Grilled Pork Tenderloin

5 cups cold water

½ cup kosher salt

½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed once with knife

1 sprig rosemary or thyme

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the brine: Add water, salt, sugar, pepper, bay leaf, garlic and rosemary to medium sauce pan; bring to a simmer and cook about 2 minutes to dissolve salt and sugar.

Cool brine on stove top until it feels cool to the touch. (You can also heat the brine using only half of the required liquid and then add the remaining liquid to the brine cold, to speed up the process.)

While liquid cools, trim wide end of pork tenderloin by removing “silver skin.” To do this, using a sharp knife make a small incision underneath the grayish/silvery elastin and remove small strips until it is gone. Take care not to remove any of the fat, which will add flavor.

Put the cleaned pork tenderloin into a plastic container or resealable plastic bag; pour brine over the meat to submerge it. Refrigerate 1 hour.

When ready to cook, set up grill for indirect cooking.

Remove pork tenderloin from the brine and pat dry completely. Drizzle olive oil on pork to prevent sticking on the grill, but do not season with salt. The brine has already taken care of this.

Brined meats need to be cooked to a higher internal temperature than non-brined meats, so cook pork tenderloin over indirect heat until an internal temperature of 155 degrees is reached at the thickest part.

Remove pork from grill and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Don’t cover the meat, as this will compromise the crust that has formed during cooking.

Slice pork tenderloin from end to end as thinly as you like. Serve warm with seasonal vegetables.

Serves three to four.

Chef-instructor Dina Altieri, Kendall College, Chicago