Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

I was recently asked for some recipes for quick meals.  While I don’t believe you can really achieve any type of good flavor in 30 minutes or less, this recipe has a total work time of about 30 minutes.  With a day in between for marinating.  The peanut sauce can be used as a condiment for the meat, as a dressing for shredded cabbage to make a Thai Peanut Slaw, or over cooked linguini for Thai Peanut Noodles.  You may have to loosen the sauce just a bit with a little hot water and maybe a little more of the dark sesame oil for the Slaw or the Noodles.

Meat/Marinade:

1 cup orange or pineapple juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbs minced garlic
2 tbs grated fresh ginger
2 whole pork tenderloins

One Day Before Serving:

Place the tenderloins in a large zip-lock bag (or a 9x13 baking dish).  Mix all of the ingredients together and pour into the bag.  Zip the bag tightly and leave in the refrigerator overnight.  Turn the bag in the morning to ensure even coverage. 

Serving Day: 

• Preheat your grill to high.
• When the grill is ready, remove the tenderloins from the bag and discard the marinade.  Pat them dry with paper towels, and brush with a little vegetable oil.
• Place the tenderloins in the center of the grill, put the cover down and turn the burners down to medium high.   Grill for 7-8 minutes.
• Brush the tenderloins with a little more oil, turn, cover, and grill another 7-8 minutes, until they have some resistance when pressed.  They should be cooked to medium, or approximately 160 degrees internal temperature.
• Remove from the grill, and allow to rest, covered lightly with aluminum foil, while you make the sauce.

Spicy Peanut Sauce:

¾ cup natural unsalted peanut butter
¾ cup warm water
2 tbs minced garlic
2 tbs grated and chopped fresh ginger.
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp honey
2 tsp dark sesame oil 

• Place the peanut butter in a mixing bowl and add nearly all the water.  Mix together with a fork.  The peanut butter will eventually mix with the water, and become lighter in color.  Keep adding water a couple of tablespoons at a time, until you have something that looks like humus in color and texture.  The amount of water depends on the peanut butter, and how much solid to oil it has.  Just use your best judgment.
• Add the garlic and the ginger and mix together.  Taste it.  You should taste both the garlic and ginger.  If you don’t, add more.
• Now add the soy sauce and taste again.  If it doesn’t taste salty enough, add more, a tablespoon at a time, until it tastes right to you.
• Add the cayenne pepper, mix and taste again.  Now you are looking for the right amount of heat.  Keep adding cayenne, ½ teaspoon at a time, until it is the right amount of heat for you.
• Add the honey, mix and taste again.  The honey brings balance to the cayenne.  Keep adding and tasting until it tastes right to you.
• Last, add the sesame oil, mix and taste.  The sesame oil will bring a roasted complexity to the sauce.  Add more until you like the taste.
• Cut the pork tenderloins into ¼ inch slices and serve with the sauce.  
• Alternatively, use the sauce as a dressing for freshly cut green cabbage for a spicy peanut slaw or cooked linguini for Thai Noodles, and serve with the pork.