Chile-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze

Another hit from Mels Kitchen Cafe. Super tender pork loin with a sweet, spiced glaze. This was full of flavor and made our Sunday dinner most enjoyable! The pork was almost too tender (is that even possible?!) for my tastes and I wondered how this would work with pork chops. The answer I'm pretty sure is: wonderfully. If you try that route just rub the spice mixture onto both sides of the chop, let marinate, then give them a quick sear in olive oil on the stove and pop them in the oven to finish cooking. Be sure to both baste them with the glaze and serve remaining sauce along side them just as you would the tenderloin. Delish!

Chile-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze

{Recipe Source: Mels Kitchen Cafe}

2 1 lb pork tenderloins (or chops, see above)

Spice Rub:

1 T chili powder

1 T garlic powder

1/2 T sugar

1 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups apricot jam

1/2 cup barbeque sauce

1 t grated fresh ginger

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

2 small limes, juiced

optional: chopped fresh cilantro, about 2 T

Rinse and trim excess fat from tenderloins. Combine spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. Generously rub all sides of tenderloins with spices and then cover and refrigerate for 2-24 hours.

Prior to roasting, combine the glaze ingredients minus lime juice and optional cilantro in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and warm just till the mixture starts to bubble. Remove from heat, add lime juice and cilantro and reserve half for basting and half for serving.

Roasting method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the tenderloins in a 9x13 dish lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes. Brush generously with glaze. Bake 15 more minutes and again brush with glaze. Bake an additional 10 minutes* or until the pork reaches 160 degrees internally. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let rest 3 minutes before slicing on a slight diagonal. Serve hot with reserved glaze alongside.

*I used a meat thermometer and the time noted and found it to be pretty much spot on, maybe just a few minutes longer needed. So if you don't have an internal thermometer never fear it will be cooked perfectly, plus it continues to cook during the resting period.