Herbed Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Sauce (AIP/Paleo)

While It’s still rhubarb season, I thought I’d share a recipe I’ve been developing. This recipe is also one I gave a sneak peak of over on the Autoimmune Paleo Instagram account when I guest-posted a couple weeks ago.

With summer very quickly approaching & my tastes beginning to gravitate more towards blueberries & stone fruit, I wanted to share one more rhubarb recipe for this season. Did you know that rhubarb is actually a vegetable? Somehow, that knowledge gives me immense satisfaction, as I am consciously trying to increase daily my vegetable intake. I guess most vegetables don’t require the addition of honey or maple syrup (or apple juice) to make them palatable, but perhaps lets just forget that pesky fact ;)

Rhubarb is more often used in desserts, but this application proves it can work with savory foods just as well. This sauce has a great, pure rhubarb flavor (no strawberries in sight, rhubarb purists) while still remaining a little on the tart side. I’ve paired it with an herbed pork tenderloin, but I can imagine it might also be a great dipping sauce for meatballs or for roasted chicken.  Depending on where you live, rhubarb stalk color can vary greatly.... The first couple batches of rhubarb I bought were bright red & produced a very red sauce; however, my latest batch was more on the green side & the sauce was not nearly as colorful. Even my less-colorful batch was delicious, so don’t stress if your sauce isn’t quite as vibrant as my photo.

In case anyone is curious, I served the pork with some sautéed asparagus & butternut squash "risotto."

Herbed Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Sauce
yields 2 to 3 servings 

1 1lb Pork Loin
4 tsp chopped fresh herbs (I like equal parts thyme, sage, parsley, and rosemary, but use what you have)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbl oil (I’ve used melted duck fat and avocado oil), plus an additional tablespoon for the pan.
Rhubarb Sauce, recipe follows

1. Dry the pork tenderloin well. In a small bowl, mix together the herbs & sea salt. Rub the tenderloin with 1 Tbl oil & sprinkle with the herb/salt mix. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
2. Heat some additional oil in a cast iron skillet (or other heavy skillet). Sear the tenderloin (cut it in half if necessary) on all sides over medium high heat, rotating as necessary. The searing process should take around 5 minutes. 
3. Transfer the tenderloin to the preheated oven & roast for 5 to 10 additional minutes, or until an instant thermometer inserted into the tenderloin reads 150 F. 
4. Remove the pork from the oven & allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with rhubarb sauce, if desired. 

Rhubarb Sauce
250 g  (2 cups) sliced rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
75 g (1/3 c) filtered water
42 g (2 Tbl) Raw Honey, plus additional if needed

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
3. Remove from the heat & carefully taste a little of the sauce. If the rhubarb is still exceptionally tart, add an additional tablespoon of honey. 
4. Serve either warm, cold or room temperature with the herbed pork tenderloin. Refrigerate any leftovers.