NEW YORK — Adding bacon to a meat dish is an easy way to add flavor and moisture, renowned barbecue pit master Chris Lilly says.
In this recipe, Mr. Lilly pairs pork tenderloin slices with bacon to make grilled pork pinwheels, an attractive dish that can be prepared in about 30 minutes.
Mr. Lilly, who has appeared on Food Network and other television food shows, will serve this year as an honorary chef for the James Beard Foundation.
Mr. Lilly says this recipe was born of his love for the flavors that grilled pork imparts. “When experimenting with a new recipe, I use ingredients that I enjoy separately,” he says.
The grilled pinwheels are topped with a sauce that is a zippy variation on traditional barbecue sauce.
“The Carolina mustard sauce was inspired by my fondest memories of South Carolina barbecue,” Mr. Lilly says.
Pecan-crusted pork tenderloin pinwheels with Carolina mustard sauce
1 pound whole pork tenderloin
6 slices thin-sliced bacon
FOR CAROLINA MUSTARD SAUCE:
3/4 cup prepared mustard
cup honey
cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 teaspoon salt
teaspoon ground black pepper
Cut pork lengthwise into six -inch slices. Separate slices; place on cutting board (slices should be the size and shape of the bacon). Place a slice of bacon on each pork slice. Starting at one end, roll up into a spiral. Secure with 2 wooden toothpicks.
For Carolina mustard sauce, combine mustard, honey, vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and hot pepper sauce in medium bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the sauce until ready to serve. Brush remaining sauce over pork rolls.
Combine pecans, salt and pepper in small bowl. Cut each pork roll in half to form 2 pinwheels (12 total) and secure ends with water-soaked wooden skewers or metal skewers. Coat each pork pinwheel with pecan mixture.
Grill pinwheels on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium-high heat (375 to 400 degrees) until pork is slightly pink in center, 6 to 8 minutes on each side. To serve, drizzle reserved sauce over pinwheels. Makes 6 servings.
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