Spicy Pepper Jelly-Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Growing up I remember a lot of tenderloin comin' off my daddy's grill.  Beef, pork, you name it, we ate it.  As a little girl, I loved those little medallions of meat and frequently asked Mama for tenderloin when it was my turn to choose dinner.  As the years went by, Mama came up with dozens of recipes so that my demands for the same cut of meat wouldn't get boring.  All that said, while I might love pork tenderloin, but husband isn't that much of a fan.  But, I've learned over the years to simply not share the meal planning with my husband until everything's already on the grill or in the oven so that he can't balk at my choices and ask for something different (he's not picky; he's just not adventurous and I have to sneak "new" stuff into his belly without him knowing!).  As our family grows, I'm determined to not raise picky eaters or prepare multiple options for the same mealtime.  My policy is that you have two choices for dinner: take it or leave it; my mama didn't raise a short order cook!  So, my darling husband, if you're reading this, I'm sorry, but the days of you saying "I don't feel like tenderloin, let's have something else instead" are quickly coming to a close!  It's ok though, because this recipe was a winner and I just know y'all will love it as much as we did (that's right, my husband raved about this one, and even asked for the leftovers for lunch the next day).  Enjoy!

1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin (I used a one that already had a lemon-garlic marinade)

1/2 cup sweet & spicy pepper relish, like Dickinson's, plus more for serving

1/2 cup dry red wine

zest and juice of one orange

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the pork and pat dry.  Place in a shallow container with a lid.

Whist together remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Pour the marinade over the pork, cover, and shake to coat the entire tenderloin.  Allow to marinate at least 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.  Turn the pork several times while marinading for even flavor.

When ready to cook the pork, prep your grill and heat to medium for a gas grill.  Remove the tenderloin from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and place the meat on the grill directly over the coals (or heat source for gas) and cook 12-15 minutes, turning three times and basting often with the reserved marinade.  Move the pork away from the coals (indirect heat), close the grill or cover the meat with foil, and cook another 3-5 minutes, or until internal temperature is 145 for medium or 160 for medium-well.

Remove the pork from the grill and transfer to a cutting board.  Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest 5-10 minutes before slicing.  Cut into 1/4-inch thick medallions and serve warm with additional pepper relish on the side.

Pairs exceptionally well with Baked Rosemary Sweet Potato Halves.

Serves 4-6.

Recipe adapted from Southern Kitchen, by Sara Foster.