In this video, I'm doing a little cooking and sharing my Mexican-Spiced Pork Tenderloin recipe with you all. It's deliciously savory, 21DSD-friendly, and unbelievably easy to throw together! The secret ingredient? My Magic Green Sauce!
Mexican Pork Tenderloin
grain-free • gluten-free • egg-free • nut-free • seed-free • dairy-free • 21DSD-friendly
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
SERVINGS: 8
- Juice of 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons Diane's Magic Green Sauce (recipe below)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced (I use a microplane to quickly mince the garlic, just watch your fingers!)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- A few pinches of salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pork tenderloins
preparation:
Whisk together the lime juice and magic green sauce. Add the garlic, paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and whisk again.
Place the pork tenderloin in a shallow dish for marinating, and pour the marinade evenly over the top of the meat. Use tongs (or your hands!) to evenly distribute the marinade over the meat. Cover the dish and let it sit in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the tenderloins from the fridge and pat them dry with a paper towel—this will ensure a good sear!
Heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of bacon fat and let it melt completely. Spread it evenly over the pan and add the tenderloins. Sear each side of the meat (approximately 2-3 minutes each side) and then place the pan in the oven for approximately 20 minutes for medium-rare, or until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees.
Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice on the bias and serve!
Diane's Magic Green Sauce Recipe
grain-free • gluten-free • egg-free • nut-free • seed-free • dairy-free • 21DSD-friendly
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 1 hour
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes
- 2 poblano peppers
- 1 sweet bell pepper (preferably yellow)
- 1 jalapeño or Serrano pepper
- 6 green onions (white ends cut off)
- 1/4 cup or large handful of chives (equivalent or 1 standard clamshell pack)
- 1/2 cup or a 1/2 large bunch of cilantro leaves and stems (equivalent to about 1/2 bunch sold unpackaged at a grocery store, or 3-4 standard clamshell packs)
- 1 garlic clove
- Juice of 2-3 piece of citrus—lemon or lime or mix
- Salt
- Pepper
preparation:
Roast all of the peppers in a 375ºF oven for 45-60 minutes or until the skins blacken on all sides, turning once halfway through.
(Optional) Place the peppers into a bowl and cover with a lid or plastic wrap to allow the skins to loosen from the steam. Remove the skins from the peppers. I've made the sauce both with and without the skins and it turns out almost the same either way. For a spicy sauce, leave the seeds and ribs (white portion) in the hot pepper you use. For a milder sauce, slice the ribs out of the hot pepper and discard the seeds. Take care not to touch your eyes or mouth after handling the hot pepper.
Place the peppers and all of the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth. Taste along the way to add salt and pepper to your preference.
*For a creamy version, mix the Magic Green Sauce 50/50 with Primal Kitchen Mayonnaise (or other Paleo friendly mayo of your choice). This version with the mayonnaise added is not egg-free.
Check out this video of Diane making Mexican Pork Tenderloin!
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