Sunday, February 13, 2011

Jala-Cherry-Berry BBQ Sauce

I like grilling pork tenderloins because they are easy to grill in a short time and mix well with a variety of flavor profiles.

Pork tenderloins are easy and quick to grill.  My basic process for grilling pork tenderloins is 18 minutes over a 350f (medium) fire, turning them three times.  I try to keep the skinny tapered end away from the hottest part of the fire.  I like to pull them off when they hit about 138-140f internal temp in the thickest part of the tenderloin.   Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to let the temp come up to 145f and the juices redistribute.  This produces a juicy and tender result consistently for me.


Pork tenderloins are flavor friendly and get along with almost any flavor profile, which makes them fun to experiment with.   You can use a variety of rubs, marinades, and finishing sauces.  Yesterday I wanted to try something new so I adapted the following BBQ sauce from Smoke & Spice.  I used a commercial BBQ rub (Billy Bones Original) for my dry rub.

A must have book for anyone serious about the art of BBQ.



Jala-Cherry Berry BBQ Sauce
Adapted from Jalapeach Barbecue Sauce in Smoke & Spice

1 cup Peterson Farms Cherry Berry Blend (dried cherries, blueberries, and cranberries)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup shallot, finely diced
1-2 serrano chilies, seeded and diced
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno slices, minced  (I used Hobo Howey's Jalapeno Treats)
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp  chutney (I used Hobo Howey's Pineapple/Jalapeno Chutney)
1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp McCormick's Roasted Cumin
1/2 cup simple syrup (1:1 sugar/water)

To make the simple syrup, bring 1/4 cup of water to a boil and add 1/4 cup of sugar, stirring until dissolved. 

Also, roasted cumin makes a difference.  If you don't have the McCormick's, toast your cumin in a saute pan over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring until it becomes fragrant as it releases it's oils.  

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Simmer for 25 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Blend the sauce in a blender or food processor until smooth.


There are a lot of sugars in this sauce so do not put it on until the last few minutes of grilling and keep a watchful eye on your meat.  It is also a nice finishing sauce.


We liked this sauce.  It went perfectly with the pork tenderloin and would also pair well with any roasted or grilled pork.  It is fruity with a kick.  It had a nice thick texture but if you like thinner, you could thin it out with more simple syrup.