Pork Tenderloin with the BOMB

I assume you've never had a bomb in your kitchen. We certainly hadn't until this one and what a BOMB it is ...a bacon, onion, mushroom and bourbon sauce. A glorious combination, believe me.

If you remember, during our vacation this year I posted a recipe for "kick ass" pork chops served with a  bourbon maple sauce. It was so darn memorable I've been wanting to make it again ever since so last night's dinner is a take on that fabulous sauce with some very important additions.

I started by cooking some bacon until crisp, set it aside and added a little butter to the remaining drippings, then sauteed onion and mushrooms. After deglazing the pan with a hefty half cup of bourbon, it was topped up with some chicken stock and brought to a simmer. With flour to thicken, a touch of maple syrup for sweetness, lots of coarse ground black pepper and cream to round out the sauce, I could barely put aside my tasting spoon to prepare the tenderloin medallions.

If you want to know the truth, it was all I could do not to dump the gravy into the pot of mashed potatoes and go hide in the closet with it along with a spoon; however, sanity prevailed. Gee, I hate when that happens!

By the way, if you're not much in to pork but like chicken, this sauce would be amazing with cluck too. Who are we kidding here - it would be great on or in my old worn out scuzzy moccasins too.

Pork Tenderloin with Bacon, Onion, Mushroom & Bourbon Sauce

Sauce:

4 slices thick cut bacon

1 tablespoon butter

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)

3/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Salt & coarse ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons flour (I used Wondra instant blending flour)

1/2 cup bourbon

1-1/3 cups low sodium chicken stock

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 cup heavy cream

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and set aside. Add butter to pan drippings and add onion. Sauté until onion is soft and begins to turn golden brown. Add chopped mushrooms and cook stirring for 2 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and continue to cook until mushrooms are soft. Add salt and black pepper. Stir in flour and cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Make a well in the center of the pan and add bourbon. Let reduce for 30 seconds, and stir in chicken stock. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until sauce is very thick – about 5 minutes. Add cream and maple syrup. Taste for seasoning and add more coarse ground black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.

Pork Tenderloin:

1 pork tenderloin (approx. 1 pound) well trimmed

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Salt & pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Remove all silver skin from tenderloin and cut into 1 inch medallions. Pound each medallion gently until they are one-half inch thick. Season well with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet until shimmering. Add tenderloin and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and place into prepared sauce. Bring sauce and tenderloin to a slow simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with crumbled bacon.  Serves 4  Download Pork Tenderloin with BOMB

Hint - to help reduce the carbs, subsitute a maple flavored low calorie syrup. You could also eliminate dredging the pork in flour before browning.

Comments

[Nanan]

Oh - man - Junebug - now you make me want to do this AND the apples with the pork... - I do have a huge pork loin.... hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm do I have bourbon....

[June]

Lea they are both good but the bourbon and maple syrup combination with onions, mushrooms and bacon ...well didn't I say it was the BOMB? LOL

[Mags]

I would so have been in the closet with a bucket full of taters and that gravy!

[June]

Maker's Mark I might add. It was a close call.

[pam]

Who needs pork or chicken when you've got sauce like that!!!

[June]

Pam - true so very true!

[Nanan]

I made something similar tonight - I didn't have bourbon - my mom was a fan of regular scotch - and even though it is 3 years today that she passed - I have 6 different high quality brands of bottles of the stuff still in the house. So I used scotch in her honor tonight - wow - it will be used again for sure!!!!! I might have to do comparisons with the different brands hehehehe! I will blog soon and link to you my friend!!! My sister is working late and picking some up for her supper!

[June]

I'm raising my glass of wine to your Mom in a toast. She sure raised a FINE daughter - two I'm thinking, and she had great taste. Scotch is fabulous and I'll bet it was incredible in this! Take a gander through desserts on this site at the butterscotch pudding and use some more of that precious stuff. Ohhhhh yumma!Hugs to you!

[Betty Prewitt]

The BOMB it is!! This was so good that I even have left overs. I made Gordy share. This will be a staple in my menu selection. Just loved it!!

[June]

Betty! You made it...I'm trying to come up with something new that doesn't take any booze, but darn it's hard especially after this one. Course you do have bourbon...mmmm possibilities, oh the possibilities! Ha