Pork Tenderloin Skewers
Pork Grilling Recipes Spanish Meat Dishes
Spanish-style pork skewers.
Pinchos morunos (Moorish skewers) or brochetas de cerdo are the Spanish version of North African kebabs. In southern Spain they're much more heavily spiced, but the ones I ate in the Basque Country had a simpler marinade, with emphasis on the meat flavor and juiciness, so they could be served without a heavy sauce. Just a slice of baguette and parsley oil. At only one place, right on the corner with Boulevard, they served them with Tabasco sauce and I found the combination inspired. I could make them as spicy as I liked, and the vinegar in the sauce pairs really well with the pork flavor. The parsley oil added gloss and freshness. Notice that I cut the meat into small cubes so they cook quickly on the grill. In this heat, every minute with the stove on counts. I served them with a small, cold beer, just like in San Sebastian.
Ingredients
1 pork tenderloin (about 400g)
1/2 small onion (about 20g)
2 large garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon vinegar (cider or red wine)
2 tablespoons olive oil
coarse salt, black pepper
1 thin-skinned green pepper (don't use bell pepper, the walls are too thick)
For serving: Tabasco sauce, parsley oil and grilled baguette slices
Makes: 8
How to prepare pork tenderloin skewers
- Clean the tenderloin of any silverskin. Cut into approximately 2cm cubes.
- In a small food processor, add the chopped onion, crushed garlic, bay leaf torn into pieces, oregano, paprika, and cumin. Sprinkle with two good pinches of sea salt and grind plenty of black pepper. Add the vinegar and oil. Blend everything until you have a reddish paste. If the processor can't blend the paste finely, add a few tablespoons of water and continue blending.
- Pour the marinade over the meat, cover the container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Before preparing the skewers, take the meat out and let it come to room temperature.
- Thread about 5 pieces of meat on each skewer. Alternate square slices of green pepper between them.
- Heat a grill pan very well (about 5 minutes over high heat, without adding any fat). First grill the baguette slices on both sides. Then start grilling the skewers. Reduce heat to medium-low. Place as many skewers as fit in the pan without crowding, leaving space between them.
- Grill each skewer for about 1.5 minutes per side, then 1 more minute on the lateral sides. The skewers should get nice grill marks, but don't leave them too long - tenderloin is a lean meat that dries out quickly.
- Transfer the skewers to a platter and drizzle with a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Careful, Tabasco is very hot, watch how much you add. Cover the platter with aluminum foil and let the skewers rest for 5 minutes.
- Arrange the skewers and baguette slices on the serving platter. Drizzle generously with parsley oil (the version without garlic).
Marinating the meat
Assembled skewers
Pork Tenderloin Skewers
