Recipe: Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Orange-Chile Glaze

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Orange-Chile Glaze

One 4- to 5-pound center-cut pork loin (see Note)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Orange Chile Glaze
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 2 oranges (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped serrano or poblano chile
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the pork loin on a rack in a shallow roasting pan and sprinkle lightly with salt and generously with pepper. Roast for 1 hour.

To prepare the glaze, in a saucepan, combine the chili powder, cumin, coriander and cinnamon and toast over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices begin to smoke and become fragrant. Immediately remove from the heat.

Add the orange juice, vinegar, chiles, sugar and molasses, stir well and return to the heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.

Remove the roast from the oven and spoon the pan drippings over the meat. Brush the glaze generously over the pork. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the pork and roast for 45 to 60 minutes longer, basting with the glaze, until the thermometer registers 160 degrees F. Let the meat rest for 15 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve hot.

Note: Ask the butcher to trim the loin and tie it with butcher twine.

Yield: 6 servings