Lemon Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Orzo Salad
The month of July means a lot of things: summer, fireworks, the pool, the beach and of course the grill. Yup, if you haven’t already, it’s time to dust off your grill and get cookin’! I just dusted off mine and I can’t wait to use it.
I love that it’s finally warm enough for me to use my grill and cook outside. Boy, do I love cooking outside. I love the process of setting up the charcoal and piling a bunch of cherry wood chips on top. I love the sizzle that comes when I lay a thick burger or steak on the hot grates. And that smell… well there’s just nothing better than the smell of something on the grill. If I’m walking down the street and smell someone barbecuing, I get excited and I immediately want burgers or steak or anything off the grill. This time I went with pork loin.
What I like about a pork loin is how many people it can feed. Depending on how much the loin weighs, it could feed a family of four or five… twice. But that’s not the only reason I love it, I also appreciate the way it holds the flavor of whatever it’s marinating in. This loin marinated in lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. Once I’d grilled it, dinner was an amazing piece of meat with a wonderful smoky, spicy tang.
But this loin isn’t just great for a family, it’s also ideal for a backyard potluck. See, not only does the loin feed a lot of people, I served it with an orzo salad filled with olives, tomatoes and fresh basil. Thanks to the tomatoes and olives, this orzo salad is just as filling as the pork loin. You could even have it as a meal all by itself. But if you put the two together, you get a dish that goes much farther and serves a lot more people. And there’s nothing better then more people socializing around the grill… especially in the middle of summer.
Notes
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (1 pound) pork loins
- 1-1/2 cups orzo
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1/2 cup olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl. Pour half into a ziplock bag. Add the 2 pork loins and chill for 2 - 4 hours.
- While the loins marinate, preheat a grill to 350 degrees F.
- While the grill heats up, boil 3 quarts of water and a tablespoon of salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and place into a large bowl. Toss with the tomatoes, olives, basil and remaining marinade and set aside.
- Remove the loins from the marinade and slice into 1-inch medallions. Grill over the hot fire until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a platter and serve with the orzo salad.
