Hickory Pork Tenderloin

My favorite cut of pork (or meat, for that matter) is pork tenderloin. Boneless, lean, and adaptable to any of the dozens of great recipes I can think of, this meat has a light, subtle flavor that plays well with many of the spices, sauces, marinades, and condiments I can think of. It doesn't hurt that this meat is often found for under $1.50 lb. and looks absolutely elegant when you're entertaining guests for dinner. This can meat can be as simple as a thin sliced sandwich meat, hearty slices can be topped with sauces or gravies, and looks bold enough to be served in a holiday meal.

Here, I'm taking some of my favorite smoky flavors, tossing them together in a dry rub, and I'm faking out the BBQ experience by roasting it to develop the flavors. When you don't have time, conducive weather, or the energy to grill - this entree will fool everyone. If you want to complete the grilled look, pop this meat on your grill pan on high for a 5-6 minutes per side before transferring it to an over-safe dish to bake.

3.5 lb. - 4 lb. pork tenderloin half ($4.39)
3 1/2 tsp. cumin ($.10)
1 tsp. garlic powder ($.05)
1 tsp. onion powder ($.05)
1/2 tsp. season salt ($.05)
1 1/2 tsp. hickory smoked salt ($.15)
1 tsp. smoked paprika ($.05)
1/2 T. oregano ($.05)
1 T. brown sugar ($.05)
1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder ($.05)
cooking spray

Combine all ingredients except tenderloin and cooking spray, mix well.

Rub mixture directly onto tenderloin.
Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, bake uncovered at 350 for 1 hour 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165.

Let meat rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Variation:
Slice thin using a meat slicer for amazing deli meat. Freeze in 1/2 to 1 lb. packages and pull them out when you want to.