Chipotle Pork Tenderloin

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Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite ways to eat pork (bacon is my favorite).  I found this recipe from Eatingwell.com (and borrowed their picture), and it is one of the best ways to prepare pork.  When I made this the first time, I had never worked with chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and found it overwhelming at first, but I stuck with the recipe and after marinating and cooking the tenderloin, it was amazing.  The chipotle gives the meat a smoky flavor (one that I miss since living in an apartment with no access to a grill), and the lime juice and orange juice give it a hidden tang in the background.  You only taste it at the end of each bite.  This is best when it can marinate overnight.  The original recipe says to grill the meat, but like I said above, I do not have a grill.  I do have a grill pan thanks to a wonderful mother-in-law.  I have been trying to figure out the best way get the tenderloin cooked through without smoking us out of the apartment.  I think I finally figured it out.  The oven. This recipe would work very well on chicken too.  Give it a try!

Ingredients
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce,
1 garlic clove, minced (or crushed in a garlic press)
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 ounces pork tenderloin, (see Kitchen Tip), trimmed of fat
*For some added heat, add some sliced jalapenos seeds and all

1.  Combine chipotle and sauce, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper in a blender or mini food processor; blend or process until the chipotle is chopped and the mixture is relatively smooth. Pour into a sealable plastic bag, add pork and seal, squeezing out any excess air from the bag. Turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.

2.  Preheat grill to high.  Remove the pork from the marinade (discard marinade). Grill the pork, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally into the center of the meat registers 145° F, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.





In the oven: 
Heat the grill pan on the stove over high heat.  Once it is hot, add the meat.  Turn several times browning all sides (and allowing gorgeous grill marks to leave their mark).  Put both pan and meat into a preheated, 400ºF oven and allow to cook for about 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 145ºF.  Allow the meat to rest under foil for about 5 minutes, and then slice.