Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri
printable recipe
2-3lb pork tenderloin (2 small-med pork loins)
1 1/2 C chopped parsley
1 1/2 C chopped cilantro
1/2 C loosely packed oregano leaves*
2 T fresh lime juice
1 T red wine vinegar
3 T chopped garlic (6-7 cloves)
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 t kosher salt
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
*Fresh is best, but if you don't have access to fresh oregano, you could use fresh cilantro and parsley and add in 1 Tbs plus 1 tea dried oregano leaves.
Everyone has their preference as to what herb mixture to use in chimichurri. The ultimate combo for me is equal parts cilantro and flat leaf parsley and a little oregano but you could certainly mix that up depending on what you've got around.
We get a lot of questions about the right way to cut herbs. With soft stemmed herbs like cilantro and parsley, just bunch them up and hold tight with one hand and slice with the other. With this type of herb, slice up the stems too. I'm always surprised how many people waste time plucking off every little leaf. The stems have just as much (if not more) flavor then the leaves, so just slice everything up! Start with the leafy ends and cut down until the main bulk of leaves stop and you start to see more stems than leaves.
With woody stems, like oregano or rosemary, just hold the bottom of the stem and slide your fingers right up to the top. All of those leaves will just pop right off.
Now that the herbs are out of the way, let's get cookin'...
Place parsley, cilantro, oregano, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse several times until finely chopped.
It should look all green and mushed up (yup, technical terms) like this:
Transfer to a bowl and throw in some red pepper flakes
And then stir in the extra virgin olive oil by hand. Don't put the olive oil in the food processor because you run the risk of turning the entire sauce bitter.
You can add more or less olive oil depending on the consistency you want, but in my opinion, this is perfection!
Take about 1/2-3/4 C chimichurri and place in a ziplock bag with the pork. Cover the remaining chimichurri and set both aside for about an hour. More if you need to. but don't eat it right away. It's a million times better after it sits. If you're in a hurry, do 30 minutes at least.
When ready to cook, preheat grill (or indoor grill pan). Remove tenderloins from bag and let excess marinade drip off. Place on grill and cook for about 5-8 minutes before flipping to the other side. You want the internal temp to be about 160 degrees, so check with a thermometer and take it off the grill when it reaches 155-158 since it will continue to cook a bit as it sits.
Remove from grill and let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Slice and serve with remaining chimichurri drizzled on top.
Mmmm...seriously folks. The flavor of the herbs and the fresh garlic, and the slight kick from the red pepper flakes. This stuff is so good I lick my plate. Really, I do.
For the easy side dish pictured, quarter some bell peppers, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and grill for a few minutes on each side. Slice and toss with chopped cilantro, grape tomatoes, and red pepper flakes.
Chimichurri is fantastic drizzled over just about anything. I basically pour it all over everything on my plate. I love it over hot rice or veggies, oh- and try it mixed with homemade ranch for one of the best salad dressings you've ever tasted.
If you have a small family like mine, try the left overs sliced up in tortillas with the chimi-ranch mixture I just spoke of, some shredded lettuce, peppers, etc.
Or just cook one of the pork tenderloins and save the other for this Sweet and Sour Cashew Pork!
Either way, give it a shot. And if you have picky kids, tell them it's chicken. They'll never know :)
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