Gluten Free Asian Pork Tenderloin

These caramelized end pieces? Oh man are they my favorite.

In trying to be responsible with the money I earn and save, I budget and plan my various expenses. The end goal is to see where I think I may be spending a little too much money, and try to optimize costs for the same, if not better, value. (Yes, I know I used the word optimize. What can I say, I'm a software engineer. It's hard coded in me to try to optimize and fix things.) That's why I love making meals on a Sunday and saving them for busy days where it's hard to make a lunch or dinner, or when I'm flat out exhausted. I plan on posting some money-saving food tips during the summer, along with easy, affordable recipes that can be stretched over a couple days.

Here's a really easy recipe for an Asian-inspired pork tenderloin. All you have to do is make the marinade, let it refrigerate for a couple hours, and cook it! By searing the outside of the meat on a hot skillet before placing in the oven, you'll get a salty, caramelized outside, and tender pork on the inside. Super easy and delicious. I like to use fresh onions, garlic, and spices to add flavor to the pork tenderloin.

Active Prep Time: 10 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 4 hours

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 lb pork tenderloin

1 cup gluten free soy sauce

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp curry

2 tsp thyme

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Steps

In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the tenderloin. Pour into a pan 1-2 inches taller than the tenderloin, and add the tenderloin. You'll want to try to submerge as much of the pork into the marinade as possible. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet. Remove the meat from the marinade, and cook over the skillet, flipping every 3-4 minutes. Once all sides are browned, transfer to a baking pan and insert into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pork reaches 140-145F internal temperature. Remove from oven, and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.