Fresh Herb Vinaigrette Pork Filet Mignon

After building my raised garden this year, I’ve been (impatiently) waiting to start using my fresh veggies and herbs!  There is just nothing like garden fresh!  N-O-T-H-I-N-G!  I had the opportunity to try something new while incorporating some of my garden children (Plants, people…  No cannibalism here.  Not until the zombie apocalypse).  Speaking of – what is your favorite zombie movie?  I’m still partial to the 1978 version of…wait…we’re getting off track.  Back to the pork…

If you’re looking for a way to keep your pork tender, flavorful, and juicy…this is the one.  After pulling this off, nobody will be asking “Where’s the beef?”.  This marinade is so packed with amazing flavor, your pork will soak it up and become a bacon wrapped dream come true.  You’ll wonder why you ever ate Aunt Mildred’s dried out pork chops.  We never did like her much, did we?  ON WITH THE FOOD!

Fresh Herb Vinaigrette Pork Filet Mignon

Ingredients:

8 Pork Filet Mignons

3 tblspn Dijon Mustard

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Water

The Juice of 1 Lemon

1 tblspn Chopped Rosemary

1 tblspn Chopped Licorice Basil (you can also use regular Basil)

1 tblspn Chopped Garlic

1 tspn Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

1 tspn Salt

1 tspn Red Pepper (optional)

Fresh Rosemary and Licorice Basil from my garden:

 

Directions:

Grab a mixing bowl and add your olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, rosemary, basil, garlic, salt, and red pepper.  The red pepper is to give a little heat on the back end.  It isn’t necessary…if your soul is weak.  If you do not have licorice basil, regular basil will do just fine.  Licorice basil has more of an anise flavor present.  It compliments the vinaigrette the way you do your wife when she walks out in that favorite dress of hers…that she only wears once…and then needs to buy a new one.

Whisk thoroughly until the vinaigrette comes together and emulsifies.  You will now add in your water and whisk again to combine.  It is not common in a vinaigrette to add water, though some chefs do add small amounts at times to thin it out and help level the strong flavors.  In this case, we are doing it to thin out our vinaigrette and help it easily cover our pork.

Put your pork cuts into a Ziploc bag, pour in your marinade, remove as much air as possible and seal your bag.  Place in the fridge and marinade for at least 4 hours.

Setup your grill for direct heat.  Make sure to leave a spot open that we can move the pork filets to that will not be directly over your heat source.  As always, I’m using charcoal.

Once your coals are ready, put those beautiful chops directly over your heat!  We want a medium to medium high heat.  Place the back of your hand over your heat – If it takes 3 – 5 seconds until it becomes too hot and you have to remove your hand, then our heat level is on point!

Cook about 4 to 5 minutes a side making sure to get some nice grill marks.  After cooking on each side, move your chops away from the heat source, close your grill, and finish cooking.  Our grill is now acting as our oven to finish the cooking process.  This ensures we do not dry the outside out before the inside is done cooking.

Let them cook another 6 minutes or so.  Grab your meat thermometer and make sure you have reached a temperature of 140 degrees.  Remove your chops and let them rest for about 5 minutes.  The cooking process will continue and they’ll reach around 145 degrees.  This will give you a nice medium pork filet.  Stop drying out your pork!  However, if you like it done a bit more; go a few more degrees…it’ll still be juicy!

This filet gets the smoky flavor from the bacon, the tang from the Dijon, the light citrus from the lemon, and the freshness from those amazing herbs and garlic!

Well – there it is!  You are now the Pete Sampras of Pork!  Hungry?