Bad Photo Sunday – Spice Rubbed Pork with Mustard Barbecue Sauce |

Bad Photo Sunday – Spice Rubbed Pork with Mustard Barbecue Sauce

Filed under Main Dishes - Pork, Side Dish - Vegetable

Aug 24
I’m a sucker for a good magazine cover. I see a delicious meal gracing a cover, and I can’t help but want to make it. So when I received my June issue of Cooking Light, I fell in love with the photo of the Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Barbecue Sauce, Corn on the Cob with smoked butter, and Tangy Mustard Coleslaw. I wasn’t cooking that much then because of the pregnancy, so the magazine just kept sitting on top of my kitchen counter. Many times, I tried to put the magazine away, but I couldn’t get myself to do it until I had made that meal. And earlier this month, I finally got around to making this meal that I had been wanting for so long!

As much as I wanted to make the coleslaw, I had some ripe squash and zucchini from the garden, so those were substituted. And I had some boneless pork chops in the freezer, so I used those instead of a pork tenderloin. This was such a satisfying meal! My favorite part was probably the corn with the smoked butter. The recipe called for lemon rind, but all I had were limes, and I’m so glad I made that substitution because it was so delicious! The barbecue sauce for the pork was everything I had imagined it to be, and I’m sure I’ll be using it again. The pork was a little over-spiced for me, but I’m blaming that on the pregnancy, because I’ve been liking plain flavors over anything really spicy or packed with flavor. But this was my idea of a GREAT summer meal!

And I know this isn’t the worst of my Bad Photo Sunday photos, but this was the first meal I photographed with my new camera, and I didn’t quite have the focus figured out. I’m slowly figuring it out, though!

Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Barbecue Sauce
from Cooking Light June 2008

Sauce:
2 bacon slices, finely chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup prepared yellow mustard
5 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Pork:
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
Cooking spray

Prepare grill.

To prepare sauce, cook bacon in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until almost crisp, stirring occasionally. Add chopped onion to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add mustard and next 5 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin) to pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 4 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally.
To prepare pork, combine brown sugar and next 7 ingredients (through red pepper) in a small bowl, stirring well; rub mixture evenly over pork. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155° (slightly pink), turning once. Let pork stand 10 minutes. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with sauce.

Corn on the Cob with Smoked Butter
adapted from Cooking Light June 2008

1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 teaspoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
6 ears shucked corn

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a small bowl.

Grill corn until crisp-tender. Brush butter mixture evenly over corn; serve immediately.
18 Comments

18 Responses to “Bad Photo Sunday – Spice Rubbed Pork with Mustard Barbecue Sauce”

kat said on August 24th, 2008 at 5:08 pm

Oh man I can see why you wanted to make this dinner! yummy!

[Reply]
noble pig said on August 24th, 2008 at 5:41 pm

I always think it’s cool when the object in the back of the photo is in focus and in front it’s not. It’s so hard to figure out though.

This sounds so yummy…

[Reply]
glamah16 said on August 24th, 2008 at 6:37 pm

You will get ther with new camera, The meal speaks for itself. Delcious.

[Reply]
Katerina said on August 24th, 2008 at 6:54 pm

I want to know how you are learning about our new camera? I am also new to the DSLR thing and pretty unsure about what I am doing….
Your pork looks good too of course.

[Reply]
Practically Perfect... said on August 24th, 2008 at 8:36 pm

Yum! We cooked out with pork chops last weekend – I’ll have to try this recipe the next time around!

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Mary said on August 24th, 2008 at 9:09 pm

yay! a pork recipe! I’m going to need loads of them and your chops look so delicious. That Cooking Light is still sitting on my coffee table!

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hot garlic said on August 24th, 2008 at 11:57 pm

Wow Deb, this looks so good. I am so going to make at least the corn, if not the chicken! I just did a hamburger that I haven’t posted yet that has really similar flavor combinations, and it was really good, so I know I would like this.

The smoked corn is so original. I have so been into grilling corn this ‘summer’, and have tried a few herbs and butters but not one like this. That is great that the lime worked out better. Sorry, mine will be lemon though. Lemons are free next door and for some reason limes are $2.00 EACH at the store right now! I’ve had to sub lemons for everything.

Thanks for sharing!

[Reply]
Peabody said on August 25th, 2008 at 1:10 am

That sounds like a great sauce….I need a few more slices of bacon of course.

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veron said on August 25th, 2008 at 1:52 am

sounds delicious! I love, love pork!

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Valentina said on August 25th, 2008 at 2:01 am

i love the idea of tangy mustard coleslaw.Sounds just divine with a good kick.

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Dragon said on August 25th, 2008 at 2:09 am

This sounds like the perfect weekend dinner. The corn on the cob recipe is amazing.

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Jenny said on August 25th, 2008 at 4:45 am

This dish looks so tasty! Mustard BBQ sauce? Heaven!

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Emily said on August 25th, 2008 at 5:47 am

It looks good enough to eat! I always have bad photo days . . . sounds like a great recipe!

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Mochachocolata Rita said on August 25th, 2008 at 9:53 am

hey this photo isn’t bad at all! hehe

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Sylvie said on August 25th, 2008 at 7:03 pm

What a wonderful sounding meal. Great flavour and texture combinations.

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~Holly said on August 26th, 2008 at 4:05 am

What a perfect Sunday Dinner and you used Cooking Light— that makes it even better!

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Rosie said on August 27th, 2008 at 5:26 pm

Oh boy this is one delish looking meal!!

Rosie x

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Kevin said on August 28th, 2008 at 12:27 am

This sounds like a tasty meal. I really like the sound of the spiced corn.

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