Prosciutto Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Fig Glaze

Pork on pork is never a bad thing, particularly when it's semi healthy. We love our pork in Memphis. This time of year, with Memphis in May BBQ Festival coming up, I often start testing new recipes with pork as the star of my dishes. Because it's always the beginning of swimsuit season, that can be tricky so I try to throw some healthy pork into our diet every now and then. Tres loves pork loin and I love prosciutto so I decided to put the two pig meats together! 

Grocery list: 

• 2 lbs pork tenderloin (1 large or 2 small)

• 2 tsp Kosher salt

• 1 tsp Pepper

• 2 tsp rosemary - minced

• 1 tsp thyme - minced

• 8 slices of Proscuitto

• 2 tbsp fig jam

• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

• Squeeze of lemon

 Directions:

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse pork loins and pat dry with paper towels. If there's excess fat on the loins, trim it off and discard.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the loins on top. Sprinkle the loins on all sides with salt and pepper then rosemary and thyme, pressing to adhere. 

3. Working with one piece of prosciutto at a time, wrap the pork loins with each slice, starting at the end and working your way to the other end. I lay each slice over the top and tuck the ends under the loin.  

4. In a small bowl, mix together the fig jam, balsamic, Dijion, and lemon. Spoon over the top of the loin. Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes for 1 pound loins and 20 to 25 minutes for a 2 pound loin or until meat thermometer reads 145. Take out, cover in foil, and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. 

CHERRS TO HAPPY EATING!!  

Cocoa-Cola Baby Back Ribs

It's May!!!! In Memphis that means sun, fun, festivals, and none other than what we're famous for: BBQ! I tell every out of town friend I have, if you visit Memphis, make sure it's in May! Every weekend, there's something fun going on, but the biggest weekend yet is the World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest! Tents line Tom Lee Park along the river with the smell of BBQ in the air. The entire week is one big party and some serious competition! 

Tres and I go every single year, spending a lot of our time at our good friends' tent, Pigs Gone Wild. Those guys are a blast, and to go along with them having a tent bursting with celebration, they can also cook some mean BBQ! BBQ Fest... It's literally the BEST WEEKEND IN MEMPHIS! So in honor of the weekend coming up, I'm doing my own version of ribs. Cocoa-Cola Ribs are exactly what they sound like... A little bit of chocolate and a little bit of Coke make these guys sweet, hearty, and will always make me think of the city I live in and love!

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE!!!! 

Grocery List (4 people): 

• 2 racks baby back ribs

• 4 tbsp good quality unsweetened cocoa powder

• 3 tbsp brown sugar

• 2 tbsp salt

• 2 tsp liquid smoke

• 2 tsp all spice

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1 1/2 cup regular coke

• 4 medium onions - roughly chopped into large pieces

• 1 cup good quality barbecue sauce

Directions: 

1. Rinse the ribs and pat dry with paper towels. Mix the cocoa, brown sugar, salt, liquid smoke, all spice, paprika, and pepper together in a bowl. Rub the mixture onto the ribs and press to adhere. Cover ribs and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

2. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Prep two baking pans by pouring 3/4 cup of coke into each pan. Add the chopped onions over the coke. Place the ribs on top of the onions. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is tender and almost falling off the bone (I like my ribs to still have substance to them.. Not quite falling off the bone). 

3. Using tongs, move ribs to a baking sheet lined with foil. Strain the onions from the coke. Reserve 1/4 cup of the coke and mix with barbecue sauce. Brush a thick layer of the sauce onto ribs. 

4. Put ribs back in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve with the extra cola-barbecue sauce on the side! 

CHEERS TO HAPPY EATING!! 

Andrea's Cooktales - Series 2, Episode 5 - Cocoa-Cola Baby Back Ribs

GET THE FULL RECIPE HERE!