Grilled Pork Tenderloin Tacos With Corn Tortillas
7 days ago
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I used to think of tacos as just being seasoned ground beef, topped with shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce and diced tomatoes. But, they can be so much more. Take these Grilled Pork Tenderloin Tacos With Corn Tortillas from our friends at New York Kitchen. They are bursting with flavor and deliver a nice bite, thanks to the seasonings and thinly sliced pork.
The Pork Tenderloin
The tenderloin is the clear star of the show for this recipe. It is marinated in a mixture of cilantro, honey, garlic, jalapeño, chili powder and lime juice. It is all the flavors that make Mexican food taste so great.
For the cilantro, make sure it’s dry before chopping so that the herb doesn’t stick to the blade. Rock the sharp belly of a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef knife over the top of a bunch of cilantro to chop it.
The chef knife can also be used to mince the garlic and chop the jalapeño. It doesn’t have to be perfect, since everything is being tossed into a blender to puree with the other ingredients.
Once well blended, pour it over the pork tenderloin either in a bowl or re-sealable bag and marinate for about 30 minutes.
Make the Tortillas
You could purchase store-bought tortillas, but homemade just taste better. There are only three ingredients required for making them. Place masa harina (corn flour) and salt in a bowl and slowly add warm water until the dough comes together.
Cover the mixture with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Then, form balls of dough about the size of a ping pong ball and use a tortilla press to flatten.
Cook one at a time in a hot nonstick pan until the edges start to curl and brown spots start to appear on the tortilla. Place the tortillas under a towel until ready to use.
Making the Tacos
As you prepare to assemble the tacos, cut thin slices of pork so they easily nestle into the tortilla. Hold the pork in place with a Turning Fork and then use the 7-3/4″ Petite Slicer to slice.
There aren’t a lot of toppings for these tacos, which lets the marinated pork really shine.
Shredded red cabbage adds the crunch many crave with tacos. You can easily slice thin ribbons of it using the 7-3/4″ Petite Slicer. If using the same knife that you cut the pork with, wash and dry it before using on the cabbage.
The shredded cabbage and cotija cheese are all the toppings these tacos need.
The finishing touch is a lime crema made of sour cream, pasted garlic, lime juice and zest, and salt and pepper to taste.
The flavor from these Grilled Pork Tacos With Corn Tortillas is one you won’t be able to forget. They have a lime-forward taste that is not overpowering, and the flavor is only enhanced by cilantro, jalapeño and chili powder.
About New York Kitchen:
New York Kitchen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that uses the stories of agriculture, food and craft beverage to inspire creative exploration to educate, excite and engage the world in a celebration of the incredible bounty of New York State. The mission is driven forward through educational hands-on cooking and craft beverage pairing classes and programs, industry certifications and professional development, Junior Chefs camps and Youth Summit, and a 100% New York State Tasting Room.
Ingredients
For the tacos:
- 1/2 cup canola oil, plus 1 tablespoon
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 1 pound pork tenderloin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 8 corn tortillas
- 3/4 cup shredded purple cabbage
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese
For the tortillas:
- 1 cup masa harina (corn flour)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup warm water
For the lime crema:
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 garlic clove, pasted
- 1/4 lime, zest and juice
- Salt, to taste
Directions
Make the pork:
- In a blender, combine ½ cup canola oil with the cilantro, honey, garlic, jalapeño, chili powder, lime juice and zest. Puree until smooth.
- Place the pork tenderloin in a large bowl or re-sealable bag and pour in the marinade. Toss to coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pork from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Season the pork generously with the salt and pepper on all sides. Brush with remaining one tablespoon of the canola oil.
- Preheat the grill pan over high. Grill the pork until it is nicely charred on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue grilling until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loin registers 150 F, about 10-12 minutes longer.
- Remove from the grill and tent loosely with foil. Let the pork rest 10 minutes.
Make the tortillas:
- In a mixing bowl, combine corn flour and salt. Slowly add warm water and mix until dough comes together. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Form balls of dough roughly the size of a ping-pong ball. Add more water if needed to prevent dough from drying.
- Working with one dough ball at a time, place dough between two pieces of plastic. Center dough ball on tortilla press and gently press until the tortilla is as thick as a coin.
- Heat nonstick pan over medium heat. Place tortillas one at a time into the pan. Cook until the edges begin to curl. Flip the tortilla and cook until speckled with brown dots and slightly puffed.
- Place tortillas under a towel and repeat until all dough has been used.
Make the lime crema:
- In a small bowl combine sour cream, garlic, lime zest and juice. Season with salt to taste.
Assemble the tacos:
- Thinly slice the grilled pork.
- Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and when hot place in the corn tortillas to heat through.
- Assemble your tacos. Place slices of pork into the tortilla, top with cabbage, cotija and lime crema.
Recipe courtesy of New York Kitchen in Canandaigua, a center that showcases New York State’s agriculture through cooking classes, beverage pairings and other programs.
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