* image These past few months have been busy for our family, especially since our oldest joined a local swim team. Between juggling our work schedules and balancing school with practices... we're all pretty wiped out. Although it's a lot of work, I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. Preparing the holiday meal for our family fills my heart with joy, and I can't wait to get started. To make things easier for me, I don't deviate much from our first Thanksgiving as a family. The dishes I make are familiar ones, and the recipes for them live at my fingertips. Keeping the same menu year after year means I don't have to spend time researching recipes or planning a new one. Here are my tried-and-true Thanksgiving recipes, as well as my prep timeline for the big day!
Truth be told, I actually made this dish back in March, when it was still bitter cold outside. I know it's still early in the fall, and the weather has been warmer than we all anticipated (at least in Pennsylvania), but I decided it's time to share this recipe for Beer-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Red Cabbage.
As the temperatures start to dip/plummet, you'll want to have it ready the next time you're looking for inspiration for a meal that will stick to your ribs.
I was drawn in by this recipe when I first spotted it in Bon Appétit Magazine, which was odd since I'm not typically tempted by pork recipes. But I thought it would be nice to change up our routine and make something for dinner that I knew Stephen would really enjoy. To make sure the meal was really satisfying, I served the pork and cabbage along with my famous creamy mashed potatoes.
Hello, comfort food.
The combination of the beer and the soy sauce in the marinade gave the pork a subtle sweet flavor, and when the marinade is reduced down to an accompanying sauce (not pictured), the dish is simply magical. As for the cabbage, Stephen and I couldn't get enough of it. Sweetened by the apples and slightly sour thanks to the addition of cider vinegar, the cabbage was the perfect vegetable side dish to serve with the pork.
We really enjoyed this meal, and after eating it, I'm warming up to the idea of making pork tenderloin for dinner more often.
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small head red cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Place the pork tenderloin in a large resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, whisk together the lager, soy sauce, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Pour the mixture into the bag with the pork and seal. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 8 and up to 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the pork tenderloin from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off. Reserve the marinade off to the side. Cook pork, turning, until browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of pork registers 140°F, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let rest for at least 10 minutes.
Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until slightly thickened, 5-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in another large skillet over medium heat. Add the cabbage, apple, bay leaves, and 1 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the cabbage until it is softened, about 15-20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar over the cabbage and toss to combine.
Slice the pork and serve with the cabbage mixture and sauce.
