SPICED PORK TENDERLOIN AND

SPICED PORK TENDERLOIN AND QUICK APPLE CHUTNEY

TThis pair of recipes goes together like peas and carrots. The spiced pork tenderloin recipe is simple to make, with a brine to give the fl avor an added boost. While it bakes, you can make the Quick Apple Chutney to go with it. Overall this duo can be done any day of the week but is lovely enough for a Sunday supper.

SPICED PORK TENDERLOIN

Pork tenderloin is a skinny cut of meat that comes from the underside of the short ribs. It is considered the most tender part of a loin. Because pork tenderloins are so skinny, they do not take long to cook.

When you purchase a pork tenderloin, it will generally come as a pair – two skinny pieces of meat in the same package. I always cook them both, but if you have a very small family, you could make one and freeze the other. We love leftovers around here, so saving one for later is never an option.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin (usually comes in pairs) 1 1/2 cups water 1/3 cup apple juice 1/4 cup kosher salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. onion powder 1 Tb. avocado oil 3. “Squish” the mixture around to combine and place the bag in a dish in case of leaks. Refrigerate the pork in the brine for about six hours. You can do this in the morning and let it do its thing all day until it is time to make supper. 4. When it is time to make your pork tenderloin, heat your oven to 400 degrees. 5. Remove the tenderloins from the brine and pat the meat dry with paper towels. 6. In a small dish, combine the ground black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Season the pork all over with the seasoning mixture. 7. Heat the avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Place the tenderloins in the skillet and cook undisturbed for three to four minutes or until the meat gets nicely browned. Turn it over and immediately slide the skillet into the oven. 8. Bake the pork tenderloin until a thermometer reaches 145 degrees, about 20-25 minutes. 9. Allow the meat to rest for about five minutes before slicing.

INSTRUCTIONS 1. To begin, place the pork tenderloins in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. 2. Add the water, apple juice, garlic, kosher salt and peppercorns. Remove as much of the air as possible and seal the bag closed.

QUICK APPLE CHUTNEY

АApple Chutney is a wonderful spiced apple topping that is perfect for serving with or on meats; it is particularly good with chicken or pork.

Chutney has its origins in Indian cuisine and is typically made up of fruit with sugar, spices and vinegar or another acid. There are many ways to make it, from the complex to quick and simple versions like this one.

INGREDIENTS

1 Tb. ghee, butter or coconut oil 4 Granny Smith apples – or a mix of your favorite varieties – peeled, cored and diced 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, minced 1/4 tsp. sea salt 1/4 tsp. Freshly-ground black pepper pinch cayenne pepper pinch Ceylon cinnamon 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg’s)

INSTRUCTIONS 1. To begin, melt the ghee in a skillet over low heat. 2. Add in your diced apples, along with the salt, pepper, cayenne, thyme and Ceylon cinnamon. 3. Gently toss the apples to coat them with all of the seasonings. 4. Cook the apples for about 20 minutes or until they are just soft and caramelized. 5. Stir in the apple cider vinegar. 6. Serve the apple chutney immediately or store it in the refrigerator for serving later.

SMOKIN’ GOOD TIME

Holy Smoke BBQ is a Hartselle institution

YYou might have noticed some changes to a long-existing restaurant location along Highway 31 here in Hartselle. In January, Holy Smoke BBQ moved from the southern edge of Hartselle to right in the middle of all the bustling activity.

Junior Hyatt started his adventure in barbecue with a homemade smoker he built on an old boat trailer. He began selling barbecue from that trailer, food truck style, and it was such a hit that after six months, he opened a physical restaurant in the Jones Chapel area of Cullman. In 2013 he opened the Holy Smoke BBQ restaurant in south Hartselle, and it has been operating in Hartselle ever since.

Junior started the restaurant to give him more time with his family, and today it continues to be a family affair. The restaurant is now run by his sons, Brad and Bart, and Bart’s wife, Jackie. The baked beans and slaw recipes were passed down from their grandmothers, and everything that is done there is an expression of their love of that heritage.

Brad said his family feels incredibly lucky to be able to do a job they love – and to be able to do it with the people who mean the most to them.

In addition to the family, Holy Smoke BBQ has several teenage employees. Brad said someone’s fi rst job should teach them responsibility but also be fun, and their young employees work hard. The restaurant has had little turnover among the young staff, but many of them are seniors this year and will be heading off to college in the fall. It will be time to bring in the next generation of young employees.

Brad said moving to the new location was a whirlwind over the holiday break. It’s always a challenge moving into a new location and developing a new routine, adapting to a whole new environment. One of the challenges, he noted, was adjusting to a location with a drive-up window, which was something their previous location did not have. It is convenient for people with mobility issues, or a mother with young children in tow, to not have to get out of their vehicle to get some takeout.

While they do have the drive-up window, the Hyatts stress this is not fast food – it’s good food!

Hartselle residents seem to agree that, indeed, Holy Smoke BBQ is good food. The restaurant has a variety of offerings, from ribs to pulled pork, but if you are looking for chicken wings or brisket, you will want to go early. Everything Holy Smoke BBQ offers is made daily, and when it’s gone, it’s gone!

While the location has changed, some things have never changed. It is still all about family, great food and meats that are smoked in that same, homemade smoker that once traveled on a boat trailer.

Holy Smoke BBQ is located 900 Highway 31 NW, Hartselle.