For some reason football season started before I was ready. It crept up on me while I was still busy with summer stuff.
Football season and tailgating is one of my favorite times of the year. That time before the game with friends is perfect for catching up, talking about your favorite player, or coach in my case, and showing your team spirit.
We have a fun trip planned this year. We are traveling with friends to Yale to watch the Mercer/Yale game. Their son is playing at Mercer this year, and that trip should be lots of fun.
My first tailgating recipe to share with you this season is a great one! Pork tenderloin, cooked to the correct temperature, is one of the best meats in my opinion. This sweet and sour marinade gives the tenderloin a fantastic flavor! Serve with the crunchy slaw on a sweet Hawaiian roll, and you have the perfect tailgating food. If you aren’t into tailgating, this would make a delicious dinner for the family, or it would be great to serve at your next party.
Sweet and Sour Pork Sliders
- 1 1/2 c. very thinly sliced green cabbage ((about 1/4 cabbage))
- 1 1/2 c. very thinly sliced red cabbage ((abou 1/4 cabbage))
- 2 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 4 thinly sliced green onions
- 1/2 c. fresh orange juice
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 1-inch piece fresh garlic (peeled and minced)
- zest of 1 lg. orange
- 1 1 to 1 1/4 lb. pork tenderloin (trimmed)
- 2 tsp. arrowroot
- 10-12 mini Hawaiian-style sweet rolls (halved horizontally )
- For the slaw:Toss the green cabbage, red cabbage, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and green onion in a medium bowl to blend. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the pork.For the pork:In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, pepper, garlic, ginger, and orange zest to blend. Add the pork tenderloin and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, turning occasionally. (I like to marinate longer than this, usually between 6 to 12 hours.) Preheat the oven to 425° F. Remove the pork for the marinade. Reserve the marinade. Place the pork on a nonstick heavy baking sheet and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145° F, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pork from the oven and let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the marinade into a heavy medium saucepan and whisk in the arrowroot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and cool slightly. Transfer the pork tenderloin to a work surface and cut crosswise into 1/4- to 1/3-inch thick slices. Divide the pork among the bottom halves of the rolls. Top the port with sauce and slaw. Cover with the top halves of the rolls and serve.
