Grilled Garlic-Lime Pork with a Jalapeno-Red Onion Marmalade

For Father's Day - my sister and I decided that grilling something for our dad would be nice, and how lucky are we, it didn't rain! Finally, a nice day. We sat outside all afternoon and evening enjoying frozen margaritas and beer with appetizers, and even ate dinner out on the patio.

The dinner menu -

- Grilled Garlic-Lime Pork Tenderloin with a Jalapeno-Red Onion Marmalade

- Grilled Ciabatta Bread Salad

- Roasted Potatoes

The recipe for the pork tenderloin is from the Epicurious web site and can be found here.

Note - I am listing the sauce as a marmalade because that is how it was listed on in the recipe. However, I think it was more of a relish, or chutney.

Ingredients

For the marinade:

• 6 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Cayenne to taste (I didn't use this)
• 4 pork tenderloins (about 3/4 pound each), trimmed (I used 2 tenderloins but still used the full amounts for the marinade as listed above - this wouldn't have been enough for 4)
  

For the marmalade:

• 1 1/4 pounds red or yellow onions, chopped fine (about 4 cups)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 fresh jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons honey or sugar (I used honey)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup water

Directions

To make marinade:

• In a blender or small food processor blend marinade ingredients with salt and pepper to taste.
• In a large sealable plastic bag combine pork with marinade. Seal bag, pressing out excess air, and put in a shallow baking dish. Marinate pork, chilled, turning occasionally, at least 1 day and up to 2 days.
• Prepare grill.
• Let pork stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before grilling. Remove pork from marinade, letting excess drip off, and grill on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals, turning every 5 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 160°F., 15 to 20 minutes. Jon heated the grill to 400 degrees before adding the pork.
• Transfer meat to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
• Serve pork with onion marmalade.
  

To make the jalapeno onion marmalade:

• In a large heavy skillet cook onions in oil with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until softened.
• Add jalapeños and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add honey or sugar and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add vinegar and simmer, stirring, until almost all liquid is evaporated.
• Add water and simmer, stirring, until mixture is slightly thickened and onions are very tender, about 10 minutes.
• Season marmalade with salt and pepper (I didn't need to do this). Marmalade may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat marmalade before serving.

Pork tenderloin, to me, is one of the easiest things to make, and it's so versatile. I liked this recipe a lot. The flavors were not too intense, even with 6 cloves of garlic. And the marmalade - wow! I really thought it was going to be spicy, but it was the perfect mix of sweet and spicy.

If I made this again, I think I'd blend the marmalade ingredients to make more of a sauce, but that's the only change I'd make.

Happy Father's Day!!