Sweet Tea Brined Pork Tenderloin with Raspberry Sauce

There’s nothing like a weekend getaway for menu inspiration.  Wandering around and reading menus, eating at some really nice places and trying new things gives me ideas that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.  Sweet Tea Brine is one of them.  Although I didn’t sample it, I came home and started looking for recipes for more inspiration.  The brine is pretty simple and it’d be hard to go wrong with it.  The raspberry sauce was inspired by this recipe.  All together it made an amazing dinner.

The rosemary sprig you’ll see was a last minute addition just because it was there on the counter, left from snipping rosemary for another dish.  It was great but I think tarragon would’ve been even better.  Leave out the herbs or add whatever you like.

The Pork

• Pork Tenderloin
• Tea Bags, 2 large
• Kosher Salt, 1/3 cup
• Brown Sugar, 2/3 cup
• Peppercorns
• Rosemary or Tarragon or Thyme (your choice)
• Olive Oil
• Salt/Pepper

The Sauce

• Raspberries, 1 bag frozen
• White Balsamic Vinegar, 2 tablespoons
• Sugar, 1/4 cup
• Brandy, 1/3 cup

Bring two cups of water to a boil, add the tea bags and turn off the heat.  Let it steep for about ten minutes, until it’s nice and strong.  While it’s still warm add the salt and sugar and stir until it’s all dissolved.  Throw in a few peppercorns and let it cool to room temperature.

Marinate the pork in the brine, adding a sprig or two of herbs.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours but up to 12.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Remove the meat from the brine and pat it dry.   Put the herb sprigs in between the two halves and tie the pieces together.  If you’re using a whole tenderloin that isn’t split just put the herbs on top.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the whole thing and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Add a little of the leftover marinade to the bottom of the roasting pan and put it in the over.  It’ll probably take about 45 to 60 minutes in the oven to reach 160.

While the pork is cooking, thaw the berries and whirl them in the processor or blender until they’re smooth.  You can strain the seeds if you like but I didn’t bother.

Combine the berries, sugar, vinegar and brandy in a small saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a low simmer and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until it’s thickened a bit.  Remove from the heat and let it cool.

Once the pork is done remove the spent herbs and let it stand a few minutes before slicing.

Serve it up with the sauce on top.  Enjoy!

Tagged as: marinades and sauces, pork tenderloin, raspberry