Serve Some Pork Tacos Fresh From the Grill

Recently we highlighted Christy Kimball as she shared how she plans meals and gets them on the table for her family of four. Some of the meals that she plans are prepared by husband Drew who loves to get into the kitchen and bring his creativity to many recipes.

Just the opposite of Christy, who enjoys the security of following a good recipe, Drew prefers to come up with his own combination of spices and sauces to add a tasty flair to what he cooks. Everyone who eats what he prepares is happy with the results. 

Kimball commented that, “For me cooking is a way to show people that I care. It's like so often in the bible when people use food as a method of showing care. Jesus himself used food to show God's love (you know bread, fishes, wine, last supper, etc.), and since I'd love to be a bit more like him, I figure I'll cook you something nice.”

The pork tacos below feature a grilled pork tenderloin and are topped with coleslaw. This is a great weekend dish and perfect for a casual dinner for guests. 

Grilled Pork Tacos
ingredients:
for the pork:

• 1 Tb chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 2 Tb brown sugar
• 1 Tb salt
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 pork tenderloin

for the slaw:

• 1 poblano pepper
• 1 package coleslaw mix (from salad section of grocery store)
• ¼ cup vinegar
• dash of yellow mustard
• dash of lemon juice
• mayonnaise
• ¼ tsp salt
• pepper to taste

for the tacos:

• 1 package small flour tortillas
• any other toppings you feel like eating

prep:

Make a rub for the pork by mixing all the spices, salt, and olive oil in a small
bowl to make a wet paste.

Trim the pork tenderloin of the silver skin (that silvery looking strip of tendon on the pork.)

Put the pork and the spice paste together in a plastic bag and mush it around so the pork gets covered well. Refrigerate for at least a half hour.  

While the meat is marinating, core, seed and chop the poblano pepper into thin strips. If you want more heat, keep some of the seeds.  

Mix pepper strips with the coleslaw mix in a big bowl.  

In a small bowl stir together vinegar, mustard, and lemon juice then stir it into slaw mix. (You will add the mayo later.) Set aside.

When ready to cook the tenderloin, heat the grill to high using all the burners, or use a charcoal grill. Get grill very hot before placing meat on it.

Once the grill is hot, put the pork on the grill. Sear one side for about 4 minutes (with the lid closed) then flip it and sear the other side for about 4 minutes (again, close that lid).

Turn off one section of burners on your grill and move the pork tenderloin over to that section of the grill (for charcoal, move it to the side where you didn't put the coals).  

Cook the pork over the cooler side of the grill (indirect heat) until it reaches an internal temp of 145 degrees, no matter what the outside of the package says. It will continue to cook internally as it rests. It will take about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the tenderloin. 

Put the pork on a cutting board and cover it loosely with foil.  Let it rest for at least 5 minutes.

While the pork is resting, stir 3 Tbs of mayonnaise into the slaw mix. If you like warm tortillas, put a stack of them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and the microwave for about 30-45 sec. Or you can heat them on the grill. I’d go with the easy microwave method.

Slice the pork into thin medallions. Place a few medallions on a tortilla, top with a bit of slaw, and then throw on whatever other topping you feel like. I don’t think that cheese or sour cream is needed because of the slaw, but a little tomato is nice.

Editor's Note: Carol Frey is the author of two humorous cookbooks, "Have You Considered Cooking?" and "The Grits Shall Rise Again!"

You might also be interested in reading:

Asparagus Pasta: A Tasty Non-Meat Dish