Pork Tenderloin Tacos
with Avocado Crema
Serves tacos for 4 to 6 people
I have really been on a taco kick lately. I love tacos! Tacos are so versatile that you can make them out of basically any meat that you have on hand, and generally pretty quickly. I have also been on a pork tenderloin kick lately, so I decided to combine the two for some delicious Pork Tenderloin Tacos. Pork tenderloins cook quickly, are very tender and tasty, and soak up flavors well—which pretty much checks off all the boxes I need when I want tacos!
Smithfield sent me some of their new Black Peppercorn and Garlic marinated pork tenderloins, which makes this recipe a snap to prepare. As these tenderloins are marinated, I don’t need to plan ahead to get them flavorful by marinating, they come out wonderful just as they are. Avocado crema will add a bit of brightness and creaminess to the tacos, and I will look for any excuse to use it as a sauce on pretty much anything. Finish them with some freshly made Pico and you are going to be in taco heaven.
To make this a no-hassle dish, make the Pico ahead of time and refrigerate for an hour to allow the flavors to meld. The avocado crema only takes a few minutes to make, and can also be made ahead an hour or so.
Fire up the grill and put on the pork tenderloin. For these, I used my gas grill equipped with Grill Grates to cook the tenderloin. Normally, I would cook this on my Big Green Egg or charcoal grill for even more flavor, but an unseasonably cold day made me go with the speed of the gas grill.
I cooked this tenderloin 4-5 minutes per side (4 sides) to get it to a nice medium. I cook until the internal temp is 145 degrees, then remove and rest for 4 to 5 minutes before slicing very thin medallions. Use a thermometer for perfect results every time. As the tenderloin is finishing up, throw some tortillas on the grill for about 20 seconds per side to heat and get some nice grill marks. Serve with plenty of Pico and Avocado Crema.
Pico de Gallo
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
Description
Makes a great accompaniment for any grilled dish, or is great just for chips and dip!
Ingredients
- 4 roma tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 onion (medium size, diced)
- 1/2 green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 TBS jalapeno pepper (diced)
- 1/2 cup Cilantro (chopped)
- 1 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1/2 tsp canola oil
Instructions
- Dice tomatoes and drain. Add remaining ingredients to a non-reactive bowl and stir.
Avocado Crema
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 people 1x
Description
Fresh and light, makes a great addition to any grilled item or taco.
Ingredients
- 1 avocado (pulp removed)
- 1/2 cup crema
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 lime (juiced)
- 1/2 cup Cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- Remove pulp from avocado and mash with a fork. Add other ingredients and stir until incorporated.
Awesome recipe. I love taco’s!! Will try this out soon.👍🌶🌮
Awesome. Will try this recipe soon!!