Sweet & Spicy Pork Tenderloin

I found this recipe on Mrs. Regueiro's Plate. I had never cooked pork tenderloin before and I thought this sounded like the perfect recipe to try my hand at it. It turned out great! Mine took quite a bit longer to cook, but I think that was the dish that I baked it in. This was so full of flavor and delicious! Plus it's healthy (221 calories for 3 slices)! Can't get better than that. This is a great meal to impress your guests, and I love it because you can prep the meat ahead of time and then just roast it in the oven while you get your sides ready. I made a couple minor changes... I didn't have chipotle peppers so I used chile powder and I subbed the juice from jarred jalapenos for the hot pepper sauce. It still turned out fabulous! I went ahead and posted the original recipe below. Also, Next time I think I will double the basting sauce so that there is plenty of sauce to pour over at the end.

Sweet & Spicy Pork Tenderloin

Source: Mrs. Regueiro's Plate Adapted from Biggest Loser Cookbook: More than 125 Healthy, Delicious Recipes

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper

1 pork tenderloin (1 1/4 pounds), trimmed of visible fat

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons hot-pepper sauce

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl, combine the cumin, cinnamon, salt, black pepper, allspice, garlic powder, and chipotle pepper. Rub the pork tenderloin evenly with the olive oil. Then rub evenly with the spice mixture until coated. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the honey, garlic, and hot-pepper sauce. Whisk to mix. Set aside.

Set a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the pork in the pan. Cook for 1 minute per side, or until browned on all sides. Transfer to the prepared pan. With a basting brush, evenly coat the pork tenderloin with the reserved honey mixture.

Roast the tenderloin in the oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the center reaches 160°F and the juices run clear. Remove from the oven. Cover the pork loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Holding a knife at a 45° angle, cut into thin slices.