Equipment
Ingredients
Spiced Pork
- 500 g pork tenderloin, silverskin removed
- 30 ml olive oil
- 3 garlic, minced
- 5 g ground cumin
- 3 g ground coriander
- 4 g smoked paprika
- 6 g salt, fine
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Tabbouleh
- 100 g fine bulgur wheat
- 150 ml boiling water
- 100 g flat-leaf parsley, washed, thoroughly dried, and stems removed
- 30 g fresh mint, leaves only
- 250 g roma tomatoes, cored and finely diced
- 150 g cucumber, seeded and finely diced
- 40 g green onions, thinly sliced
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 4 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 472 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbohydrates
- 29 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 1067 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 18 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 81 mg
- Potassium
- 1082 mg
- Calcium
- 112 mg
- Iron
- 6.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 117 mg
- Phosphorus
- 449 mg
- Zinc
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 194 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 51 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 4.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 452 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.40 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.55 mg
- Niacin
- 10.7 mg
- Folate
- 71 mcg
- Water
- 280 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the fine bulgur wheat in a small mixing bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Cover the bowl tightly with a plate or plastic wrap and let it sit undisturbed until the water is completely absorbed and the grains are tender.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Ensure your oven rack is in the middle position.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to form a thick spice paste. Rub this mixture evenly over the entire surface of the pork tenderloin.
Finely chop the flat-leaf parsley and fresh mint. Transfer the herbs to a large mixing bowl along with the diced tomatoes, diced cucumber, and sliced green onions.
Fluff the soaked bulgur with a fork to separate the grains, then add it to the bowl with the chopped vegetables and herbs. Pour in the extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Toss everything gently but thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Heat the oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the marinated pork tenderloin into the hot, dry skillet. Sear the meat until a rich brown crust forms on all sides.
Transfer the skillet with the seared pork directly into the preheated oven. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 63°C (145°F).
Remove the skillet from the oven. Immediately transfer the pork tenderloin to a clean cutting board and let it rest undisturbed before slicing.
Slice the rested pork tenderloin against the grain into medallions about two centimeters thick. Fan the slices out on individual plates and serve immediately alongside generous portions of the chilled or room-temperature tabbouleh.
Chef's Notes
- Pork tenderloin has a tough membrane called the silverskin running down one side. It must be removed before cooking, as it will not break down and can cause the meat to curl up in the pan.
- For the most authentic and vibrant tabbouleh, treat the parsley as the main ingredient rather than a garnish. The bulgur acts merely as a textural accent, not the base of the salad.
- Carryover cooking is critical here. When you pull the pork at 63°C (145°F), the internal temperature will continue to rise by a few degrees as it rests, bringing it to a perfect, safe, and juicy medium-rare to medium.
- Do not toss the tabbouleh with lemon juice and salt until just before serving. Salt pulls moisture from the vegetables, and acid will dull the vibrant green color of the herbs if left to sit too long.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Tabbouleh is best consumed within 48 hours before herbs wilt and tomatoes turn mushy.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze the cooked pork only. Tabbouleh does not freeze well due to the high water content of fresh produce.
Reheating: Enjoy the tabbouleh chilled or at room temperature. Reheat sliced pork gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water to prevent drying out.
Troubleshooting
Pork is dry and tough to chew
Cause: The tenderloin was left in the oven too long, cooking well past the safe threshold of 63°C (145°F)
Fix: Slice the pork as thinly as possible and drizzle generously with high-quality extra virgin olive oil or a squeeze of lemon to add artificial moisture back to the meat
Prevention: Always use a calibrated meat thermometer and pull the meat from the heat right at 63°C (145°F), accounting for carryover cooking during the resting phase
Tabbouleh is mushy and sitting in a pool of water
Cause: The vegetables released excessive liquid, or the herbs were wet when chopped
Fix: Transfer the tabbouleh to a fine mesh strainer and let the excess liquid drain away for a few minutes before serving
Prevention: Core the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds of the cucumber before dicing. Always spin your herbs completely dry before taking a knife to them
Cultural Context
Tabbouleh is a historic Levantine salad originating in the mountains of Lebanon and Syria. Traditionally, it is an herb salad heavily focused on parsley and mint, rather than a grain salad. Pairing this bright, acidic side dish with roasted, heavily spiced meat creates a classic Mediterranean balance, cutting through the savory depth of the cumin and coriander with sheer freshness.
