Is it possible that Labor Day is less then a week away?   As the days start to get shorter,  I can’t help but ask myself, “Did I grill enough?”  I do admit to shoveling a path through the snow to my grill all winter long, but there’s nothing like sitting on the deck, with a glass of wine ( or 2), while taking in the warm air, fading sunlight, and delightful aroma coming from the grill while preparing dinner.  It’s just not the same, when you’re wearing your winter coat, gloves and hat, and running in and out of the house to stay warm, while watching the food cook.   Sure, the food still tastes great, but the ambience is ruined by the freezing temperatures and shivering body.   So as summer starts to fade, I’m determined to get as much grilling as possible into my culinary life.

One of my favorite grilling recipes comes from The Barefoot Contessa.  It is easy, fool-proof, and scrumptiously delicious. I have revised it a bit as I like a bit more herbs, and as you might expect, I’ve added a bit more lemon.   Grill up some corn on the cob and baking potatoes (sweet potatoes are also fab on the grill) ) beside it, and pair it all with a lightly dressed green salad, and you’ve got yourself a fantastic meal that screams “summer!!!”

The beauty of this recipe is that you marinate the meat overnight, or for at least three hours, in a large plastic zip-loc bag, so there is no mess, and you can forget about the meal until you are ready to put it on the grill.

 

RECIPE:

Grated zest of 3 lemons

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ( 4 to 6 six lemons)

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cloves, minced garlic

2 TBSP fresh minced rosemary leaves, plus some stalks for garnish

2 TBSP chopped fresh thyme leaves

3 Tsp. Dijon Mustard

Kosher salt

2 to 3 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each

Freshly ground black pepper

1.  Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, mustard and 2 tsp salt in a sturdy 1 gallon resealable plastic bag.

2.  Add the pork tenderloins and turn to coat with the marinade.  Squeeze out the air and seal the bag.  Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

3.  Brush the grill with olive oil to prevent sticking when ready to cook. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade.   Discard the marinade, but any herbs that stick may remain.  Sprinkle the meat generously with salt and pepper and place on a hot grill.

4.  Grill the tenderloins, turning a few times to brown on all sides, for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the heat of the coals) until the meat registers 137 degrees at the thickest part.  Transfer the tenderloins to a platter and cover with aluminum foil.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes.

5.  Carve in 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices.  the thickest part of the tenderloin will be pink ( that’s okay!) and the thinnest part will be well done.  Season again with some salt and pepper and serve warm, garnished with more rosemary and thyme, if desired.