Pork tenderloin appears weekly in our dinner rotation. It’s low in fat, easy to cook and with a variation of the rub and accompanying sauce, can take on many different nationalities. This recipe has a south of the border flavor with a peppery and slightly sweet rub and black bean pico de gallo.
Pico de gallo is translated “rooster’s beak” and there are several explanations of how the name came about. One was for the way it was originally eaten, by pinching pieces of the salsa between the thumb and forefinger, which is supposed to resemble a rooster’s beak. A messy proposition at best. Another puts forth that the spicy bite of the dish is like the bite of a rooster. The one that I see as most logical is that it originates from the Spanish verb “picar” which means “to chop”, as are the minced ingredients in this salsa.
Black beans add some additional fiber to the dish. If you don’t have time to make your own from scratch, canned beans are acceptable. My brand of preference is Goya, I prefer to rinse them lightly before proceding with the recipe. There will be enough seasoning mix to flavor the pico de gallo and more for future use. The original recipe on Epicurious called for 1/2 cup of arugula, loosely packed, but the recipe never included a step that used the arugula. I just use it as a bed for the tenderloin that wilts it slightly and adds another peppery component to the dish.
Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Pico de Gallo
Adapted from Epicurious website/Self magazine
Serves two with leftovers
Ingredients
Pork rub
- 1T sweet paprika
- 1T smoked paprika
- 1T kosher salt
- 1T chili powder (I used regular)
- 1T brown sugar
- 1/4t cayenne pepper
- 1T olive oil
- 1 pork tenderloin, 14-16oz, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 c arugula
Directions for Pork Tenderloin
- Mix first six ingredients for spice rub in a small bowl until well combined.
- Sprinkle the rub over the tenderloin, then rub the pork on all sides, pressing gently so the seasoning adheres well to the tenderloin. Cover with plastic and let sit at room temperature for an hour before cooking.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Heat olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot, add the tenderloin and cook, turning every 3-5 minutes until browned on all sides.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast until a meat thermometer inserted into it’s thickest part reads 140F.
- Using a pot holder, remove tenderloin from the oven, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Black Bean Pico de Gallo
- 1 1/2 c cooked black beans
- 1c diced tomato
- 1 small yellow pepper, diced
- 1/2c diced red onion
- 1/3c finely chopped cilantro
- 1t minced jalapeno
- Juice of a fresh lime
- 1T of the pork seasoning mix
- Kosher salt to taste
Directions for Pico de Gallo and Final Assembly
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Line a seving platter with arugula. Top with sliced tenderloin.
- Spicy sliced tenderloin on a bed of arugula.
