Cornbread and Sage Encrusted Pork Tenderloin

I thought it would be fitting that my first recipe is one of my "Go Tos" when company comes over. I discovered the basic concept about 3 years ago and have tweaked it until I got it how we like it. We serve this meal with a tossed green salad with oranges, sweetened almonds and an OJ sweet dressing (recipe to follow), sautéed spinach with apples, pine nuts and golden raisins, steamed and sweetened carrots and an herby creamed fresh corn. Okay...let's go!


Stuff you'll need to round up:

2 pork tenderloin roasts

8x8 dish of cornbread (you can buy corn muffins if you don't want to make cornbread)

3 TB chopped fresh sage or 2 TB dried rubbed sage

4 TB Dijon Mustard

1 clove crushed garlic

2 TB oil

2 TB butter


And here's what you do to make it:

Heat oil in the skillet until hot

Season pork with salt and pepper

Brown pork tenderloins on all sides

Take pan off the heat and transfer roasts to a baking dish (like a 9x13)

In pan, melt 2 TB of butter and garlic on low heat then turn burner off

Stir in crumbled cornbread & sage with salt and pepper to taste (set aside)

Brush browned pork with Dijon mustard on all sides

Begin taking cornbread mixture by handfuls and press it onto all sides of pork. The mustard will help it stick and you want to continue until you have a think coating on all sides of each roast. Any extra cornbread and can be pressed on top of both roasts


Bake at 350 degrees uncovered until tenderloins reach internal temperature of 150. This should take about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. Tent with foil if cornbread starts to get too brown. Let this rest for about 15 minutes and transfer to carving platter. Cut slices about 3/4 inch thick to make medallions of pork. Give each person about 3 or 4 medallions.