New Mexican Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon-Ancho Sauce

Category
Dinner
Cuisine
Southwestern
Serves
Serves 4
From
Bobby Flay

pork tenderloinancho chilebourbonspice rubroastedpan sauce

THE BOURBON-ANCHO SAUCE OF THIS POPULAR MESA GRILL ENTRÉE IS LUSCIOUS, ALMOST BUTTERSCOTCH-Y, WITH JUST ENOUGH SPICE FROM THE CHILES TO CUT THROUGH THE SWEETNESS OF THE BOURBON AND BROWN SUGAR. THE RUB COATS THE PORK IN FLAVOR AND GIVES THE TENDER CUT A MUCH-NEEDED CRUST. AT THE RESTAURANT WE GO ALL OUT, SERVING THIS WITH SWEET POTATO TAMALES WITH PECAN BUTTER (page 207), SMOKED RED PEPPER SAUCE (page 230), AND CILANTRO OIL (page 222).

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pasilla chile powder
  • 2 teaspoons chile de árbol powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds pork tenderloin
  • Bourbon-Ancho Sauce (recipe follows)
  • Chopped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

Bourbon-Ancho Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • ancho chiles, soaked, seeded, and pureed (see page 18)
  • 5 cups Enriched Chicken Stock (page 38) or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup thawed apple juice concentrate
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
  • Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Stir together the ancho powder, brown sugar, pasilla powder, chile de árbol powder, cinnamon, allspice, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
  3. Heat the oil in a medium ovenproof sauté pan over high heat. Season the pork with salt on both sides, then dredge in the spice rub and tap off any excess. Place the pork in the pan and sear on all sides until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the pork to medium, 8 to 10 minutes.
  5. Remove the pork from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice into 1-inch-thick pieces. Ladle some of the bourbon-ancho sauce into the center of each of 4 large plates and top with 3 slices of the pork. Spoon more sauce on top and garnish with chives.

Bourbon-Ancho Sauce

  1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the 2 cups bourbon, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to a few tablespoons, 5 to 6 minutes.
  2. Add the ancho puree, stock, apple juice concentrate, peppercorns, and brown sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 15 to 20 minutes.
  3. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, return the mixture to the pan, and reduce over high heat to sauce consistency, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the 2 tablespoons bourbon, cook for 2 minutes, and season with salt. This can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.

Notes

  • Bourbon-Ancho Sauce makes 1½ cups.
  • A variation is to add apples and cream to the sauce. More of a French theme though