BBQ Tips, Tricks and Recipes

PORK:

2 lb pork tenderloin sliced into 8 equal medallions (tie around each one with butcher’s twine to hold shape)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 carrots diced

1 large yellow onion diced
4 garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped

4 fresh basil leaves chopped

1/4 cup merlot wine

35oz can peeled plum tomatoes squeezed and well drained

4 cups beef stock

1 tbsp ‘Gravy Master’

1 box frozen baby peas

Heat a 7 quart Dutch oven on medium/high and coat the bottom with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.  Season pork with salt and pepper, then brown the medallions thoroughly on both sides.  Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil.  Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil to the pot, reduce heat to medium and sweat the onions, carrots, garlic and fresh herbs until carrots are tender and onions are translucent (about 20 minutes).  Deglaze with merlot wine.  When wine is almost completely evaporated, add tomatoes, increase heat to medium/high and sauté vegetables for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add beef stock and Gravy Master and return pork to the pot along with any juice that has collected in the dish.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 3½ hours.  With about 20 minutes to go, pour in the frozen peas.

CHEESY FARINA:

1 cup farina

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 lb lightly salted butter (1 stick)

4 cups water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

About 15 minutes before meal time, in a medium stock pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and stir in the farina.  Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After the farina thickens, lower heat and add cheese, butter, salt, pepper and cayenne and cook for 5 more minutes on low.

SAUCE:

3 cups of the juice from the Dutch oven (strained)

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

Water

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

About 5 minutes before meal time, strain about 3 cups of the water from the Dutch oven into a sauce pan.    Bring the juice to a slow boil, and stir in a slurry of cornstarch and water.  Reduce to a simmer and stir continuously until sauce reaches desired consistency.  Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

TO PLATE:

Cover bottom of 4 plates with the farina.  Use a slotted spoon and heap some vegetables from the Dutch oven in the center of each plate.  Arrange 2 pork medallions on top of the vegetables (don’t forget to remove the twine).  Lean the second medallion on the first to create some height. Spoon on the sauce, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

SERVES 4

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