a ziplock bag, tossing to combine.

2. Open the bottom vent of a charcoal grill completely. Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with charcoal. When the coals are covered with gray ash, pour them onto the bottom grate of the grill, and then push to one side of the grill. Adjust the vents as needed to maintain an internal temperature of 400° to 450°F. Coat the top grate with oil; place on the grill. (If using a gas grill, preheat to medium high [400° to 450°F] on one side.)

3. To make the sauce, combine vinegar, gochujang, ketchup, honey, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a mason jar. Shake vigorously. Set aside.

4. Grill the tenderloins over direct heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side, for a total of approximately 20 minutes, until the in- ternal temperature reaches 135°F. Remove the tenderloins fromthegrill,wrapinfoilandrestfor15minutes.

5. Slice the tenderloins on the bias into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices. Serve with the sauce on the side.

Hands on: 35 minutes
Total: 1 hour 45 minutes