Recipe

Cured pork tenderloin with cider-braised cabbage

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This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Pork with Cider
Chef
adoozy's Notes: I always felt meh about pork tenderloin because it seemed like such an anemic, pale piece of an animal that is anything but. However, this cure for the pork is simple and transformative...
I always felt meh about pork tenderloin because it seemed like such an anemic, pale piece of an animal that is anything but. However, this cure for the pork is simple and transformative, and the cabbage is saucy enough to moisten the whole dish. Be aware that the pork is cured for 4 days before being cooked. If I want it extra salty (perhaps to be sliced and served on toasts with chutney, as an appetizer), sometimes I'll cure it for up to 6.

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Serves 5-6

For the pork (4 days in advance):

2 pounds pork tenderloin (probably 2 tenderloins) Ask a question about this ingredient

5 bay leaves, crumbled Ask a question about this ingredient

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon juniper berries, smushed with the side of a chef's knife Ask a question about this ingredient

2 tablespoons black peppercorns, smushed like the juniper Ask a question about this ingredient

5 cups water Ask a question about this ingredient

6 tablespoons sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

4 tablespoons kosher salt Ask a question about this ingredient

For the cabbage:

2 ounces butter Ask a question about this ingredient

1 large yellow onion, sliced thin Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon cumin Ask a question about this ingredient

2.5 cups hard cider Ask a question about this ingredient

2 heads green, napa or savoy cabbage Ask a question about this ingredient

2 tablespoons salt Ask a question about this ingredient

black pepper, to taste Ask a question about this ingredient

Bring 2 cups of water with bay leaf, juniper berry and crushed red pepper to boil in a large saucepan.
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When it boils, turn off heat, cover and steep for 20 minutes.
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Add sugar and salt, stir to dissolve and add the remaining 3 cups of water.
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Put the tenderloins in a container just large enough to hold the liquid and the meat, and pour the brine over to cover. Refrigerate for 4 days.
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For the cabbage, melt the butter in a stockpot over medium-high heat. When it starts to bubble and brown a little bit, add the onion and cumin and cook til well browned.
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Add the cider, stir together, bring to a gentle boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes or so to reduce the liquid.
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Add the cabbage, put a lid on the pot and wilt it, turning with tongs every few minutes. Cook til the volume is reduced by half
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Season with salt and pepper, adjusting as necessary.
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Remove the pork from the fridge about an hour before cooking, dry with a clean towel and rub all over with oil. Preheat the oven to 450˚.
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Heat a large cast-iron pan over high heat and cook the tenderloins til browned on three sides. When you get to the fourth side, put the pan in the oven and cook until an instant read thermometer inserted into the fattest part of the meat reaches 140˚ for a medium,
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Wrap the meat in foil and rest for 10 minutes, then slice and plate with the warm cabbage and its sauciness on top. Not a terribly pretty plate, but dang it tastes good.
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