Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Sauce

I am all for scratch cooking. In fact that is almost what I always do. But every once in awhile you come across a sauce or seasoning mix that you will just never make from scratch. That is how I feel about this artisanal black bean sauce.

I am still on a black bean binge using my wonderful sauce. I read the label to find the business name of the product. It was in very small print. The ingredients were all natural and even before opened, refrigeration was recommended. There is no sugar, no salt, no preservatives. It is the real deal.

When I lived in Calgary I found a little Chinese restaurant that made and sold their own black bean sauce. After a few years they discontinued production and I have not used black bean sauce since. The mass produced version in the grocery store does not even come close to the flavour of small batch. 

I researched the Ying Ying Soy Food and found a family business using certified non-GMO organic soybeans grown in Ontario close to their factory in Oakville. They describe themselves as 'family business making artisan tofu'. They make small batch tofu in the traditional way using nigaru as the coagulant rather than calcium sulfate in the modern mass production. 

The only information I could find on the black bean sauce was right on the label. After reading everything about them, I am so happy to have crossed paths. Their products are sold widely throughout Toronto and London, Ontario. The rest of us just have to find a friend to bring some home.

I am so fortunate to have Pine View Farms all natural pork tenderloin in my freezer. To use anything less with this artisanal black bean sauce just wouldn't be right.

Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Sauce

1 Pine View Farms pork tenderloin

2 tbsp. Ying Ying Soy Food black bean sauce

1 tbsp. oil such as sunflower, canola or corn

Prepare your tenderloin by removing the silverskin. This is a very tough tissue that will not soften with cooking. A sharp boning knife is ideal but any sharp knife will work.

Position the tip of a boning knife about 1/2 to 1 inch from one end of the visible silverskin. Push the tip under a strip of silverskin about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. Angle the knife slightly up toward the silverskin as you slide the knife down the tenderloin, freeing the silverskin. Use your free hand to hold the silverskin taut as you cut. If your knife isn't extremely sharp, you may need to use a slight sawing motion to work down the tenderloin. Once you've cut all the way through the end of the strip, turn the knife around and cut off the end that's still attached. Repeat until all the silverskin is gone. (From Fine Cooking).

A tip with pork tenderloin - this cut tapers making one end much thinner than the rest. This will cook more quickly and easily over cook. Just fold it back and tie with cooking string so the tenderloin is the same thickness throughout.

Preheat a cast iron pan on medium low heat and add oil. Season tenderloin with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in pan and sear on all sides. Turn heat to low. Baste the tenderloin with the black bean sauce and continue cooking until meat reaches an internal temperature of about 150 F. Remove from pan, place on cutting board and tent with foil. The meat will continue to cook. 160 F is the perfect internal temperature for medium rare. Rest for 10 minutes and serve.