Mustard and Pepper Pork tenderloin in cider sauce

Good_Queen_Bess · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:00 pm Post subject:

You'll need:

-Piece of pork tenderloin (lthough you can use pork steaks, but I just love tenderloin) cut into large medallions/chunks.
-Powdered mustard
-About a tablespoon of black peppercorns
-A nice tin or bottle of dry cider (decent stuff, not any old cr@p. I quite like merrydown)
-4 cloves garlic
-half an onion
-2 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
-salt
-small amount of fresh thyme
- Tablespoon olive oil
Preferably use a pan that can go on the stove and in the oven.

Toast in a hot pan the peppercorns, then grind them in a pessle and mortar until crushed. Not too fine.
Mix with about 2 tablespoons of the mustard powder.
Cover the pork all over and marinade for a while. An hour at least if you have the time.

Warm oven to 200oC
Warm the pan up until hot, add the olive oil to the pan.
Season the pork with salt at the last minute before it goes in the pan.
Add pork to the hot pan, and brown all/both sides, but NOT for too long as you don't want it to cook through. That is why you need the hot pan so it will brown quickly.
When pork is browned lighty, add the cider til the pork is covered.
Bring to boil.
Add WHOLE cloves of garlic, crushed lightly, but not peeled or chopped. Add big chunks of onion. (We are not eating these, they are purely for flavour).
Add rosemary and thyme. Don't chop these either, add whole as we will remove these later when cooked.
Bring to boil for 20 seconds or so.
Put a lid on, put in oven for about 30 mins or so.

When cooked, you can either discard the liquid and eat the meat as is or you can remove the pork and all the herbs/onions/garlic and cook the liquid down to make a gravy.
I haven't decided what to do yet with the liquid as I am writing this whilst the pork is cooking!
The only thing I can think why the cider wouldn't make a good gravy is that it would be quite sweet and might not work as a gravy par se. Although you could use a bit of it and make the rest of the gravy with some chicken stock or whatever.

I hope it's nice anyway!

_________________

Paz,
Jackiex

Good_Queen_Bess · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:05 pm Post subject:

Pork is nearly done, just waiting for the spuds! I was too busy typing.

Just a revision, I have just checked the sauce for the pork, and although it should make a nice cooking liqour, it tastes too strong to make into a gravy afterwards. But I might just use a couple of tablespoons of it and make the rest of the gravy up with chicken or beef stock or oxo.
_________________

Paz,
Jackiex

Pam7 · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:32 pm Post subject:

YUM YUM YUM...saved into Word Doc! Cheers Jackie!

Good_Queen_Bess · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:47 pm Post subject:

Actually Pam, I just ate it. Whilst it wasn't horrible at all, it wasn't anything to write home about either!!! I wouldn't bother!

Although the pork was lovely and tender.
Plus I was going to make a apple sauce to go with, but I forgot!

It was good, but needs a couple of tweeks to make it very good. But I am a critic of my own food.
_________________

Paz,
Jackiex

Pam7 · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:49 pm Post subject:

OOO I love your honesty Jackie pmsl!

did you read about my stir fry tonight in the dinner thread too? LOL!

GET THE CHEESE OUT!

Good_Queen_Bess · Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:22 pm Post subject:

I am a perfectionist when it comes to cooking, and it means a lot to me. I would never pass on a recipe if it was less than brilliant.

Yes, I did read about the str-fry disaster.............never mind!
_________________

Paz,
Jackiex

Pam7 · Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:41 am Post subject:

Had me cheese...and copious amounts of brandy and coke...and feel A LOT better about it! LOL! Corn beef fritters tomorrow!

Paignton · Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 2:57 pm Post subject:

Jackie I usually put some cooking apples in when I do this recipe. Makes for alovely taste and flavour

Good_Queen_Bess · Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:14 pm Post subject: