Pork Tenderloin with Satay Sauce

Twenty years ago, cooking Thai-inspired food was quite novel and maybe even daring.

When I tasted this back then, I couldn’t believe it how different it was. Peanut butter and honey and lime juice? And what’s hoisin sauce? Never heard of it. It required a trip to exotic Chinatown for the ingredients, whereas now it’s easy to walk into a grocery store and pick up sesame oil, hoisin sauce or chili paste.

Some ingredients:

Minced garlic, chili paste and minced ginger.

Parsley.

Hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Lime and orange for juice.

To serve with the pork:

Yellow and red pepper, for a quick stir fry to go with.

Marinating:

Pork tenderloin, marinating.

Served:

Pork tenderloin with satay sauce, served with rice and stir-fried peppers.

From The Canadian Living Entertaining Cookbook, published in 1990.
Here’s the recipe:

Pork Tenderloin with Satay Sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander or parsley
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup peanut butter (I use almond butter)
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
1 Tbsp chopped gingerroot
1 tsp hot Oriental chili paste
1 tsp sesame oil
3 lb pork tenderloin
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup orange juice

In large bowl, mix together garlic, coriander, honey, peanut butter, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice concentrate, ginger, chili paste and sesame oil until smooth. Add pork; turn to coat well with marinade. Cover and marinate for 2 to 3 hours in refrigerator.

Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade; place on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in 350°F oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until juices run clear when meat is pierced with skewer and pork is no longer pink inside.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine reserved marinade with chicken stock and orange juice. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens slightly. Drizzle over pork. Makes 8 servings.