Peppercorn-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Soy-Caramel Sauce

The crushed peppercorns that coat the pork provide taste and texture counterpoints to the smooth, semisweet sauce. When adding the soy mixture to the caramelized sugar, be careful of steam that may rise from the pan.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 slices pork and 2 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/4  cup  minced white onion
• 1  teaspoon  grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  cup  water
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1/4  cup  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  Dijon mustard
• 2  tablespoons  butter
• 2  (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
• 1  tablespoon  black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt

Preparation

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add water and sugar; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat; carefully stir in soy sauce, vinegar, and mustard. Add butter, stirring with a whisk. Set aside; keep warm.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Rub tenderloins evenly with crushed peppercorns, thyme, and salt. Heat a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add tenderloins, browning on all sides (about 5 minutes). Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160° (slightly pink); let stand 10 minutes. Cut each tenderloin into 12 slices; serve with sauce.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

227 (28% from fat)

Fat:

7g (sat 2.8g,mono 3g,poly 0.6g)

Protein:

24.5g

Carbohydrate:

15.3g

Fiber:

0.4g

Cholesterol:

81mg

Iron:

1.7mg

Sodium:

441mg

Calcium:

16mg