Brined Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Chutney Sauce

[DivotMaker]

Picked up a 2-pack of tenderloins at Sam's (4 total, as tenderloins are usually packed in twos).  I decided to brine these in my pork loin brine, use maple syrup as the binder (I saw Jeff Phillips do this, and it sounded good), and Famous Dave's Rib Rub.

The tenderloins got 4 hours in the brine (plenty, for as small of a diameter they are).  After the brine, they were rinsed thoroughly, and patted dry.  Then, I brushed on 100% maple syrup and hit them with Dave's Rib Rub.  In the smoker, at 230 with a pan of apple juice.

I was really expecting 1.5-2 hours, but these hit 145 in an hour.  I finished them, with a reverse-sear, on the old Weber gasser.  Tough to get it really hot today - nice and windy. 

The apricot chutney is a bottle of Smucker's Simply Fruit apricot spread, and my St Louis BBQ sauce.  I simmered this in a pan for awhile, until hot and thoroughly mixed, then set in the fridge to cool.

The tenderloins came off the grill and straight into foil!  While they were resting, we prepared the salads.

The meat turned out very juicy, and extremely fork-tender (they were tenderloins).  Combined with the apricot chutney, I hit a home run with the family!  I just need to get it to not cook so fast!

 

[Barrel99]

Those look perfect Tony. Did the meat taste real sweet? My experience has been that very soft meat like tenderloins cook quickly. I now back off and cook them at 200. However, it didn't seem to make a difference by the looks of it.

 

[1stlink]

Finger looking good 

Condo rules.. No reverse sear allowed here 

 

[Walt]

You can reverse sear in your oven @ 500+ degrees for about 5 minutes.

 

[swthorpe]

Nice work, Tony!  When I do tenderloins they typically finish in under an hour at 225F.  The next time I do some, I am going to drop the temp to maybe 210F or so just to give them a bit more time in the smoke.

 

[1stlink]

You can reverse sear in your oven @ 500+ degrees for about 5 minutes.

Thanks Walt, I'm learning all the time.. 

 

[DivotMaker]

Thanks for the comments, guys!  They actually tasted very good, and were very moist.  I didn't get the finish I was hoping for (this is actually my first time with tenderloins, so it was a learning process!) because the grill wasn't hot enough.  I should have opted for the hot oven, but had already committed to the grill, and the clock was ticking!  Like I said - first time!  I usually do whole loins, and have them down to a science, but these little boogers fooled me!

Next time - smoke at 200, and make sure the gill's nice and hot!

 

[Barrel99]

Even if I under cook meat or chicken, I find that whenever I reverse sear in the grill or in the oven, that it's always a game to see if I can sear them up before over cooking. Sometimes I lose.

 

[gregbooras]

The loins and the salad looks great. I have 2lbs in the freezer, time to pull them out and put them in the smoker!.

Greg

 

[DivotMaker]

I have 2 vac-packed, from this cook, that I'm going to throw on a HOT grill this weekend to heat up!  Gotta get that outside a little more cooked!

And Arnie - if you "low and slow" correct, on things like loins, prime rib, and such, there's no risk of over-cooking on the reverse sear.  Chicken's a little different.  Temp needs to be 500+ (higher the better), and it should only take a few minutes to brown the outside, without cooking the inside.  Kind of a "blast furnace" effect!

 

[Barrel99]

Tony, it is the chicken that has the most problem. Especially pieces.  Don't think my grill gets hot enough. Time to repair my Weber.

 

[DivotMaker]

Don't think my grill gets hot enough. Time to repair my Weber.

Man, "been there, done that!"  Good thing is, parts are still available for us old Weber loyalists!

 

[Barrel99]

I actually have all the parts. Just been procrastinating since I got my SI.

 

[DivotMaker]

Know what you mean, Arnie!  I neglected my old girl (I mean my Weber Genesis 1100, of course) for awhile, when I first got my SI, but soon realized that she has her place in tasks that the SI just can't handle!  I cleaned her up, gave her a new paint job, new burners, and new drip pan holders last Fall, and she's humming like new!  18 years strong!  I know the day will come when I have to let her go, but she's fed me and my family so many times, I can't even begin to count.  I know she has the bad "right side burner controls," but I don't hold that against her...  Yeah, I'm a little sentimental about my ol' Weber gasser.  Don't neglect yours - she's a great tool to help with those "reverse sears," and all the other things your SI won't do! :-*

 

[Barrel99]

You are so right Tony. The old Webers were so outstanding.  Thanks, time to get it fired up!

 

[DivotMaker]

That's the spirit, Arnie! 8)

 

[1stlink]

1st smoke w/800w element.
I did a me too of your smoke Tony with a couple of twists. No Brine, and I halved the loins and tied side to side w/small end matched w/larger end to try to have a uniform diameter overall. Maple syrup and Daves. I inserted the PID meat probe in the largest cut and put the prepared meat in my freezer overnight. (goal is to smoke longer)
Today:
Set PID 205 and 143 IT 1.9 oz cherry.
Placed Miss Lilly(Apple) on bottom supported with a spare SI-rack to keep it flush with smoke box. Pork placed on top shelf of SI.
PID temps at start = 72 and -3
temps @ 15 min 143 & 13 IT
temps @ 49 min 205 & 25 iT (target smoke temp)
temps @ 1 hr 207 & 27 IT (smoker went to 207 momentarily & then settled back to 205)
My total smoke time was 1:58 to IT 143
Removed from SI and Seared on Breville BGR820XL Smart Grill (I luv it)
Tenderloins were very juicy and overall excellent IMHO. Sorry no pics of finished product mainly because I wasn't satisfied with the appearance due to my lack of meat tying experience.  :-[
Some related pics added. 

 

[DivotMaker]

Nice, Ralph!  2 demerits for no finished pics.

 

[1stlink]

Yea, I understand... Next time I'll work on presentation. Also have to get wood to burn better, smaller boat I think..

 

[DivotMaker]

Just playing, Ralph!   We don't score for presentation.  lol.