Pork tenderloin is incredibly lean: A cooked 3-ounce serving only has 3 grams of fat. Keep it heart-healthy with a virtually fat-free rub made from cocoa powder, ground ancho and chipotle pepper, garlic powder, paprika, plus a little Mexican oregano and cinnamon for flavor depth. Except for the salt, absolutely every ingredient in this rub is filled with powerful antioxidants. Pork stays moist and flavorful by cooking only to 145 F with a 3-minute rest period. According to new guidelines issued by the USDA, meat is perfectly safe at this temperature. Use a thermometer for accurate cooking.
Makes about 8 4-ounce servings.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ancho chili pepper
1 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground Saigon cinnamon
1 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 pork tenderloins (2 to 2 1/4 pounds total)
Directions
1. Grease or oil grill grates and heat grill to medium-high.
2. Mix cocoa powder, spices, herbs and salt in a small bowl. Whisk until completely blended.
3. Rub all of the cocoa-chili mixture over tenderloins, completely coating and pressing mixture into tenderloin thoroughly.
4. Grill pork to 145 F, checking temperature frequently after 10 minutes to avoid overcooking. Once pork reaches 145 F, remove to platter and let rest 3 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition information (per serving)
180 calories
30 g protein
3.5 g carbohydrates
4 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
82 mg cholesterol
380 mg sodium
539 mg potassium
16 mg calcium
1.8 mg iron
442 IU vitamin A
0.5 mg vitamin C
1 g fiber
