Pork Tenderloin Sliders

I think it’s safe to say that 2020 was one heck of a year. 2020 robbed us all of something, ranging from lives of those we love, to loss of jobs and income, to cancellation of large gatherings near and dear to our hearts. I feel blessed when I say that the biggest thing I missed out on in 2020 was the Grove. For those of you that aren’t Ole Miss fans, this is the tailgate of all tailgates. Am I biased? Yes. Am I wrong? No. The Grove as a physical location is roughly ten acres of green space in the heart of the University of Mississippi campus. On seven Saturdays out of the year, it becomes a sea of red and blue tents, full of chandeliers and tables piled high with every dip and grab-and-go appetizer you’ve ever heard of (and likely some that you haven’t). I didn’t grow up an Ole Miss fan, but Ole Miss welcomed me with open arms when I showed up in 2013— enough that I never managed to leave Oxford! One of my favorite things about Ole Miss is that southern hospitality that I’m always talking about— there’s truly nothing else like it. When I was a tour guide at Ole Miss in college, I always used to joke that you can’t walk across campus without seeing someone you know. Even my tour guide days were many years ago, that phrase still rings true for me today, and especially on gameday.

ANYWAY- let’s talk about these sliders. There is no dish that is easier to make for a crowd, nor one that keeps so well. I once made entirely too many of these for my book club (I went a little over the top— see spread below), and William and I ate them for lunch and dinner the rest of the week. The secret to the flavor of this dish is the marinade. Whip it up as you clean up the kitchen after dinner the night before and let it marinate in the fridge overnight. Give it a quick sear on the stove, roast in the oven wrapped in foil, carve, and WOO- you’ve got yourself some irresistible game-day sliders. Totally optional, but I would be remiss if I didn’t advise you to serve with some tasty sauces (recipes included). If you’re in a pinch for time, grab some store-bought grainy mustard and barbecue sauce and call it a day.

Pork Tenderloin Sliders

For the pork:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons honey

Fresh thyme, chopped

Fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the sliders:

Pork Tenderloin, recipe above, cut in 1/3 in slices

Horseradish Sauce (see below)

Various sauces (barbecue and honey mustard are usually my go-tos)

1. Mix all of the ingredients (except the actual pork tenderloin) for the marinade in a bowl and pour into a gallon size ziplock bag.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3. Cut the pork tenderloin in half through (“hamburger” style, aka across the fat side, if you will). Place into the ziplock back and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Sear both pieces of pork on each side until there’s a little bit of a crust.

5. Wrap each end of pork tightly in aluminum foil and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the pork is 145-150 degrees at the fattest part of the cut. It should be slightly pink inside if you follow these instructions. (Totally fine if you prefer no pink, but the meat is going to be a little bit tougher).

6. Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes.

7. Slice into 1/3 inch thick slices. Serve on King’s Hawaiian rolls (or your roll of choice) with a variety of sauces.

Horseradish Sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons mayonaise

2 tablespoons horseradish (can substitute dijon mustard)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Mix all of the ingredients together. Adjust to taste.