I often think of roasting pork loins or tenderloins as "cheating" since they are so easy and quick to do, but they have wonderful flavor when cooked right. --- The key to successfully roasting pork in general lies in not overcooking it. The old days of cooking pork to death are gone, thankfully. 

For this recipe you could use one or two pork tenderloins or one larger boneless pork loin. I actually thought I was buying a single pork loin when I bought the meat for this recipe, but it turned out to be three smaller pieces of pork loin. Obviously, smaller pieces and tenderloins will cook faster than a larger loin. 

You could serve this pork with salsa or perhaps fruit chutney, but it's delicious without any sauce or accompaniments at all. The leftovers make for delicious pork tacos.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. boneless pork loin or tenderloin

1 Tbs. ancho chile powder (available in Latin markets) - if you can't find ancho you could substitute New Mexico chile

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 Tbs. olive or canola oil

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  

Combine all of the ground spices in a small bowl.

Stir well.

Generously rub the chile spice mixture all over the pork. Refrigerate the pork for a minimum of two hours, preferably overnight. 

Place the chile-rubbed pork onto a metal rack in a roasted pan.  

POut the pork in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F.

Roast the pork until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the loin registers 150 degrees F. This can take anywhere from a half-hour to an hour, depending upon the size of the roast.

Take the pork out of the oven and place it on a cutting board. Cover with tinfoil and allow the pork to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

Slice the pork into medallions and serve.

Photos by Ted Scheffler