Joe's Home!!! Pork Tenderloin and Sweet Potato!!

So it's been a long week! It's Friday... and JOE'S HOME!!! How I love spring break! Time for a tasty dinner... what's in the fridge? What do we have? Some defrosting pork tenderloin (SCORE!!) and some super ready sweet potatoes!! Here we go! So, I have some great pork tenderloins, but NO time to marinate. Have you ever met a hungry boy?? "When's dinner... When's dinner... Is it almost dinner... Dinner ready???". You get it... Time for a quick spice rub on those tenderloins! Will do! Tonight I tossed 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt, 2 teaspoons of "Italian" seasoning, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper on to 2 tenderloins! So, after rubbing that spice into the pork, let it sit for at least 10 minutes while the oven heats up to 400 degrees, and you get ready to sear these babies in a med hot pan! Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to a medium hot pan and place the tenderloins in. You want to sear off the outside of the meat by browning and turning every couple of minutes. I turn about 5 times rotating all sides onto the bottom of the hot pan. Searing takes about 10 minutes all together. After you've seared the outside of the pork tenderloin, pop it into that 400 degree oven for at least 15 minutes. Now, I have, admittedly, the crappiest, mediocre, piss poor oven EVER... so if I can cook these tenderloins in this thing, yours will be amazing!! After 15 minutes in a 400 oven, you can test the temp of the pork with a meat thermometer (low tech kitchen gadgetry!!). My pork was only at 120 degrees, and you want at least 137-140 degrees, so I popped it in for another 5 minutes, and it was perfect (139 degrees). And while we're on the subject of high tech kitchen gadgetry... welcome to my accomplices in tonight's savory, delicious meal... the infamous potato masher, the ever reliable thermometer, the "large and in charge" kitchen knife, and the all mighty fork! As in "fork-tender potatoes", which leads us to our tenderloin partner in crime.... the almighty, wonderful sweet potato!!! Are sweet potatoes all you have? Do sweet potatoes go with pork tenderloin??? HECK YEAH! So, let's begin! Peel and cut your sweet potatoes. I use one (massive) sweet potato per person. Having said that, I always add one more (insurance potato)!! Cut potato into even chunks to insure cooking and pop into cold water. I always start boiling potatoes in cold water. Some sort of molecular chemistry reason, not sure what, but it always works!! Put evenly cut potatoes into cold water and set the heat on high. Once the water comes to a boil, add salt, at least 1 teaspoon, though I add 1 Tablespoon. Cook potatoes until fork tender (cue... high tech kitchen gadget... the FORK!!). This takes about 40 minutes if you cut your potatoes into thirds like I did. So... the pork's done, and the potatoes are cooked! We're CLOSE!! Rest the pork in a foil covered dish for 10 - 15 minutes to allow the meat to rest (meat mantra... let it rest!!). Drain the potatoes and add 2 Tablespoons of butter and salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. I DO NOT add a bunch of shananagans to my mashed sweet potates because I LIKE THE TASTE OF THE SWEET POTATOES!!! I don't want my potatoes tasting like brown sugar, or nutmeg, or pie, or anything other than sweet potato!! So, the meat has rested, time to cut and plate!! Using a sharp knife cut your pork into medallions about one inch thick. You could cut them thinner for sandwiches, but we want this to taste like thick cut, moist juicy savory meat!!! Now, I'm not a product pusher... but have you tried the raspberry habenaro sauce from Pampered Chef??? I have. Perfect on pork tenderloin!!! And then, there's also those luscious caramelized onions from last night! Oh... what to do what to do? How do you accessorize your moist, tasty, delicious pork tenderloin? Any way you like! Joe's way... habanero sauce! Simple, yummy and delicious! Or... My way, topped with caramelized onions, savory pan drippings, and simple sweet tasty potatoes! Simply amazing!!