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Everything Bagel-Crusted Grilled Pork Tenderloin

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 2, 2011

Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Everything Bagel-Crusted Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients

2 pounds pork tenderloins (2 loins, 1 ½ to 2 pounds total weight)1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked1 teaspoon poppy seeds ½ teaspoon caraway seeds 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon cornmeal ½ cup cornstarch 2 large egg whites

Before You Begin

To crack the spices, place them in two zipper-lock bags, one inside the other, and press or gently pound with a skillet, rolling pin, or meat mallet. If you don't have kosher salt, use 1/2 teaspoon table salt.

Instructions

  1. PREPARE GRILL Heat all burners on high for 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) off. (For charcoal grill, open bottom vent on grill. Light about 100 coals; when they are covered with fine gray ash, spread over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place and heat covered, with lid vent open completely, for 5 minutes.) Scrape and oil cooking grate.
  2. COAT PORK Meanwhile, pat pork dry with paper towels. Combine sesame seeds, garlic, peppercorns, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, salt, and cornmeal on rimmed baking sheet. Place cornstarch in large bowl. Beat egg whites in second large bowl until foamy. One at a time, coat tenderloins lightly with cornstarch, dip in egg whites, and transfer to rimmed baking sheet to coat with spice mixture.
  3. GRILL PORK Spray tenderloins lightly with cooking spray and grill, covered, over hot side of grill, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Slide pork to cooler side of grill and continue to cook, covered, until meat registers 145 degrees, 6 to 12 minutes longer. Transfer pork to carving board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
Everything Bagel-Crusted Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Everything Bagel-Crusted Grilled Pork Tenderloin

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 pounds pork tenderloins (2 loins, 1 ½ to 2 pounds total weight)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cornmeal
½ cup cornstarch
2 large egg whites

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 pounds pork tenderloins (2 loins, 1 ½ to 2 pounds total weight)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cornmeal
½ cup cornstarch
2 large egg whites

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

2 pounds pork tenderloins (2 loins, 1 ½ to 2 pounds total weight)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cornmeal
½ cup cornstarch
2 large egg whites

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

To avoid a sandy exterior for our Everything Bagel-Crusted Grilled Pork Tenderloin, we used sesame seeds, garlic, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, black peppercorns, salt, and cornmeal. To help the crust stay put, we first rolled the tenderloin in cornstarch, then dipped it in lightly beaten egg whites before adding the spices to the exterior. Gently pressing the spices onto the pork also helped the crust stay put. A spritz of cooking spray right before grilling further ensured the crust adhered to the pork instead of sticking to the grill.

Before You Begin

To crack the spices, place them in two zipper-lock bags, one inside the other, and press or gently pound with a skillet, rolling pin, or meat mallet. If you don't have kosher salt, use 1/2 teaspoon table salt.

Instructions

  1. PREPARE GRILL Heat all burners on high for 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) off. (For charcoal grill, open bottom vent on grill. Light about 100 coals; when they are covered with fine gray ash, spread over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place and heat covered, with lid vent open completely, for 5 minutes.) Scrape and oil cooking grate.
  2. COAT PORK Meanwhile, pat pork dry with paper towels. Combine sesame seeds, garlic, peppercorns, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, salt, and cornmeal on rimmed baking sheet. Place cornstarch in large bowl. Beat egg whites in second large bowl until foamy. One at a time, coat tenderloins lightly with cornstarch, dip in egg whites, and transfer to rimmed baking sheet to coat with spice mixture.
  3. GRILL PORK Spray tenderloins lightly with cooking spray and grill, covered, over hot side of grill, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Slide pork to cooler side of grill and continue to cook, covered, until meat registers 145 degrees, 6 to 12 minutes longer. Transfer pork to carving board, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

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