Jamaican Jerk Pork Tenderloin

Jamaican Jerk Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Sambal chili paste
1 tablespoon dried thyme flakes
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup diced yellow onion – scallions (green onions) may also be used
1 whole pork tenderloin, cut into ½-inch thick cutlets and pounded to ¼-inch thickness (Scaloppine style)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients (except the pork) and mix thoroughly. Place the cutlets in a large baking dish and coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight if possible.

When ready to cook, use a grill or stove-top grill pan and cook over medium heat on both sides until cooked all the way through, approx. 5 minutes on each side. (If you don’t have a grill pan, sauté in a little olive oil for 5 min. each side.)

Transfer the cutlets to a serving platter and top with a generous helping of Pineapple Salsa.

How to make Scaloppine:

Scaloppine:  sautéed cutlets (usually veal, pork or poultry) that have been pounded thin and coated with flour.

  • Chicken: Cut the boneless, split chicken breast in half and pound it to approx.1/4-inch thickness.
  • Pork: Cut tenderloin into 4-5 oz. pieces and pound to approx.1/4-inch thickness.
  • Veal: Cut top round into 4-5 oz. pieces and pound to approx. 1/4-inch thickness or even thinner.

With your meat tenderizer (meat mallet), place the cutlets between plastic wrap and use the flat side of the mallet to pound the meat, turning cutlet from one side to the other, until you reach the desired thickness.  This process will ensure that your meat is not only tender but will cook as quickly as possible.