Achiote Pork Tenderloin

I’m posting some of the recipes I cooked at the James Beard House dinner.  This recipe for Achiote Pork Tenderloin was one of my favorites.  It has beautiful color from the achiote paste, and the Southwestern seasoning is one of the blends that I always keep on hand at my house.  It’s wonderful on anything from pork to chicken breasts.

Achiote Pork Tenderloin

You’ll need to plan ahead to make this, as it really needs to marinate for at least 6 hours.  I generally prefer to prepare this one evening and then cook it the next evening.  If you’re not familiar with it, achiote paste is a brick-red paste made from annatto seeds, cumin, garlic, and other seasonings.  It is used to add flavor and a beautiful red color to meats, mainly chicken and pork.

I served this tenderloin with a tasso hoppin’ john and aji panca sauce.  As it was a 7-course tasting dinner, portions were small.  One tenderloin will feed 2 people easily.

Prairie Fresh Meats

In case you don’t know, chefs provide all the ingredients and wine at the James Beard House as a way to help the Foundation raise money for their programs in the culinary field.  Especially for an out of town chef like myself, that makes it a pretty expensive undertaking.  Luckily, I have a great partner with Prairie Fresh Meats, who provided all of the pork I used for both my rehearsal dinner and the dinner in NYC.  I am a brand ambassador for Prairie Fresh, but I would serve their pork at my restaurants and home even if I wasn’t.  It’s that good.

As always, I hope you enjoy!

Achiote Molasses Pork Tenderloin

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• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

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Description

This pork tenderloin recipe was served at the James Beard House. It has a deep, rich, flavor with soutwestern influence. I really love to make this as a departure from the normal tenderloin recipes. Achiote paste can be found in the latin food section of supermarkets, or via amazon.

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Ingredients

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• 2 whole pork tenderloins (trimmed)
• Chili Threads (for garnish)

For the Southwestern Seasoning

• 2 TBS ground coriander
• 2 TBS cinnamon
• 2 TBS chipotle chili powder
• 2 TBS cumin
• 2 TBS ground ginger
• 2 TBS granulated garlic
• 2 TBS granulated onion
• 2 TBS kosher salt
• 2 TBS black pepper
• 1 TBS cayenne
• 1 TBS ground allspice
• 1 TBS ground fennel seeds
• 1 TBS ground cloves

To Make a Marinade

• 6 oz pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 TBS achiote paste

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Instructions

1. Mix all of the Southwestern Seasoning together. Place in an airtight container.
2. Add pineapple juice, achiote paste and molasses to a blender. Blend until incorporated.
3. Season Pork tenderloins heavily with southwestern seasoning, then place tenderloins in resealable bag. Pour marinade over them and place in fridge for 6 hours to overnight.
4. Set up a smoker to run at 275 with apple wood. Place tenderloins on smoker and cook until a meat thermometer registers 140 in the thickest part of the tenderloin. Remove from grill and lightly cover with foil. Rest for 10 minutes. Slice, garnish with chili threads, and serve with Aji Panca sauce.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Cuisine: Southwestern fusion