Black Forest Style Roast Pork Tenderloin

The Black Forest region of Germany is the only legitimate producer of traditional Black Forest ham in the European Union. Production is slow and tedious taking months for the finished product. This is a tradition that has been handed down through the generations and is taken very seriously. It is far different from anything in America called Black Forest Ham. It is a creation with a distinctive flavor found only in German cuisine. With the traditional dry cure seasonings and cold smoking of the Black Forest ham in mind, this simple version will give you a similar yet very unique experience. I have chosen fresh cranberries for elderberries and caraway seeds for juniper berries in my interpretation. These are commonly used German ingredients but perhaps not too common in our own kitchens. The cherry preserves and pork tenderloin add my point of view to this creation and bring a balance of sweetness to the smokey, spiced flavor and add a rich, dark caramelized crust to this tender cut of pork. This is a festive and seasonal holiday entree for you and your family to celebrate with. I hope you enjoy.

Black Forest Style Roast Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar free cherry preserves (Smucker's brand works great)
1/2 cup fresh cranberries

1 tsp. ground allspice

1 tsp. caraway seeds

1/4 tsp. whole cloves

1 Tbsp. coriander

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. liquid smoke (mesquite if available)

2 Tbsp. Splenda

1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 to 2 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin

Pulse everything together in the bowl of a food processor until finely chopped and well blended together. You can place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to three days to use later. The flavors will marry together and become stronger as it sits. Trim the pork tenderloin of any visible fat and silver membrane. Slather the glaze on the pork tenderloin covering all sides. Place pork on a large dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight to marry flavors well.

Preheat oven to 400'

Remove the pork tenderloin from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, about 20 minutes or so, to promote even cooking. Shake off the excess marinade and sear it in a large, oven safe saute pan using medium high heat on all sides until caramelized, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Move saute pan to oven and roast until internal temperature reaches 155' when checked with an instant read kitchen thermometer, about 40 to 55 minutes, depending on the cut and thickness of the tenderloin. Remove from oven and let rest, loosely covered, 5 to 10 minutes. If your saute pan cannot go into the oven then carefully transfer the hot tenderloin into a roasting pan. Final internal temperature after resting is recommended to be 160'.

There are far fewer worries about pork these days and many gourmet chefs choose to serve pork slightly pink inside with an internal temperature of 155' because it remains much more moist and flavorful.

Nutrition Facts

8 to 10 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 212.9

Total Fat 7.1 g

Saturated Fat 2.4 g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g

Monounsaturated Fat 2.9 g

Cholesterol 89.5 mg

Sodium 208.5 mg

Potassium 520.0 mg

Total Carbohydrate 5.9 g

Dietary Fiber 0.9 g

Sugars 3.0 g

Protein 31.8 g