Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: TF
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15-20 min.
Cook Time: 15-20 min.
Difficulty: 1

See what I did with the name there? Gold Medal, medallions? Cute right? Seriously though these tenderloin medallions would win gold medals at a tenderloin cook off! That is how sure I am of this recipe. If you love pork and you hate these then I know I should just hang up my cooking apron! This is now the third iteration of this recipe. I've been slightly tweaking it each time and it just keeps getting better. This time the biggest change I made to this recipe was removing the lemon pulp I used in the sauce, it really freed up room for the other flavors to get a chance in the spotlight. The best change to this recipe came when we were at my grandparents and my Grandfather asked me, "Do you want me to throw some Mesquite chips on the coals?" I am so glad I said, "Lets try it," because Oh Boy! Did those two changes give this meal the extra shove into cooking perfection it needed! I am still thinking about switching out the water in the sauce with either some chicken or beef stock to see how that plays with the flavor.

Ingredients:
Tenderloin
1 2 lb pork tenderloin
mesquite BBQ chips

Rub
1 tbsp Jack Daniel's Honey Dijon (I've also mixed 1 tsp honey with 2 tsp Dijon mustard)
1 tsp essence
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fresh crack pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Sauce
3 tbsp sweet European butter
2 tbsp green onion
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp Jack Daniels honey Dijon mustard
2 tsp fresh Italian parsley (diced)
2 pinches of lemon pepper
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp fresh lemon zest

Preheat grill to medium high heat and add mesquite chips to coals or smoker box.

Rub
Stir together rub in small bowl using a spoon. Slice tenderloin into 8-10 even rounds and pound with a meat hammer till you have 1-4-1/2 inch thick medallions. Rub about 1/4 tsp of rub into each of the tenderloin medallions and then let sit for 5-10 minutes (refrigerate over night for an even better flavor.)

Sauce
While tenderloins are marinating in rub, melt butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add green onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes. Whisk in water and mustard then cook down till about 1/2 of original volume. Whisk in lemon juice, parsley, lemon pepper and salt, cook for 2-3 minutes and then turn heat down to low. Keep sauce warm.

Tenderloin
Place medallions on lower grill grate and sear for 1 minute. Flip medallions and sear the opposite sides for an additional 1 minute. Move medallions to medium grate and cook 4-5 minutes. Flip all medallions and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until done. (If medallions are looking dry do not be afraid to drizzle them with a little bit of the sauce to moisten them up.)

Remove medallions from grill and let set for 5 minutes. Serve 2-3 medallions per plate lying them angled onto one another. Drizzle sauce over them and top with a parsley garnish.