Tenderloin is my favourite cut of pork – it’s tender and flavourful, easy to cook and lean without being dry. You can make the sauce and marinate the meat the night before, or freeze it in its marinade for months (the liquid will protect the meat from freezer burn) – on Friday they’ll cook in the oven or on the grill in just a few minutes – just what I’m looking for after a long week.Bonus: the kids adore any food served on a stick. If you like, peanut sauce makes a great dipper. Serve with your favourite veggies and rice for dinner, or make a platter – my son and his cousin adore a long plate with pork satay, carrots and cucumber sticks, chunks of cheese and fresh fruit – whatever they like or you have on hand.
Orange & Rosemary Pork Satay
1-2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar or honey
1 Tbsp. canola or olive oil (optional)
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
Combine everything but the pork in a medium bowl. Cut the pork into strips and add to the marinade, stirring well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or freeze for up to 6 months.
Soak bamboo skewers in water while the pork is marinating. Thread strips of pork onto the skewers and grill or broil for about 3 minutes per side, just until cooked through. Serve hot, warm or cold, with or without peanut sauce for dipping. Makes 1-2 dozen satay.
Per satay: 56 calories, 1 g total fat (0.3 g saturated fat, 0.4 g monounsaturated fat, 0.1 g polyunsaturated fat), 9.3 g protein, 1.2 g carbohydrate, 22.3 mg cholesterol, 0.2 g fiber. 16% calories from fat.