This post comes to you courtesy of an abundance of local foods! Here we have a beautiful piece of pork tenderloin from the Good Life Farm CSA+ (check out their pick-up locations and see if you can order one to your Early Morning Farm Pick-up Site!) paired with a truly luscious vinegar from F. Oliver’s in Skaneateles. Balsamic and fresh herbs are a really easy and delicious way to roast pork tenderloin. I love the thick, aged balsamic vinegars F. Oliver’s carries. Courtney in Skaneateles recommended the Ginger-Spiked Blackberry Balsamic, this balsamic is sweet and a hint of spicy. I would pair this with desserts as well as savory dishes – drizzle over grilled apples, pears, or peaches for a quick treat. The tarragon oil is fresh and earthy – I didn’t expect to use them together, but they compliment each other surprisingly well!
I tried a new method for cooking the parsnips that I’ll definitely use again. Here parsnip coins are roasted at a somewhat low temperature – 350°F then finished with the pork at 450°F. Cooking them at a lower temperature first allows them to soften before the sugars start to caramelize and brown. Having eaten A LOT of roasted parsnips lately I noticed the difference and really enjoyed it! Parsnips can be a little tricky to get into consistent sizes, so I usually half the larger rounds so they cook evenly. I loaded up on freshly ground black pepper to compliment the tarragon oil. It was a nice change from the usual generic roasted veg. You can drizzle a little extra tarragon oil over the cooked parsnips to bring out the tarragon flavor.
Get the parsnips in the oven then prep the pork. I baked them initially on a baking pan then scattered them around the pork. I always use fresh ground pepper, it takes a little more time when you need a large amount, but I think it’s worth it. Just grind the pepper into a small bowl and then measure the amount you need. I roasted the final dish in a small dutch oven
Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Black Pepper Tarragon Parsnips
serves 2 – 3
1 lb pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons blackberry infused ginger balsamic vinegar (or plain, aged balsamic vinegar)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
salt and pepper
3 medium sized parsnips, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon tarragon olive oil (or plain olive oil)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350°F toss parsnips with tarragon olive oil, black pepper, and salt. Spread into an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until parsnips are soft but not browned.
While the parsnips are baking – Season the pork tenderloin all over with salt and pepper. Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, oil, garlic, and thyme. Place the pork into a small dutch oven or casserole dish, then pour the marinade over the top, and rub into the meat. Try to keep as much of the mixture over the tenderloin as opposed to pooled around it. (you may have a bit left over)
Raise oven temperature to 450°F Scatter cooked parsnips around the meat. Roast meat and parsnips for 20 – 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer in the thickest part reads 145°F. Let meat rest 5 minutes before slicing.
To serve, slice meat into 1/2 inch medallions. Drizzle with a little extra balsamic and garnish with fresh herbs.
