Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Achiote A Bombs




One of the things I wanted to do this summer was try some non-traditional BBQ recipes, and this was one of the more successful ones I executed. The pork tenderloin was marinated in achiote paste and orange juice overnight and then stuffed with cored and seeded serrano chiles which were themselves stuffed with smashed garlic cloves. The stuffed tenderloin was smoked over an oak and hickory smoke infused 225F temp fire in my Weber Smokey Mountain for about 2 hours. Then I sliced into 1/2" thick slices and served. The cored and seeded serrano was not overly hot, and the garlic cooked nicely inside the tenderloin. But to me, the best part of this dish was the color the achiote paste/OJ marinade imparted to the meat. It was a beautiful brownish orange that the picture does not quite capture. Apologies up front as I've thus far only used my iPhone camera to take pictures for the blog. Not the best resolution shots for sure, and I'll probably invest in a better camera soon.




Here's the link to the recipe:






Important safety tip: if you're sensitive to peppers, either core and seed the peppers with a toothpick and very small spoon, or get some of those disposable latex examination gloves (non-powdered type). Just get a box as they're super handy for working with peppers and sauced meats.


A little info on serrano and achiote:







Here's a few pictures of the preparation:


Marinated and stuffed tenderloin

























Tenderloin on the smoker top grate



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