Summer is in full swing.  Kids are off school and, I am in the midst of a marathon of kids’ activities.  In a prefect world, summer should be a synonym of lolling, less rushed morning, refreshing cocktails and fun get-togethers.  

However, keeping the kids stimulated and engaged with artistic and physical activities comes at a cost; running all day left and right.  No complaints though.  Watching the kids fulfilled and learning new skills, away from addictive screen time, is priceless and pays off day after day.

This crammed summer schedule mandates good planning when it comes to cooking, eating healthy and food blogging.  The three goals that I set for myself this summer are: First, no home meal prep should exceed 20 minutes; second, our diet should consist of low carb meals (that are either broiled or grilled), fresh salads, and a lot of infused water; third, I should keep blogging, even on the busiest days.  It is necessary to offset the morning stress and recharge for another hectic day.  Keeping such a creative space for myself has been a wonderful advice from a seasoned mom of five kids.  “Take care of yourself so you can take care of your family” she told me once.

Barbecue pork tenderloin is a perfect white meat cut that meets my seasonal criterion.  It takes no more than five minutes to spread the rub over it, and another fifteen minutes to grill it.  Pork tenderloin is a juicy and tender meat cut that does cook with a snap.

I like to serve this dish with a colorful three-bean salad in pungent, zesty vinaigrette, which I usually prepare while the tenderloin is on the grill.

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Barbecue Pork Tenderloin

 

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 pieces of pork tenderloin (1/2 lbs each)
• 2 tablespoons barbecue rub (recipe follows)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• The juice of one lime

 

The Barbecue Rub 

• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon dried Majoram or oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon cayenne
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar

DIRECTIONS 

1. Rinse the pork under cold water, pat dry with paper towel and set aside.
2. Brush the tenderloin with olive oil and spread the rub all over.
3. Fire up the grill, set an indirect heat and place a disposable aluminium pan underneath the griddle to catch the pork’s dripping.
4. When the grill (either gas or charcoal) is all set, place the pork on the direct heat first to sear it on both sides.  Once you acheived that, move the pork to the side of indirect heat  Cover the grill.  Wait for 5 to 7 minutes to flip the tenderloin on the other side.
5. When the internal thermometer of the meat reaches 145°,  remove the pork, cover it with tented foil and let it rest for few minutes.
6. Slice the pork and serve it hot,  garnished with lime wedges and fresh cilantro.