Asian Inspired Pork Tenderloin - Sous Vide Technique

This recipe from chef Gregory Gourdet is inspired by the Chinese take out for char siu pork, which is basically tender pork with a sweet hoisin-based sauce. Here the sauce is used for both a marinade during the cooking and also as the serving sauce.



Nothing is more simple to cook than a pork tenderloin, but you do have to be careful not to overcook. So that's why today I've chosen the sous vide technique, as it will render the pork to the perfect level of doneness and it will hold there until I'm ready to finish it. Today it will be finished on the cooktop in a skillet but you can also do this on the grill. The meat chars easily from cooking in the sweet sauce.

I've converted the chef's original recipe into more common measures to make it easier for the home cook.

Ingredients
1/2 Cup honey 
1 Teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 Teaspoon smoked paprika 
1 Teaspoon white pepper 
3 Tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
1 1/2 Teaspoons sesame oil 
1/2 Cup plus 2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
2 1/2 Tablespoons molasses
5 Large garlic cloves, minced
1 Pork tenderloin, whole
1 Tablespoon canola oil
Cooked rice for serving

Instructions
Set up your sous vide equipment and set the water temperature to 140F degrees and let it pre-heat while you prepare the sauce.

In a mixing bowl combine all of the above ingredients except for the tenderloin. Cut the tenderloin in half and place in a plastic bag suitable for the sous vide water bath. Pour two-thirds of the sauce into the bag coating the pork tenderloin all over. Seal the bag, removing the air so it does not float in the hot water. Submerge the bagged tenderloin into the pre-heated water and cook for 90 minutes. It may be held here for an additional 60 minutes if needed, as the sous vide will not overcook the meat. 

While the tenderloin cooks, place the remaining sauce into a small pan or butter warmer. About 10 minutes before you are ready to finish the tenderloin, turn the heat to low and cook the sauce to help the flavors combine. When the tenderloin is done, remove it from the bag to a cutting board covered with two layers of paper towels. Pour half the sauce from the bag into the reserved sauce on your cooktop, and heat to just boiling. Let the sauce cook, stirring occasionally to reduce and thicken. Discard the remaining sauce from the bag.

While the sauce cooks, use additional paper towels to dry the pork on all sides. Heat a cast iron or standard skillet (do not use a non-stick skillet) on your cooktop until hot. Add a tablespoon of canola oil and swirl to coat. When oil is just starting to smoke, add the dry tenderloin and char on all sides. This will take only a minute or two total, because of the sweet marinade. Remove the charred pork to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Cut the pork into medallions as shown, place atop cooked rice, and spoon the sauce over each serving.  Serve immediately.


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