Perfectly passive pork tenderloin

I've cooked a lot of pork tenderloins in my day and plan to cook several more.  And I've used lots of methods to cook pork tenderloins, including but not limited to the timed method (not a favorite of mine), the meat thermometer method (can someone please recommend a reliable meat thermometer?), and most often the guess method (sometimes works, mostly doesn't).  It wasn't until recently that I was noodling around on the web and found this technique.  I've used the passive cooking technique with other cuts of meat, such as bone-in pork roast and pot roast of beef, but hadn't thought of doing a pork tenderloin this way.

Dinner will be ready in about an hour.

 Passive cooking has a lot of benefits and is a technique often used in wilderness cooking experiences, where efficiency is key.  If you have a pressure cooker, you can also use the passive cooking method to cook a variety of foods.  And now that I have this roasting technique in my arsenal, cooking meats and vegetables in the oven with passive heat is a favorite method of mine.

Let me assure you, Beach Girl, the author of the pork tenderloin recipe I referenced above, has done her homework.  And I can also assure you that pork cooked this way is succulent and tender and perfect every time.  Not to mention it's ridiculously easy.  Just set it and forget it, as Ron Popeil used to say.

I plan to be cooking a lot of pork tenderloin from now on.  And cooking a lot of pork tenderloin for parties is pretty easy since, as long as they all weigh pretty much the same, you can spread them out on the baking sheets and roast quite a few at a time.

But wait!  There's more!  Here are some of my favorite ways to season a pork tenderloin before roasting:

Chop 2 garlic cloves finely.  Combine with 1 1/2 tsp. each fennel seed and coriander seed, crushed.  Add salt and pepper to taste, then add enough EVOO to make a loose paste.  Cover the tenderloin entirely with this mixture and place on a foil-lined pan.  Proceed with Beach Girl's directions.

Combine 1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and ginger.  Add a 1/4 tsp. each white pepper, nutmeg and cloves.  Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well.  Rub spice mixture on a lightly oiled pork tenderloin and place on a foil-lined pan.  Proceed with Beach Girl's directions.

Chop 2 Tbs. fresh rosemary leaves and combine with 2 Tbs. chopped garlic.  Add salt and pepper to taste, then add enough EVOO to make a loose paste.  Cover the tenderloin entirely with this mixture and place on a foil-lined pan.  Proceed with Beach Girl's directions.

Or, try any dry barbeque or seasoning rub you create yourself or find on your grocery store shelves.  You can also do a wet marinade several hours in advance, drain the pork tenderloin well and proceed.  It's all up to you, but the method is the same.

May your tastebuds dance!