A tenderloin that sits in a zesty, boozy marinade before being grilled and served with a tropical salsa with a hint of spice.
By Lisa Lotts
I am giddy about this one! Meaty pork tenderloin, marinated in a zesty booze-infused amalgam of aromatic ginger, garlic, spicy jalapeño and fresh lime! Can’t you just feel your taste buds tingle? Served with a spectacular pineapple and mango salsa and you’ve got the makings of a memorable night. 
I confess, when I was making the salsa, my head was positively spinning with ideas on what to pair it with. Grilled mahi mahi and jumbo shrimp came to mind immediately.
The best part about this meal is how simple it is to put together. Really. You can make the marinade in minutes — then slip it into a food storage bag with the tenderloin and let it rest in the fridge for a few hours. The tropical salsa is another quick and easy dish.
When you’re ready to cook, discard the marinade and grill the tenderloin to a light-pink medium for a juicy and flavorful meal. The marinade for this pork is so zingy, you could easily opt to marinate-only and skip the salsa if you’re pressed for time or didn’t have the ingredients handy. This time.
Find the pineapple-mango salsa recipe here.
PrintTequila Marinated Pork with Pineapple Salsa
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Description
A tenderloin that sits in a zesty, boozy marinade before being grilled and served with a tropical salsa with a hint of spice.
Ingredients
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1” knob of ginger, peeled
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons tequila, preferably reposada
- 1/2 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 1-pound pork tenderloin
- 1 recipe mango and pineapple salsa (see the link above)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine lime zest and juice. Set aside.
- Use a microplane grater to grate the knob of ginger over a cutting board. Transfer the grated ginger to the bowl with the lime.
- Add the honey, tequila, jalapeño, cilantro, olive oil salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Place the pork tenderloin into a 1 gallon zip top bag. Pour the marinade over the pork and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4.
- Take the pork from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking and remove it from the marinade onto a baking sheet or platter.
- Preheat the grill to a high heat – about 450 degrees. Place the pork onto the hot grill and sear on one side for 5-6 minutes. Flip over and continue to cook for an additional 5-6 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.
- Transfer pork to platter or cutting board and tent with tin foil. Let meat rest for 4-5 minutes before carving.
- Slice the tenderloin into half inch slices. Arrange neatly on a platter. Serve salsa on the side or scoop some onto the platter with the pork for an eye-popping presentation.
Notes
If you want to make 2 or even 3 pork tenderloins, there should be enough marinade in just one recipe to accommodate the extra loins. So invite some friends over – they can bring the libations!
- Category: Main
