Chinese Style Pork Tenderloin or Pork Loin with Asian Tomato Relish
Tomatoes are not often found in traditional Chinese cooking - that’s more of a 20th Century food trend. These pork tenderloin and pork loin recipes have Asian flavors with a delicious spicy tomato relish that makes for a unique dish. But beware, these pork cuts are not the same and cannot be cooked the same way.
Even though tomatoes were introduced to China in the 16th Century, they were slow to catch on. The Spaniards brought tomatoes over from the New World in the 15th Century, but many Europeans thought they were poisonous, so they were slow to accept them, too. But ultimately, of course, they did and as we all know, Spanish and Italian food abounds with the nightshade fruit’s influence. But it wasn’t until the late 20th Century as trade in China began to open up to the West, that tomatoes finally found a place. Still, traditional Chinese dishes are almost completely devoid of them.
This post is actually for two separate recipes for two entirely different cuts of pork that are cooked with similar flavor profiles and use the same accompaniment, but they are cooked in two very different manners.
Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin are Not the Same Cuts of Pork
People get understandably confused about the differences between the Pork Tenderloin and the Pork Loin because of the similarity of the names, and the adjective “tender.” Saying “This is a tender loin,” is not the same thing as saying, “This is a tenderloin.”
A pork tenderloin is a small, long, and narrow cut of meat that comes from the muscle that runs along the backbone (loin) of the hog, specifically the psoas major muscle. This muscle gets very little use, making the meat extremely tender. It typically weighs around 1 to 1-1/2 pounds and because it has very little fat, it must be cooked quickly at high heat.
A pork loin, on the other hand, is a much larger, wider, and thicker cut that comes from the back of the hog, specifically along the top of the rib cage. It has a moderate fat cap and is much denser and less tender than the tenderloin but still juicy and flavorful. To make it tender, though, it is best cooked at a slower temperature for a longer period of time.
So, while these two recipes are similar and both are meant to be served with the Asian Tomato Relish specifically made for either of these pork dishes, the cuts of pork must be prepared, seasoned and cooked in different manners and at different temperatures.
Chinese Style Pork Tenderloin with Asian Tomato Relish
Ingredients
- 1.5 - 2 lb pork tenderloin
- 1/2 cup light soy sauce (like, Kikkoman Less Sodium)
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/4 cup sherry wine
- 2 tbsp grated ginger (fresh or jarred, not powdered)
- 3 tbsp garlic, minced
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1- 1/2 tbsp Hoisin sauce, plus 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp Asian chili paste (like, Huy Fong Sambal Oelek)
- 2 tbsp honey
- Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Asian Tomato Relish
Instructions
- Reserving the additional 1 tbsp of Hoisin sauce, put all the other ingredients except the tenderloin in a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Place the tenderloin in a zip lock bag and pour in the marinade, push as much air out of the bag as possible.
- Allow the pork tenderloin to marinate for 6-24 hours.
- Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
- Remove the tenderloin from the zip lock bag and discard the marinade.
- Pat the tenderloin with a paper towel and lightly coat the meat with the additional tablespoon of Hoisin sauce with a basting brush.
- Place the tenderloin on a roasting rack or broiler pan and roast for 30 minutes.
- Allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving with the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Asian Tomato Relish spooned over.
Chinese Style Pork Loin with Asian Tomato Relish
Tomatoes are not often found in traditional Chinese cooking - that’s more of a 20th Century food trend. This pork loin has Asian flavors with a delicious spicy tomato relish that makes for a unique dish.
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb boneless pork loin
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (like Pearl River Bridge Superior Dark)
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp seasoned black pepper (like Lawry's)
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 tbsp ginger powder
- 1/2 tbsp mustard powder (like, Coleman's)
- 1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
- 1/4 ketchup (like, Heinz)
- 3 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Asian Tomato Relish
Instructions
- Pull the roast out of the refrigerator and remove from is packaging two hours before cooking. Remove any moisture from the meat with paper towels and proceed with the preparation.
- Combine the Worcestershire and dark soy sauce and rub all over the surface of the meat.
- Combine the garlic salt, seasoned pepper, onion powder, ginger powder, mustard powder and the Chinese five spice in a small mixing bowl and blend well with a wire whisk.
- Apply the spice rub to the meat and thoroughly rub it over all surfaces.
- Combine the Hoisin sauce, ketchup and honey in a small mixing bowl and blend with a wire whisk. Then add the avocado oil and whisk until it is thoroughly blended into the sauce.
- Gently rub the sauce into all the surfaces of the meat, incorporating the spice rub as you go.
- Allow the roast to sit uncovered a room temperature until ready to cook.
- In the meantime, make the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Asian Tomato Relish and set aside.
- Pre-heat the oven to 425°F.
- Insert a probe thermometer into the the center of the pork loin.
- Place the pork loin in a roasting pan in the center of the oven, fat side up, for 15 minutes.
- Turn the oven temperature down to 350°F and roast for approximately 20 minutes per pound, or until the meat thermometer registers 140°F.
- Tent the pork loin with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Leave the thermometer in place until ready to carve and serve. Carryover heat will raise the pork loin temperature another 5° while resting, the sweet spot for perfect medium. Serve approximately 1/2-inch slices alongside the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Asian Tomato Relish.
Asian Tomato Relish
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 14.5 oz can petite dices tomatoes (like, Hunt's)
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (like, Pearl River Bridge Superior Dark)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (like, Kikkoman Less Sodium)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp powdered mustard (like, Coleman's)
- 6 tbsp malt vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch of fine sea salt if needed
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan and over medium high heat, bring the olive oil to the shimmering point, and then sauté the onion until translucent but not beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat to medium low; add all other ingredients and simmer 30 minutes until the relish has thickened. Stir frequently to prevent sticking or burning.
- Test for salt after the relish has reduced a bit. You may or may not need it.
- Allow the sauce to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
