This rum glazed pork tenderloin is one of our all-time favorite grilling recipes during the summer. Serve it with fresh grilled peaches as a simple side dish.
We are far enough into grilling season that the usual hamburgers and bbq chicken are losing their thrill.
I imagined doing kabobs of some kind but those things tend to be so fussy to make unless you're doing my easy meatball skewers!
Pork tenderloin tends to be one of our go-to dinner ideas and it is perfect for grilling in the summer.
This time, I decided to marinate the whole tenderloin in brown sugar and rum marinade and then thicken the marinade to make a sauce to drizzle over the top when we were done!
We are a family of dippers, so the idea of having the marinade to serve up on the side was super appealing to the kids.
Every last member of my picky eating family inhaled this dish. The kids even begged for seconds. We had to cut them off when the first tenderloin was gone so that we'd have enough for leftovers the next night!
This will most definitely be making the dinner rotation again soon.
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Ingredients
The rum glaze marinade for this pork is super easy, all you need to make the dish is:
- Pork Tenderloins: I always buy the plain, unseasoned Smithfield pork tenderloins
- Soy sauce
- Olive oil
- Brown sugar
- Dried ginger
- Rum
The rum definitely cooks off on the grill and the sauce is boiled to thicken before serving so it shouldn't be a problem for serving kids.
But if your family really prefers to skip the rum, you can substitute either a teaspoon of vanilla extract or ¼ cup of orange juice for a fruitier spin on the dish.
Marinate the Pork
I stirred up all the ingredients for the marinade and let the 2 pork tenderloins soak in it for 2 hours.
You could do this up to 24 hours in advance.
Freezer Tip: You can place the tenderloins with the marinade in a freezer safe container and let the meat tenderize in the marinade when it thaws in the fridge overnight before cooking.
How to Grill Pork Tenderloins
Take the pork out of the marinade, but save the liquid for cooking into a sauce.
Handyman Tim gets all the credit for the masterful grilling of these beauties:
He commented on how they got such a lovely brown color as they cooked. I suspect the soy sauce was at work.
The pork was grilled to a temperature of 145°F which left it at a safe to consume yet juicy and moist texture.
Tim used his new probe thermometer I got him for Father's Day and was able to watch the temperature on the pork from an app on his phone!
It came off the grill just perfect and didn't need the sauce but we loved serving it this way anyhow.
Thicken the Sauce
Bring the reserved liquid marinade to a rolling boil in a saucepan over HIGH heat for at least 2 minutes to be sure it is safe to use.
Then, let the sauce sit and settle for a while before using it over the pork. The oil and soy will initially separate after boiling but once it has cooled slightly, you'll be able to whisk it together as a perfect drizzly sauce.
Serving Suggestions
We decided to serve the pork with a side of grilled peaches and some toasted crostini with goat cheese.
It was the perfect combo for this summery dish! The sweet juicy peaches were just the right complement to the savory pork.
You could also add a side of chunky corn salsa for a simple veggie.
Pop a pan of my roasted mini potatoes into the oven while the pork grills. They can keep warm for up to 15 minutes in case the pork needs a little more time to cook.
What to Do with Leftovers
On the off chance you have even a single bite left of this delicious recipe, you may want to save the pork and slice it to make my easy Cuban sliders on a different night!
📖 Recipe
Rum Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rum the little sample size bottle of rum I had was exactly enough for this marinade
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 2 pork tenderloins approximately 3 pounds
Instructions
- Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a small bowl until the brown sugar has mostly dissolved.
- Place the pork tenderloins in a gallon-sized plastic bag, pour the marinade in, press the air out and close. Store in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
- Remove pork from the marinade and carefully transfer the marinade to a small saucepan to reserve.
- Grill the pork over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the center reads 145 degrees.
- Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a rolling boil for 2 minutes, whisking constantly to prevent burning. Set aside and let cool slightly while pork finishes.
- Let the pork rest under a tin foil tent for 5 minutes and then slice into thin pieces and serve alongside the marinade sauce.
- The recipe made enough to have leftovers for a full second dinner on night 2.
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