Grilling a whole pork loin is relatively easy to do using the George Foreman Indoor/Outdoor Grill. If you have a Basic Grill it is best to cut the loin into smaller pieces for even and thorough cooking. I will explain both methods here.
You can use either a pork loin roast or pork tenderloin for this basic and tasty recipe. The cooking times will vary, depending on the thickness of the cut. The tenderloin tends to be thinner and has less fat. It will cook in less time than a whole loin roast.
This recipe has both sweet and savory elements. It will be enjoyed by those of all ages, even picky young eaters. I like to serve the pork with grilled apple wedges and grilled cabbage slices. These fruits and veggies further compliment the sweet and savory components of the marinade. You may also want to add a side of hardy baked beans.
The apples will take only 1 to 2 minutes per side. Cabbage, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slabs (halves or quarters of the head) will take longer, approximately 4 to 6 minutes per side on the Indoor/Outdoor Grill. You can cook these on your already hot grill with a little butter, salt, and pepper while the pork is resting.
Grilled Whole Pork Loin with Honey Mustard Marinade
Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 pound boneless pork loin or pork tenderloin
- 2 TBS liquid honey*
- 2 TBS spicy brown mustard
- 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) + some to coat the grill
- 2 TBS dry white wine
- 2 tsps tamari or soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp ginger root powder
*If you are using solid, raw honey, just give it a quick melt before mixing with the other ingredients.
Total time:40 min – Prep time:10 min + marinating for 5 hours – Cook time:30 min – Serves:6 people
Author: Diana
Directions:
1. Trim your pork loin by removing the excess fat cap. Trim the tenderloin of the silver skin. Check out this video for removing the silver skin. Place the pork in a large sealable plastic bag. Place the bag into a baking dish to catch any spills after the marinade is added.
2. Whisk together the 6 marinade ingredients in a bowl and pour the mixture over the pork in the bag. Seal this well and massage so that the pork is entirely covered with the marinade. Place the dish with the bagged pork in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours.
3. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and allow it to come almost to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your Indoor/Outdoor Grill to setting 4.
5. While the grill is heating up, remove the pork from the bag and discard the marinade. You don’t want to use it because of the raw pork juices.
6. Place a wad of paper towel in your grill tongs and dampen it with EVOO. Rub the grill plate surface with the oil soaked towel. Place the pork on the grill and close the lid.
– 6.1 If using a pork loin roast, grill for up to 40 minutes, turning over at 20 minutes. Test the temperature at 20 minutes and every 10 minutes after that. You are looking for an internal temperature of 155 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
– 6.2 If using pork tenderloin, grill for up to 20 minutes, rotating a quarter turn every 5 minutes to make sure all sides are evenly browned. Test the internal temperature at 12 minutes and every 4 minutes after that. With tenderloin you are looking for approximately 150 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on how pink you enjoy this very lean cut.
7. Remove the pork to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Grill your vegetables and fruit while the pork is resting (see notes in the introduction). You can also make a sauce for the pork by whisking together 1/4 cup of mustard with 1/4 cup of honey and 1 TBS of white wine to thin it out.
8. Slice the pork into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick slices and serve with the apples, cabbage, and honey mustard sauce.
Recipe Variation for the Basic Grill
The ingredients are exactly the same for this preparation. The directions are a bit different.
1. Trim the fat and silver skin from the pork. Then, cut your pork into smaller pieces as follows.
– 1.1 For whole pork loin roast cut it into 1-1/2” cubes.
– 1.2 For pork tenderloin, slice it into 1/2 inch thick medallions or rounds.
2. Place the pork pieces into a sealable plastic bag and prepare the marinade as described in the full recipe above. Allow the pork to sit in the marinade for 4 to 8 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Bring the pork almost to room temperature before grilling, approximately 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your Basic Grill to high. Brush or wipe EVOO on the bottom and top plates.
5. Discard the marinade and place the pork loin cubes on skewers that will fit between the grill plates. The tenderloin medallions do not need to be skewered.
6. Grill the skewered loin pieces or the flat tenderloin medallions with the top plate closed. This will take approximately 4 to 6 minutes. You can do this in batches. There is no need to flip or rotate.
7. While the grilled pork is resting, prepare the cabbage and apples on the hot grill. Remember to grill the cabbage first. The apples will only take about 1 minute on a contact grill. The cabbage will take 4 to 6 minutes to become tender with a slight crispness.
8. Serve the pork as is with grilled vegetables and fruit and a side sauce of honey, mustard, and wine.
Substitutions
The wine is the acid in this recipe. It will help to tenderize the meat for a softer, moist finished product. If you prefer not to use alcohol, you can substitute apple cider vinegar for a tart flavor, or mirin (rice wine vinegar) for a slightly sweeter acid component.
The recipe does not call for salt and pepper. The tamari is salty enough and the mustard is spicy. Feel free to season with salt and pepper, to your liking, before serving.
Keep in mind that tamari is gluten free, a great substitute for tradition soy sauce made from wheat.
Not a fan of ginger? By all means, leave it out or use powdered garlic for a nice twist.
Enjoy.
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