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A spicy jalapeno cranberry jelly tops these grilled pork tenderloin sandwiches to make a fast and tasty weeknight meal in under 30 minutes!
Spicy Cranberry Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches
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School is back in full swing, and between 2 football players, a cross country athlete, a senior mathlete volunteer guru, we are incredibly busy. I find myself in the thick of things around dinner time. Lately, I've been in a rut, so I decided to serve these Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches with a cranberry jalapeno jelly to spice things up. Since Smithfield® offers a variety of flavors, most of the work is done for me!
These sandwiches whip up in less than 30 minutes. The homemade jalapeno cranberry jelly takes a bit of time, but it keeps in your fridge for several weeks, so you can make it on a day you have more time. Never fear though, I have other options for your pork tenderloin sandwich in case the spicy cranberry jelly doesn't get made in time!
Let's start with how easy these are to assemble:
I started with a base of potato rolls. They are perfect for the size of the tenderloin and make fun little sliders. I gave them a spread of whipped cream cheese and a dollop of the jalapeño cranberry jelly. I love the combo of cream cheese with spicy jams. It really mellows out some of the spiciness so your mouth isn't totally on fire!
I then layered on 2-3 slices of the Smithfield® grilled tenderloin slices. Pile high my friends. I have one son that makes a leaning tower of tenderloin slices. LOL.
Top with some sweet pickled jalapeños if you dare! We store these in the fridge, so we always have them on hand. I'm sure that fresh jalapenos would be divine, but I love the pickled flavor of a jalapeno. The sweet kind are my favorites!
Top with some more jalapeno cranberry jelly and you're all set! We use a lot of spicy jams in other recipes-- so I love when some of this is left over. We mix it with BBQ sauce often and place that in the slowcooker with bbq meatballs for a super fast dinner.
The trick to making these in under 30 mins is to slice the tenderloin into smaller slices and to grill. Maybe your weather is finicky, it happens - well I have a solution for that.
This little grill pan is my best little friend. It's a bit on the small size which makes it easier to store and lift. I can cook ½ a tenderloin at one time. I don't see the small size sold individually, so if you went with the larger one then you could cook the whole tenderloin at one time.
I actually got my little grill pan when I bought my indispensable Le Creuset 7 ¼ quart enameled cast iron french oven. I've had it for almost 15 years and still use it a few times a week. I even added a 5 ½ quart to my collection last year. If you are looking for a bundle deal, I did find this one HERE!
To cook the pork, I simply place slices onto the hot pan and grill for 5-7 minutes on each side. I chose mesquite to give it that bbq smoked flavor without the work!
Since Smithfield offers a variety of flavors, I don't have to marinate! Less work for me! Their philosophy of real flavor real fast is spot on! Be on the look out for a ton of flavors:
Of course, always check for doneness when cooking raw pork. I can cook the whole tenderloin in under 15 minutes. You can always grill it on your outside grill (which would come out even quicker!).
Now, maybe you don't have time to make the jalapeño cranberry jelly, that's okay. Here are some options.
TOPPINGS FOR PORK TENDERLOIN SANDWICHES
- combine a can of whole cranberry sauce with store bought pepper jelly for a quick spicy cranberry jam.
- Use cream cheese with peach preserves, or apricot preserves
- top with bacon, Havarti cheese and whole grain mustard
- top with a slice of tomato, mozzarella cheese and pesto
- top with red bell peppers and cream cheese mixed with minced roasted garlic
- top with spinach and a smear of goat cheese
- top with apples sauteed with a bit of honey
Find more dinner inspiration with Smithfield® HERE and HERE.
Jalapeno Cranberry Jelly Recipe:
📋Recipe
jalapeno cranberry jelly
Ingredients
- 1 1 lb bag fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 cups white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped yellow onion
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ cup finely chopped SWEET pickled jalapenos
- 1 package gelatine (this is just slightly over 2 tsp's)
- 10 teaspoon water
Instructions
- In an instant pot, combine the cinnamon stick, 1 cup water and the cranberries. On the saute setting, bring to a boil and boil for several minutes. It will take longer if using frozen berries
- Once the berries begin to pop and break down, switch instant pot to warm setting.
- Stir in both sugars, the salt, onion, garlic salt, ginger and pickled jalapenos.
- Place lid on instant pot, move knob to "sealing" setting. Set instant pot on manual, high for 35 minutes.
- Allow instant pot to do a natural release
- Once pressure is released, remove lid.
- In a small bowl, combine the gelatine with the water. Allow to set for 5 minutes. Once it has "bloomed" microwave for 10 seconds. Stir well after and mix thoroughly.
- Add a bit of the cranberry sauce into the gelatine, and whisk. Then pour directly into the cranberry mixture. Turn the Instant Pot to the saute setting again, and stir constantly with a whisk for 10 minutes.
- The mixture will thicken up, just keep stirring!
- Once the 10 minutes is up, pour into a heat proof bowl. Allow to set for several hours in the refrigerator to firm up.
- Place in sealed containers and use within 2-3 weeks. For sealing in jars, or other canning methods, please see proper protocol and read up on safety precautions.
Nutrition
I found my Smithfield Slow Smoked Mesquite Flavor Loin Filet in the meat and poultry section of my local Walmart. I was able to pick up the potato rolls baked fresh in the in store bakery. You can also find pepper jelly in the jam and jelly aisle. I love being able to pick up all the ingredients for pork tenderloin sandwiches in one quick shopping trip!
What about you? Do you make pork tenderloin sandwiches for a fast and easy meal? Do you like savory jellies like the jalapeño cranberry jelly? Leave me a comment and let me know!
If you like this, you might like these other pork recipes:
Grilled Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with Balsamic Pepper Coleslaw
Cranberry BBQ Pulled Pork in a Slow Cooker
Easy Pork Tacos with Cilantro Aioli
David @ Spiced says
I love a good sandwich! And you've got some delicious flavors going on with these tenderloin sandwiches. I'm thinking I could go for this on a busy weeknight for sure. Thanks for sharing! #client
MrsMajHoff says
Thanks David! It's a great weeknight meal!
sue bates says
What is an instant pot?
MrsMajHoff says
Hi Sue! It's an electric pressure cooker. You can find the one I use here on amazon: http://amzn.to/2xUu19f (that's an affiliate link). It should explain it better than I can and show a picture. My mom uses and old-fashioned stove top pressure cooker. You can also make the jelly on the stovetop in a regular pan, but it might take just a bit more time. Thanks for asking!