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Cocoa-Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Salsa Recipe

This Cocoa-Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Salsa recipe will be the superstar of your next BBQ, and everybody will ask you for the recipe, we swear your guests will call you Master Chef.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main
Cuisine American
Diet Gluten Free
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 90 kcal

Equipment

  • Cherry And Olive Pitter
  • Chef's Knife
  • Plastic Cutting Board
  • Liquid Measuring Cups
  • Dry Measuring Cups And Spoons
  • Glass Bowls
  • Cotton Kitchen Towels
  • Stainless Steel Tongs

Ingredients
  

For The Cherry Salsa:

  • 2 cups sweet cherries pitted and halved (about 12 ounces)
  • 1 jalapeño stemmed and finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 1 shallot finely chopped (1/4 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves finely chopped
  • kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

For The Pork:

  • 1 (1 1/2 pound) pork tenderloin
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon unrefined cane sugar

Instructions
 

  • Make The Cherry Salsa: Toss cherries, jalapeño, shallot, pomegranate molasses, basil, and a pinch of salt and a crank of pepper together in a large nonreactive bowl. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. 
  • Butterfly The Pork: To butterfly the pork, place the tenderloin on a cutting board with one end pointing toward you. Slice lengthwise down the center, almost but not quite cutting through the tenderloin, leaving about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness of meat intact. Open like a book and push on it to flatten.
  • Starting on the left side, with the blade of the knife parallel to the cutting board and the blade facing left, slice down the length of the seam, maintaining the 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Pull the meat open and press down to flatten. Continue cutting and flattening until the entire left half is 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness. Rotate the tenderloin and repeat on the other half.
  • Make The Cocoa-Chile Rub: Combine the olive oil, cocoa, chile powder, sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper in a small mixing bowl until well combined then coat the pork all over with the mixture. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours. When ready to grill, remove the pork the fridge and set aside at least 20 minutes at room temperature before grilling. 
  • Grill The Pork: Heat an outdoor grill to high (about 450°F to 550°F) and rub the grill grates with a kitchen towel dipped in vegetable oil. Place the pork on the grill, and cover the grill. Cook, flipping once, until grill marks appear and the pork registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes total. Remove to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest a few minutes. Slice thinly and serve with cherry salsa.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 90kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0.1mgSodium: 7mgPotassium: 183mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 674IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
Keyword cherry spicy salsa, Grill recipes