I took this recipe from The Barbecue! Bible pgs. 182-183
Traditional Jamaican jerk would be made with a whole pig, boned and spread open like a book, marinated with fiery jerk seasoning, and smoke grilled over smoldering allspice wood. Here's a home version that can be made with pork tenderloin. To achieve the right flavor, you must use Scotch bonnet chilies or their Mexican cousins, Habanero peppers. If you can't find either [Yea right, this is a chili pepper forum!], use fresh jalapeno peppers and a few tablespoons of a Scotch bonnet-based hot sauce, like Busha Browne's Pukka Sauce, Matouk's Hot Pepper Sauce, or Coyote Cocina Howlin' Hot Sauce. If you have sensitive skin, wear rubber gloves when handling Scotch Bonnets. I've suggested a range of chilies: tender tongues should start with two to four; fiery food buffs can use the full amount.
Serves 4 - 6 people.
Advance Preparation
At least 4 hours for marinating the meat
Special Equipment
2 cups hickory or oak chips or chunks, soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover and drained
Ingredients
2 pounds pork tenderloin (you can use 3 to 4 tenderloins)
2 to 16 Scotch bonnet chilies, seeded (for hotter jerk, leave the seeds/placenta in)
2 bunches scallions (green onions), both white and green parts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 medium sized onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 piece (1 inch) peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced (I usually just substitute 1 to 2 TBSP's of grated ginger if I don't have fresh)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 TBSP fresh thyme, or 2 TBSP's dried thyme
2 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (I used dried powdered)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3 TBSP's soy sauce
3 TBSP's coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 TBSP light brown sugar
2 TBSP's vegetable oil, plus 1 to 2 TBSP's vegetable oil for basting
--------------------
1. Using the tip of a paring knife, make holes 1/4 inch deep all over each pork tenderloin. Place the tenderloins in a large nonreactive baking dish and set aside while you prepare the seasoning.
2. Combine the Scotch bonnets, scallions, onion, ginger, and garlic in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the thyme, allspice, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, brown sugar, and the 2 TBSP's of oil and process to a smooth puree. Or puree all of these ingredients in a blender.
3. Using a rubber spatula, spread the seasoning mixture over the tenderloins, stuffing it into the holes . Let the tenderloins marinate in the refrigerator, covered for a least 4 hours, or as long as overnight, turning the meat several times.
4. Set up the grill for direct grilling. If using a gas grill, place the wood chips in a smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when the smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.
If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium.
5. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the pork tenderloins on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs and brushing occasionally with oil, until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through, 8 - 10 minutes a side. When not turning the meat, keep the grill covered to hold in the smoke.
Alternatively, you can also use a spit and cook the tenderloins on a rotisserie. I bought a whole tenderloin and cut it into 2 lbs pieces. I then basted the pork with the extra marinade throughout cooking. Cook to an internal temperature of 130F - 135F or until desired doneness and remove from grill. It will continue to raise in temperature to 140-145F as it rests under tinfoil.
6. Transfer the pork to a cutting board cover with tinfoil and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut it into thin diagonal slices and serve with your choice of sides.
-----------------
Pics!
Before resting
Nice and juicy!
-------------------
Sammiches for the next day.
For the veggie topping:
1 red bell pepper cut lengthwise into 1/4" strips
1 yellow bell pepper cut lengthwise into 1/4" strips
1 small onion sliced thin - lengthwise
1-2 TBSP olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
-------------
Preheat large skillet to medium high and add the olive oil. Put all the veggies in the pan and fry for approximately 5 minutes stirring occasionally. You want them to be a just a little bit burned on the edges. Remove from pan to prevent any further cooking.
For the Garlic bread:
Buns or hoagies of your choice (I used Persian buns)
1 TBSP fresh minced garlic
1/4 cup butter - softened
2 TBSP's fresh chopped parsley
---------------
Mix the butter, garlic and parsley together in a bowl or cup. Slice the buns in half lengthwise and spread the garlic mixture all over the bread.
Put the two halves together an wrap the bread in foil. Place on heating rack and heat for 4 minutes per side to crisp them up. Leave on the heating rack for longer if you want them crispier.
Reheat the Jerk Pork from the previous night (or use fresh) and slice into thin strips and arrange on the garlic bread in a criss-cross pattern. Put on some cheese if desired then pile on the veggies.
