This Pork Tenderloin Tomato Salad is the perfect example of how I like to eat in the summertime. Well, when I actually eat a meal. Random intervals of slightly rapid snacking are usually where I’m at in 30+ weather: The power of a well-timed bag of chips on a patio cannot be overstated. But when I’m not in sun-soaked raccoon mode, a simple protein seasoned with a punchy marinade, paired with the season’s freshest and finest, is all I need. And that’s exactly what this salad is. A piece of lean protein flavoured with an aromatic heavy caramel marinade spiked with fish sauce, cooked, sliced, and tossed with juicy summer tomatoes. What could be better?
We truly are in the golden hour of the year. That perfect season when all sorts of produce comes into its own. It’s honestly a little overwhelming. And I mean that in the best way possible. Whenever I enter a market or grocery store, I am immediately struck with intense FOMO. I have to get the tomatoes, peaches, plums, and berries because come November potatoes are what we have. Nothing against potatoes or anything; they are my primary food group. This may sound like a good-to-have problem, and it is, but it’s not without its pitfalls. Now that you have secured everything you dreamed about in deep dark February, how are you going to get through it all before it spoils?
That’s why tomatoes take centre stage in this Pork Tenderloin Tomato Salad. They outnumber the pork slices significantly, and you know what? It works. And why does it work? Because the tomatoes are at their juicy peak and the pork is seriously flavourful. You don’t need a ton to feel like you’ve had a lot. And that’s thanks to the pork’s very punchy marinade, which is conveniently where this recipe begins.
Now, I’m not going to go into too much detail on how to put the marinade together because it is all laid out for you at the bottom of this post. But I am going to address the caramel portion of this recipe, since it’s not particularly pedestrian, at least in North American cooking.
I’m sure it’s not a shock to learn that this marinade is heavily influenced by Vietnamese cuisine. It’s one of my favourite flavour profiles of all time. I particularly love the way they introduce the deep, warm notes of caramel to an otherwise very light, funky, and refreshing dish. Vietnamese cuisine is rich in contrasts, and I will never get over its genius.
To make the caramel, I used the dry method. You can add water to the sugar as an insurance policy, though. Add roughly 2 tbsp of water to the sugar before cooking. This will slow the caramelization process because the water has to evaporate before the sugar reaches its target amber shade. I prefer the dry method because it requires no evaporation time, and when you’re in a rush, that is a blessing.
The dry method is one of those techniques where you have to trust the process, exercise patience, and maybe a little intuition. Pour sugar into a pan, swirl it into an even layer, and let it melt over medium heat until it’s liquid. Then, you’re going to gather your courage and let it turn a soft amber colour. You will reach this threshold quicker than you think.
Pull the caramel when it’s a hair lighter than you’d like it, then immediately whisk in your fish sauce. The caramel will seize and bubble like mad, but just keep whisking; I promise it will settle into a rich, saucy texture. Introduce your sexy caramel to your blitzed aromatics and a little lime juice. Pour the concoction over your tenderloin and boom; Your pork is marinating.
The rest of the recipe is fairly straightforward, but I am going to address the timing of things. I like to build and dress the tomatoes about an hour before serving. And this is really the bare minimum. I think tomatoes are just so magical when they’ve had time to luxuriate in citrus, chilis, and garlic. Not only do they become more flavourful, but they also break down slightly, releasing juices and softening. It really benefits the whole dish, so please consider getting a jump on it.
The other bit of timing I want to draw your attention to is when to take the meat out of the fridge and preheat the oven. And the answer is at the same time. Take your meat out of the fridge roughly an hour before serving. At the same time, start preheating your oven. This will give the oven 30 minutes to come up to temperature and give the pork 30 minutes to come up to room temperature. Meat cooks far more evenly when it’s had an opportunity to shake the chill of the fridge off.
From there, you just have to sear and roast the pork. And because it’s a tenderloin, it doesn’t take long in the oven. So to recap, build your salad, take your meat out of the fridge, and preheat the oven when you’re an hour from dinner time. Easy, right? Do you see why I love cooking like this in the summer?
And that’s everything you need to know about this Pork Tenderloin Tomato Salad! Easy to make, easy to love, and very summer-forward.
Enjoy!
Pork Tenderloin Tomato Salad
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place the shallots, lemongrass, ginger, and garlic in a food processor. Add a tablespoon of the oil and blitz until the mixture resembles mulch. Set it aside.3 cloves garlic, 2 shallots, 1 stalk lemongrass, 1 1-inch knob ginger, 2 tbsp neutral oil **
- Pour the sugar into a skillet. Place it over medium heat and cook until the sugar melts and turns a light amber. Take it off the heat and immediately whisk in the fish sauce and lime juice. Pour the caramel over your blitzed aromatics and stir to combine.1/3 cup granulated sugar, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice
- Place the tenderloin in a resealable container and pour the marinade over top. Seal and give it a shake. Let marinate for 3 hours or overnight.1 pork tenderloin
- When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°F. Take the pork out of the fridge and let it come up to room temperature; this should take about 30 minutes.
- While you’re waiting on the pork, whip up the salad dressing. Place the garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, sambal oelek, and honey in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Place the tomatoes in a bowl and pour the dressing over top. Toss to coat using clean hands to avoid bruising the tomatoes. Set the salad aside while you tackle the pork.1 clove garlic, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sambal oelek, 2 tsp honey, 2-3 medium-sized heirloom tomatoes, 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- Heat the remaining oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the tenderloin and sear it until golden all over. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through. The pork should register an internal temp just shy of 145°F.
- Place the tenderloin on a cutting board and tent with foil. The pork will reach an internal temperature of 145°F as it rests. Slice the pork nice and thin.
- Arrange the pork on a platter and cover with the tomato salad. Pour the dressing and tomato juices that have collected at the bottom of the bowl over the pork and tomatoes. Garnish the salad with cilantro, garlic chips, and garlic chive blossoms. Serve immediately.¼ cup fresh cilantro, Garlic chives blossoms, Garlic chips
