1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tbsps honey
2 tbsps rice wine vinegar (plain rice vinegar is good, too)
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsps chopped fresh ginger (or 1 tbsp ginger oil)
1/4 cup chopped green onions or scallions
1/4 cup chopped red onion (about 1 good slice of large onion)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaf
2 tbsps five-spice powder
2 tbsps chopped garlic
1 tsp to 1 tbsp crushed red pepper, per your taste
2 pork tenderloins (about 2.5 pounds total)
Marinade:
Combine all the ingredients except the tenderloins in a food processor and puree them. Several good pulses should do the trick. Put the tenderloins in a large Ziploc-type bag and pour in the marinade. Seal bag and refrig for 3 hrs (overnight is better still).
Prep:
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Heat a large nonstick skillet (ceramic works best, btw). When the skillet is fully hot, add the tenderloins and sear each side about 1 minute. Pour remainder of marinade over the tenderloins, insert skillet into oven. Cook for 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the end of a tenderloin part reads 140 F.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Note: test each tenderloin separately: if they're different sizes, even 4-6 oz difference, guess what, they'll cook at different rates.
Alternately, you could heat a grill to medium-hot. Grill the tenderloins, turning several times, for 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 140 degrees F. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
Slice tenderloins on a bias, 1/4'' to 3/16''thick and serve on rounds of rye bread. If there's any marinade left, it makes a tasty dip (or you could make more, leaving out the red pepper). A dipping sauce of not-too-hot Chinese-style mustard is also excellent with this.
Note on red peppers and marinades: the longer you marinate, the more 'heat' is accepted by the pork. Therefore, a full tbsp of red pepper marinated overnight might come out a bit too spicy for you. If this is a concern (it isn't with me), use less red pepper or reduce marinating time.
Note on pork and temperature: first, the tenderloins will keep cooking a bit after being removed from heat. Second, anyone who follows the USDA diktat about 165 F will wind up with VERY overcooked and very dry pork tenderloin. By removing at 140 F, you will have lightly pink and very juicy tenderloin.
These are A-1, believe me; they'll absolutely vanish ... unless, of course, you and friends happen to be orthodox... ;^).
Buon appetito!
Note on pork and temperature: first, the tenderloins will keep cooking a bit after being removed from heat. Second, anyone who follows the USDA diktat about 165 F will wind up with VERY overcooked and very dry pork tenderloin. By removing at 140 F, you will have lightly pink and very juicy tenderloin.
If you leave the thermometer in the meat and let it sit after you take it out of the oven, you'll find that the temp inside the meat will reach 165F in about ten minutes.
Perfectly hot and juicy, and the built-in alarm that alerts the Socialism...er, ...Nibsh!t...uh, er, ...I mean Science in the Public Interest crazies will never sound!