------------
Jerk Pork Tenderloin Sammich on Toasted Garlic bread
Traditional Jamaican jerk would be made with a whole pig, boned and spread open like a book, marinated with fiery jerk seasoning, and smoke grilled over smoldering allspice wood. Here's a home version that can be made with pork tenderloin. To achieve the right flavor, you must use Scotch bonnet chilies or their Mexican cousins, Habanero peppers. If you can't find either [Yea right, this is a chili pepper forum!], use fresh jalapeno peppers and a few tablespoons of a Scotch bonnet-based hot sauce, like Busha Browne's Pukka Sauce, Matouk's Hot Pepper Sauce, or Coyote Cocina Howlin' Hot Sauce. If you have sensitive skin, wear rubber gloves when handling Scotch Bonnets. I've suggested a range of chilies: tender tongues should start with two to four; fiery food buffs can use the full amount.
Serves 4 - 6 people.
Advance Preparation
At least 4 hours for marinating the meat
Special Equipment
2 cups hickory or oak chips or chunks, soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover and drained
Ingredients
2 pounds pork tenderloin (you can use 3 to 4 tenderloins)
2 to 16 Scotch bonnet chilies, seeded (for hotter jerk, leave the seeds/placenta in)
2 bunches scallions (green onions), both white and green parts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 medium sized onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 piece (1 inch) peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced (I usually just substitute 1 to 2 TBSP's of grated ginger if I don't have fresh)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 TBSP fresh thyme, or 2 TBSP's dried thyme
2 1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (I used dried powdered)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3 TBSP's soy sauce
3 TBSP's coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 TBSP light brown sugar
2 TBSP's vegetable oil, plus 1 to 2 TBSP's vegetable oil for basting
--------------------
1. Using the tip of a paring knife, make holes 1/4 inch deep all over each pork tenderloin. Place the tenderloins in a large nonreactive baking dish and set aside while you prepare the seasoning.
2. Combine the Scotch bonnets, scallions, onion, ginger, and garlic in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the thyme, allspice, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, vinegar, soy sauce, salt, brown sugar, and the 2 TBSP's of oil and process to a smooth puree. Or puree all of these ingredients in a blender.
3. Using a rubber spatula, spread the seasoning mixture over the tenderloins, stuffing it into the holes . Let the tenderloins marinate in the refrigerator, covered for a least 4 hours, or as long as overnight, turning the meat several times.
4. Set up the grill for direct grilling. If using a gas grill, place the wood chips in a smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when the smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.
If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium.
5. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the pork tenderloins on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs and brushing occasionally with oil, until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through, 8 - 10 minutes a side. When not turning the meat, keep the grill covered to hold in the smoke.
Alternatively, you can also use a spit and cook the tenderloins on a rotisserie. I bought a whole tenderloin and cut it into 2 lbs pieces. I then basted the pork with the extra marinade throughout cooking. Cook to an internal temperature of 130F - 135F or until desired doneness and remove from grill. It will continue to raise in temperature to 140-145F as it rests under tinfoil.
6. Transfer the pork to a cutting board cover with tinfoil and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut it into thin diagonal slices and serve with your choice of sides.
-----------------
Pics!
Before resting
Nice and juicy!
-------------------
Sammiches for the next day.
For the veggie topping:
1 red bell pepper cut lengthwise into 1/4" strips
1 yellow bell pepper cut lengthwise into 1/4" strips
1 small onion sliced thin - lengthwise
1-2 TBSP olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
-------------
Preheat large skillet to medium high and add the olive oil. Put all the veggies in the pan and fry for approximately 5 minutes stirring occasionally. You want them to be a just a little bit burned on the edges. Remove from pan to prevent any further cooking.
For the Garlic bread:
Buns or hoagies of your choice (I used Persian buns)
1 TBSP fresh minced garlic
1/4 cup butter - softened
2 TBSP's fresh chopped parsley
---------------
Mix the butter, garlic and parsley together in a bowl or cup. Slice the buns in half lengthwise and spread the garlic mixture all over the bread.
Put the two halves together an wrap the bread in foil. Place on heating rack and heat for 4 minutes per side to crisp them up. Leave on the heating rack for longer if you want them crispier.
Reheat the Jerk Pork from the previous night (or use fresh) and slice into thin strips and arrange on the garlic bread in a criss-cross pattern. Put on some cheese if desired then pile on the veggies.
------------
Jerk Pork Tenderloin Sammich on Toasted Garlic bread
. Sure the sammiches turned out pretty good, but it's just not the same. I also used a meat slicer to cut up the pork into thinner slices. I can't wait until summer rolls around and I can harvest my own peppers. Got's me some Faria Toboggo's on the go as we speak.
