GOOD TASTES

THAT’S JUST PEACHY!

WRITTEN BY GINA REARDON / PHOTO BY MELANIE MCDOWELL

July! Grilled meats! Summer produce! Summer bounty is everywhere. It’s time to look beyond grilled burgers and hot dogs, the occasional steak, corn on the cob, and watermelon. What haven’t you tried this summer?

One of my favorite main dishes in summer—especially during peach season—is this recipe for grilled pork tenderloin with bourbon peach barbecue sauce. Inspired by a dish my family enjoyed at restaurant Six 89 in Carbondale, Colorado, prepared by chef-owner Mark Fischer in the early 2000s, we did our best to recreate the memorable bourbon peach barbecue sauce that accompanied grilled thick-cut pork chops. Grilling pork tenderloin is equally delicious, and I’m confident this dish will be as memorable for you as it has been for me.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Peach Barbecue Sauce

SERVES 8

Sauce Ingredients

4 ounces bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 dried chile de árbol,* broken in half 1 cup coarsely chopped onion 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/4 cup bourbon 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, crushed 2 small peaches (10-12 ounces total), halved, pitted and diced 1 cup orange juice 1 cup ketchup 1-1/2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce Three 15-16-ounce pork tenderloins, trimmed, or four to six to eight 1-inch-thick center-cut loin pork chops 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper 4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt 2-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

Sauce Directions

Sauté bacon and chile de árbol in a heavy, large saucepan over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, drain on paper towels, and set aside. Add chopped onion and garlic cloves to the pan; sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn up heat and add bourbon. Cook until bourbon has reduced by half. Add Worcestershire sauce and crushed peppercorns; stir for one minute. Add peaches and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add orange juice, ketchup, 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, and hot pepper sauce. Simmer until sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon thickly, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and bacon. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary, including an additional squeeze of lemon juice, if necessary. Remove chile from the sauce and discard.

*Chile de árbol: a long, thin red chile available at Latin American markets, some specialty food stores, and some grocery stores.

Pork Ingredients

Pork Directions

Brush tenderloins (or pork chops) with olive oil to coat. Mix coarsely ground black pepper, kosher salt, and garlic powder in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle seasoning mixture all over pork. (Tenderloins can be prepared one day ahead; cover and refrigerate.) Prepare barbecue (charcoal or gas grill) for cooking on medium heat. Transfer 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl to use for basting. Pour remaining sauce into a small saucepan. Grill pork tenderloins until brown and meat thermometer inserted into center registers at 140 degrees, turning occasionally with tongs (about 18 minutes). Brush pork all over with some of the basting sauce. Grill pork until glazed, turning and brushing with more basting sauce (about 3 minutes longer). Transfer pork to the work surface, let rest 10 minutes. Rewarm sauce in pan. Cut pork crosswise on a slight diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices on a platter and drizzle with some of the warm peach barbecue sauce. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

Gina Reardon, former owner of Catering by Design and culinary philanthropist, leads the KC team for No Kid Hungry, culinary professionals and community members focused on supporting Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. Funds raised help connect the nation’s 16 million low-income children with more school breakfast, lunch, and summer meals.