Grilled pork tenderloin with cherry salsa

This grilled pork with cherry salsa is one that I have made before and with great success. The flavors of this dish are so perfect that I wanted to share this recipe for you today. 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Salsa

Recipe from epicurious.com

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1/2 cup minced shallots, divided

6 tbsp fresh lime juice, divided

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 pork tenderloins, about 2 1/2 lbs total

1/2 lb fresh cherries, stemmed, pitted, or halved

1 fresh Fresno chile, red jalapeno, or Holland chile, thinly sliced crosswise

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Combine 1/2 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup minced shallots, 4 tbsp lime juice, and vegetable oil in a resealable plastic bag. Add pork; seal bag and turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes, turning occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/2 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup shallots, 2 tbsp lime juice, cherries, chile, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Season salsa lightly with salt and pepper and set aside to let flavors to meld.
3. Remove tenderloins from marinade and season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Grill tenderloins, turning frequently, until a thermometer inserted into meat registers 145 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. Cut into thin slices and serve with salsa. 

Nutritional Analysis:
per serving: 425.5 calories, 26.1g fat (8.6g saturated, 2.8g polyunsaturated, 12.3g monounsaturated), 8g carbohydrates, 0.9g fiber, 38g protein

**Helpful tips and common mistakes

The first time I made this pork I followed the recipe exactly, this time I made some changes that I think made the pork even better. 

First off, to be healthier, I used pork loin instead of tenderloin, which is a lean cut of meat. Because the loins I had were very thick and large, I roasted it. Grilling would not have cooked the pork well-done, which is the desired degree of doneness for the people I serve. Both sides of the pork were heavily seasoned with salt and pepper along with minced garlic. Since it was going to be roasted, I poured the marinade over the chicken and cooked it directly in the marinade. 

Roast the pork at 375 degrees F for 1 hour or until the internal temperature reads 160 degrees. 

Let the pork rest for 15 minutes before slicing. I love how the herbs and shallots formed a crust on the pork; the part of the pork with the crust is so full of flavor!

Now for the salsa, I kept everything relatively the same except jalapeno was used instead of fresno and was diced, not sliced. If you find your salsa to be too tart, add more salt to balance it out. A cherry pitter really comes in handy when making this salsa. 

The pork and salsa on its own are tasty but together? Fantastic! The salsa is a little tart, slightly spicy and sweet all at once while the pork is juicy, moist, and well seasoned. Someone noted that it looked like a Thanksgiving meal, but I would have this meal any time of the year.