Coffee and Molasses Brined Pork Tenderloin with Baby Carrot Hobo Pack

I bought a package of already cleaned baby carrots yesterday. It feels like I am cheating, buying them already cleaned but....

I can never find 'real' baby carrots in any markets near me. They all carry the formed ones from large carrots, so when I saw a package of cleaned baby carrots, I snatched them as fast as I could.

I usually cook my carrots in onions and butter until they caramelize, so when I saw this recipe from Martha, it was a no-brainer for dinner tonight. The fact that it is cooked on the grill sealed the deal.

Baby Carrot Hobo Pack
adapted from marthastewart.com
Serves 4
Ingredients
* 8 ounces baby carrots, halved lengthwise if thick
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions
1. Place carrots and butter on a sheet of parchment-lined foil, and season with salt and pepper. Fold and crimp edges to seal. Cook pack set over a campfire or on a medium-high grill (or nestled near coals) until carrots are tender, about 18 minutes.



Coffee and Molasses-Brined Pork Tenderloin
Adapted from MyRecipes.com
Serves 4

Ingredients
* 2 cups water
* 1 1/2 cups chilled strong brewed coffee
* 1/4 cup kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
* 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons molasses
* 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
* 1 cup ice cubes
* 3/4 to 1 pound pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
* 1 cup hickory wood chips
* 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
* 8 teaspoons Pepper-Garlic Spice Rub (recipe below)
* Cooking spray

Preparation

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour salt mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add ice and pork; seal. Refrigerate for 3 hours, turning the bag occasionally.
Soak wood chips in water 1 hour. Drain well.
Prepare grill for indirect grilling, heating one side to medium-high and leaving one side with no heat.
Place wood chips on hot coals. Remove pork from bag; discard brine. Pat pork dry with paper towels. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt over pork. Rub 8 teaspoons Pepper-Garlic Spice Rub evenly over both sides of pork. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat; grill 2 minutes on each side. Place pork on unheated side of grill; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Pepper-Garlic Spice Rub
makes about 1/2 cup (serving size: 1 teaspoon)

Ingredients
* 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 tablespoon garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1 teaspoon ground red pepper

Combine all ingredients.

The meat was moist, flavorful and extremely tender, and tenderloin is VERY tender without a brine. If you have problems cooking meat correctly, this brined pork is for you. I doubt I could have overcooked this. Would be a really good technique on chops also.

As for the carrots....The Nudge looked at me and said "so this is what a carrot really tastes like."

Make this soon, you will not be sorry.

Best part of this meal? Not one thing was cooked in my kitchen, I did not have to chop or mince anything and there were no pots and pans to clean....

YAY for me!!!!