Pork Tenderloin with Cherries and Balsamic

from ButterYum

makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pork tenderloins, trimmed (not a pork loin - tenderloins weight 1 to 1 1/2 pounds each)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1 cup thinly sliced onions

  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

  • 1 1/4 cups dry red wine

  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  • 10 ounces frozen sweet cherries, thawed (about 2 cups)

  • 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.

  2. Prepare tenderloins by removing the "silverskin"; discard.

  3. Fold the thin end of the tenderloin on itself and tie with kitchen twine; pat dry and season generously with Kosher salt and black pepper.

  4. Heat a large oven-safe frying pan on high heat until very hot (really good quality cookware is a must).

  5. Sear all sides of the tenderloins in the olive oil until they have a nice brown crust all over (brown equals flavor!!).

  6. Transfer the pan to a preheated 375F oven and roast for about 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of each tenderloin reaches 145F (medium-rare) to 160F (well done).

  7. Remove the pan from the oven; place tenderloins on a platter to rest for 10 minutes while you make the sauce.

  8. In the unwashed skillet, cook the onions until they soften and begin to caramelize.

  9. Add the dried thyme, wine, balsamic, and sugar; heat to a gentle bubble, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan; continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by half.

  10. Stir in cherries, all of their juice, and any drippings from the tenderloins that may have collected on the platter.

  11. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter; taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve over sliced pork.