Chef John's Grilled Jerk Pork Tenderloin

Name: Chef John's Grilled Jerk Pork Tenderloin
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 4 h 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 (1 1/2 pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin; ½ onion, chopped; ⅓ cup fresh thyme leaves; ¼ cup white vinegar; 4 cloves garlic; 2 peppers habanero peppers, seeded, or more to taste; 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 2 teaspoons ground allspice; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Rating: 4.57 stars

42 Ratings
35 Reviews
5 Photos

As I suspected, the spicy, aromatic marinade worked wonderfully with the lean mild pork. As long as you heed my warnings not to overcook the meat, you and your guests will be very happy with this.

By Chef John

Gallery

Watch

Recipe Summary

prep:

25 mins

cook:

35 mins

additional:

4 hrs

total:

5 hrs

Servings:

Yield:

6 servings

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1

Cut the tenderloin in half and set the thinner end to the side. Cut the thicker end in half lengthwise. You should have 3 mostly equal pieces.

Advertisement
Step 2

Combine onion, thyme, vinegar, garlic, habanero peppers, ginger, soy sauce, vegetable oil, brown sugar, allspice, black pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a blender. Puree until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.
Step 3

Pour Jerk marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add pork tenderloin pieces, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.
Step 4

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Step 5

Grill pork, moving if necessary to avoid overcooking the thin parts of the meat, until dark grill marks appear and they lift easily from the grill, 6 to 7 minutes each side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

Chef's Note:

If you like it spicier, add more habanero peppers. Serve with black beans, rice, and fried plantain chips.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

337 calories; protein 41g 82% DV; carbohydrates 5.9g 2% DV; fat 15.7g 24% DV; cholesterol 126.6mg 42% DV; sodium 389.4mg 16% DV. Full Nutrition

Reviews (35)

Most helpful positive review

Lindsey Eustace

08/27/2012

Delicious!! I made this in the slow cooker and it came out so tender and yummy!! The only thing different I did was omit the habañero pepper. Those are way too spicy for us. Perfect combo of sweet and spice. Thank you for the new recipe!! Read More

Helpful

(27)

Most helpful critical review

Kari

07/15/2016

didn't like this at all. All I tasted was a strong marinade Read More

Helpful

(1)

42 Ratings

5 star values: 30
4 star values: 8
3 star values: 3
2 star values: 0
1 star values: 1

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

Lindsey Eustace

08/27/2012

Helpful

(27)

Lynn Edwards

08/15/2013

Loved it - I doubled the recipe since I had two pork loins. I probably didn't need to though but the extra sauce was wonderful! I followed the recipe almost exactly. The habaneros made it perfectly spicy and they are a sweet hot pepper so meshed well. Even my 11 year old loved it! I love the idea of doing this sauce with boneless loin chops so will try that next! Oh - don't even THINK of skipping the fresh thyme. Wonderful! Pro-tip: Instead of all of the chopping and dicing I quartered the onions peeled the garlic and ginger hollowed out the habaneros without touching the insides and tossed everything into my food processor. Since you're blending into smooth anyways much easier to just let it blend that spend the extra time chopping and mincing. Read More

Helpful

(21)

Julie

08/09/2012

Very good! Read More

Helpful

(10)

lheyduck

10/21/2012

If you love the jerk sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings you will love this recipe. The jerk flavor profile is very similar. I thought this recipe was fantastic. The seasoning was as good as anything I have had in a restaurant. I used a jalepano instead of habenero. I also seared the pork on the stove at medium-high heat for 10 min then threw it in the oven for 20-25 min. Dont overcook. Pork is done at 160 degrees. When I pulled it out of the oven I cut up the meat and left it in the sauce to absorb the remaining juices. So nice! Thanks Chef John. Read More

Helpful

(7)

lucylove

01/28/2013

This was good and close to authentic jerk flavor. I used habaneros as written but think it would be better with scotch bonnet peppers. Served with simple baked sweet potatoes topped with butter salt and pepper and a classic carrot-pineapple raisin salad with a pineapple-maple vinaigrette. Our pork cooked up just a tiny bit dry (we normally grill the tenderloin whole) so I spooned a bit of the vinaigrette over it. Nice! Read More

Helpful

(6)

just_jam

02/10/2015

this was very tasty.. we used double the habanero but did not find it to be too spicy.. i felt like it could have been a little saltier but then again we didn't marinate for the full amount of time.. probably closer to 3 hours b/c i was starving.. overall it was very flavorful and would love to try again or maybe also on chicken.. we enjoyed this with Green Banana Fries (on this site) and some black beans with sauteed onion/garlic/bell pepper.. ty for the recipe Read More

Helpful

(5)

mikda999

04/12/2014

I made this recipe last summer and everyone loved it however hubby wanted it to have more flavor. So last weekend when whole pork loins were on sale I bought one and put it in my slow cooker with the marinade. The house smelled so good. When I was ready to serve I pulled it apart some but not completely. Served with beans and rice and everyone raved how good it was. Best of all it looked and tasted just like the jerk pork hubby gets at his favorite restaurant. Thank you!!! Read More

Helpful

(5)

Kim GR

10/14/2013

Awesome. I have to use less hot pepper though! Read More

Helpful

(2)

Kim Spencer DeRoest

03/22/2013

this was very good! I used boneless pork tenderloin chops instead of a tenderloin roast. I only marinated for 2 hours but the chops still had great flavor and were very moist and tender. Be sure to wear gloves before handling the habaneros or EVERYTHING you handle and touch afterwards will BURN! Read More

Helpful

(2)

Kari

07/15/2016

didn't like this at all. All I tasted was a strong marinade Read More

Helpful

(1)

More Reviews

Back to Chef John's Grilled Jerk Pork Tenderloin

All Reviews for Chef John's Grilled Jerk Pork Tenderloin

- of Reviews

Nutritional Information

Chef John's Grilled Jerk Pork Tenderloin

Servings Per Recipe: 6
Calories: 336.6

% Daily Value *

protein: 82 %

carbohydrates: 2 %

exchange other carbs:

dietary fiber: 4 %

sugars:

fat: 24 %

saturated fat: 24 %

cholesterol: 42 %

vitamin a iu: 3 %

niacin equivalents: 121 %

vitamin b6: 48 %

vitamin c: 12 %

folate: 3 %

calcium: 3 %

iron: 14 %

magnesium: 21 %

potassium: 19 %

sodium: 16 %

thiamin: 132 %

calories from fat:

percent of calories from carbs:

percent of calories from fat:

percent of calories from protein:

percent of calories from sat fat:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.