California Grill’s Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe

This recipe produces moist flavorful pork medallions with an accompanying sauce that is tangy and blends well with the pork.  Optional mushrooms also compliment the sauce and pork well.

 

 

 

(This recipe is based on a Walt Disney World Resort Recipe called Grilled Pork Tenderloin at the California Grill at the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World. This Pork is very tasty.  I highly recommend that you try it when you go to Walt Disney World. You will need to make a reservation several months in advance to get into the California Grill.)

 

 

 

Tools Needed

 

Tongs to turn pork

Frying pan to pan sear pork

An outdoor grill

Cutting Board

Knife – preferably a chef’s knife

2 cup measuring cup

 

 

 

List of Ingredients to Purchase

 

Grocery store items (by location where I find them)

  

Meat department

1 package fresh pork tenderloin (do not use a previously frozen piece and do not use just a pork loin; just the loin will have more fat than the tenderloin)

 

Produce Department

1 package Portobello mushrooms

2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)

 

 

Spice/sugar/flour section  

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

 

 

 

Other aisles

1 stick unsalted butter (not margarine)

Cooking oil spray

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 tbsp whole grain mustard

2 tsp lemon juice

Worchester sauce

¼ cup red wine

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Better than Bouillon Chicken flavor – usually found in the soup aisle

 

 

 

 

Recipe steps:

 

 

Ingredients needed

pork tenderloin

 

 

First cut any excess fat off of the pork tenderloin.  A tenderloin has a very small amount of fat and is a very lean cut of pork.  Usually the pork tenderloins that I buy in the grocery store come in a prepackaged pack that has 2 smaller pork tenderloins when you open it up.  Use one of the pork tenderloins for this recipe. 

 

 

 

Cut off any fat that you can easily remove and cut off the thin white membrane that may be on part of the meat.   I cut the tenderloin into 2 pieces so that it fits more easily into the frying pan. Wash the cutting board so that you can use it later to cut the mushrooms.

 

 

 

Spray oil spray onto the inside of the frying pan. Heat the frying pan on high heat. Lightly salt and pepper the meat. Add the meat to the frying pan.  Use tongs to turn the meat until all sides are browned.  Use the tongs to hold the meat so that all sides are browned.  Be careful not to hold the tongs against the hot metal pan or the tongs will heat up quickly.

 

 

 

Once the meat is browned, remove it and place it on a clean plate.  Never use the plate that the raw meat was on unwanted bacteria from the raw meat may get on the cooked meat.   Put the frying pan to one side to cook the mushrooms in a minute.

 

 

 

To Prepare mushrooms:

 

Ingredients needed

1 package Portobello mushrooms

 

 

Wash each mushroom and carefully remove any dirt.  Place on a paper towel to dry somewhat. 

 

 

Next use the knife and cutting board to slice each mushroom and place sliced mushrooms into a clean bowl as you cut them.   

 

 

Now use the frying pan to cook the mushrooms on medium heat.   Spray the frying pan with oil spray.  Place the sliced mushrooms into the pan.  Stir the mushrooms frequently while cooking and cook until they change color and some of the liquid in them cooks out.  They will shrink in size somewhat.

 

 

 

 

To Prepare basting sauce:

 

Make a mustard mixture to brush on the pork while it is being grilled. This basting sauce keeps the meat moist while it is cooking on the grill.

 

 

Ingredients needed

 

1 stick of butter (room temperature) (if it is just out of the refrigerator, take off the paper. Place the butter in the microwave on high for 20 seconds to soften. 

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp whole grain mustard

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp Worchester sauce

 

Mix all of the basting ingredients together until well blended:

 

 

Now you will need to switch back and forth between the next two steps. Start the Wine Reduction Sauce and while it is reducing, start the pork cooking on the grill.  Instructions follow on how to do each.

 

 

 

To make the Wine Reduction Sauce for the pork:

 

This sauce adds a tangy flavor to the pork.

 

Ingredients needed

 

¼ cup red wine

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Better than Bouillon Chicken flavor – usually found in the soup aisle

1 cup hot water

2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)

 

 

 

Put the red wine and the balsamic vinegar in a small to medium sauce pan on medium heat. Stir until it reduces to one half  of its original volume.  While it is reducing, measure out 1 cup of  hot water into a 2 cup measuring cup You can get hot water from the faucet or you can heat the measuring cup with 1 cup of water in the microwave for 1 minute.  Make sure that you heat the water before adding the boullion, otherwise it may overflow in the microwave.  After the water is heated, add 1 teaspoon of  Better Than Bullion Chicken Bouillon to one cup of hot water. Stir until dissolved. 

 

 

 

Once the red wine and Balsamic vinegar mixture has reduced to one half of its original volume, add the Bouillon flavored water to the sauce pan with the wine and vinegar.  Optionally rinse  2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme (optional) with water and add the 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme (optional) to the wine and winegar bouillon mixture.

 

 

 

Continue cooking and stir until thickened a little.  If you stick a spoon into the liquid and remove it, the liquid should leave a light coating on the spoon. Once the sauce is slightly thickened, remove from heat.  Remove the fresh thyme sprigs if  they were added.

 

 

 

 

To Grill Pork:

 

Turn the grill on to medium.  Place the browned pork onto the grill.  Brush some of the mustard mixture onto the pork on both sides of the pork.  Be careful of flare-ups when you brush the mustard mixture onto the pork.  Some may run down into the fire and cause a flare-up. Close the grill. Cook for about 4 minutes. Brush some of the mustard mixture onto the top of the pork. Turn pork over and brush some of the mustard mixture onto the side of the pork that is now facing up.  Close the grill. Cook for about 4 more minutes. Repeat applying the mustard mixture and turning the pork and reapplying the mustard mixture for about 20 minutes total.  To tell if the meat is done, use a Thermapen Insta-read Thermometer to probe the meat to see if the temperature has reached 160 degrees.

 

Cook and turn every 4 minutes until the inside of the meat reaches 160 degrees.  The mustard mixture keeps the meat from drying out too much while it is cooking on the grill.

 

 

 

Once the pork reaches 160 degrees, place the pork on a plate and let rest for about 5 minutes.  While the pork is resting, wash the cutting board and dry it well.

 

 

 

Slice the pork into thin slices using the cutting board and knife. 

 

Place the pork slices onto a plate, place mushrooms beside the meat and drizzle sauce over the meat and the mushrooms.  Place more sauce on if needed.  You can leave off the mushrooms if you do not like mushrooms.  If everyone likes mushrooms,  place the cooked mushrooms directly in the sauce.

 

 

 

I recommend serving this with apple sauce and a vegetable.