*Pork Tenderloin with Oven Roasted Applesauce

Another good year of apple picking, and another marathon of apple canning to go. Yesterdays supper officially  began the apple eating season in my home. This meal combined two of my favorites, apples being possibly the best and most versatile fruit in combination with pork? Yum, pork and apples are a match made in heaven, pork and apples go together as if they were just meant to be. Oven roasted applesauce and smoky barbecue flavored pork tenderloin are only married further with a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar. It was truly a wonderful premiere!

Marinade:

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons dry sherry

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

salt and pepper

1 large pork tenderloin 1 to 1 1/2 pounds

In an air tight container or plastic zip top bag combine marinade ingredients. Place tenderloin in the marinade mixture and place in the refrigerator 2 hours or over night. This can also be marinaded and then placed in the freezer, this takes the place of buying the pre-packaged varieties you find at the grocery mart. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Spray or grease a broiler pan or baking dish large enough to fit your tenderloin. I used a pie dish. Place the contents of your marinade and the tenderloin into the baking dish and bake 20-35 minutes. This will vary according to the size of your tenderloin. It should test 145-160 with a meat thermometer. Allow to rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve over top roasted applesauce with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Leftovers make amazing sandwiches!

4 large apples cut into large chunks, see note*

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt 

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

Liberally butter a baking dish, anything thats about 2 quarts will due. Place apples into the pan and sprinkle cinnamon, salt and brown sugar on top. Blot the top with the butter and bake for 40-55 minutes.(depending how soft you want it) If your using a harder apple you may want to add a little watter to the bottom of the dish. Use a fork or potato masher to smash the apples. You can smash them as much or little as you'd like.

***you can peel the apples if you'd like, I typically don't. 

-If you roast the apples at a lower temperature for a shorter amount of time you can make simple baked apples. Remove them from the oven earlier, as soon as they are just cooked. (still slightly firm but not soft of mushy) 

- If you bake your apples with the skin on you can puree it with a blender later, you get the nutrients from the skin without the additional texture, perfect if your making it for a small child.