The technique for cooking the tenderloin is nothing new: sear, and finish in the oven. But the sauce might surprise you. It’s wine-dark and intensely fruity, with depth from the bourbon. And I don’t get to say this about a recipe very often: No chopping required.
For a nonalcoholic version, use unsweetened apple cider instead of bourbon. You’ll need an instant-read thermometer.
Serve with sugar snap peas or a mash of spring peas or fingerling potatoes.
Adapted from “A Southern Gentleman’s Kitchen,” by Matt Moore (Oxmoor House, 2015).
Cast-Iron Pork Tenderloin With Blackberry Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
4 servings
1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Kentucky bourbon (see headnote)
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Place a large cast-iron skillet in the oven; preheat to 425 degrees.
Trim off and discard the silver skin from the meat. Rub the oil over the tenderloin, then season with salt and pepper.
Combine the blackberries, molasses, ketchup, mustard, red wine vinegar, bourbon, a pinch of salt and the hot sauce in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth. Strain into a small saucepan, pushing the mixture through with a flexible spatula. Discard the seeds.