Grilled Rubbed pork tenderloin with BBQ sauce, Roasted Poblano Creamy Grits and Chipotle Slaw

So you’ve made the ribs and have some of the rub and sauce left over, what now? This is a great recipe to use some of the condiments from the ribs for another meal.

Ingredients

Pork

• One pork tenderloin (feeds two)

• 1/2 cup of Memphis BBQ sauce

• 1/4 cup spice rub

Slaw

• Half head of green and a half head of purple cabbage

• 1 poblano pepper

• 1/4 spanish onion

• 1 carrot

• 1 chiptole peppers in adobo sauce

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

• sugar to taste (about 1/8 to 1/4 cup

• hand full of fresh cilantro

• salt and fresh ground black pepper

Grits

• 1 cup of stone ground yellow grits (if I hear of anyone using any kind of instant grits I will find you and beat you with a rubber spatula)

• 4 cups water

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 5 poblano peppers

• 1/4 cup sharp cheese (I’ve used a couple different kinds from white cheddar to manchego but I could see goat cheese in here as well)

• salt and pepper

Shred or thinly slice the cabbage, carrot, onion. Thin Julianne the poblano. Using a small robocoup, puree the chipotle, vinegar, sugar and yogurt until smooth. Adjust the levels to taste. I find that depending on the vinegar and the chiptole and even the yogurt that it can vary. Mix all together in an non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate until use. Add the rough chopped cilantro right before serving.  Make the slaw up to a day ahead of time.

 Clean the tenderloin of all extra fat and any silverskin. Rub the entire piece of meat with the BBQ rub and let it sit out for 30 mins. Meanwhile start the grill.

Once the grill is blazing hot, roast the Poblanos until nice a charred on all sides and soft. Remove them and seal in a zip top bag or in a shallow baking dish covered tightly with plastic wrap. Let them steam themselves  for 5-10 mins. Remove from the bag, stem and seed and peel the charred skin from the flesh of the pepper. This should be VERY easy to do. If it is not, you did not char the peppers enough. That’s fine but remember next time you do this. Dice the flesh and set aside.

Throw the tenderloin on the grill. Get a good char on all sides and then move to a cooler spot on the grill. Cook until about  an internal temp of 165° (you can go lower but people get squeamish with pork).

While the tenderloin is cooking (don’t forget about turning it), bring the water to a boil and whisk in the grits. Lower the heat to med low. Keep an eye on these babies. They will stick and burn if you aren’t careful.

Once the grits are on they take about 18 mins to complete. Keep stirring them. When the grits start to harden up, add the poblanos. Taste the grits to make sure they are done. They should be al dente but not crunchy. Add the cream to your desired creaminess, turn down the heat and go check on your pork.

When the pork is almost done brush all over with the BBQ sauce, put it back on the hot part of the grill. Caramelize the sauce on all sides and remove from the grill.

Let the pork sit for 7-10 mins.

Check on your grits. If they are too tight you can add water or more cream.

Right before serving stir in the cheese and season with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Slice the pork on a bias and serve on top of the grits with some warmed BBQ sauce and a big helping of slaw.

 

Drink beer and lots of it.