Grilling recipe: Stan Hays’ Pork Tenderloin with Jalapeno-Apricot Glaze

Apricot preserves and jalapeno jelly transform a champion pitmaster's simple pork tenderloin into moist, spicy-sweet barbecue bliss.

You’ll find this simple, spicy-sweet and undeniably moist tenderloin recipe in Stan Hays’ new  cookbook, “Operation BBQ: 200+ Smokin’ Recipes from Grand Champions” (Page Street Publishing Co., $30).

When Hays isn’t helping serve meals — a whopping 1.78 million and counting — as the co-founder of the Operation BBQ Relief nonprofit, he’s winning barbecue competitions with County Line Smokers, a Kansas City team.

This recipe is one of his all-time favorites to cook for family and friends.

Stan Hays’ Pork Tenderloin with Jalapeno-Apricot Glaze

Yields 3 servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons apricot preserves

3 tablespoons jalapeño jelly

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 to 2 tablespoons agave syrup

1 jalapeño, diced small, optional

1 shallot, diced small, optional

1 pound pork tenderloin

2 tablespoons of your favorite pork rub

Directions:

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the preserves, jelly, vinegar, agave syrup and diced jalapeno and shallot. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil, then remove it from the heat. Divide the glaze into two bowls, one for basting and the other for serving, and keep them warm.

Using a knife, trim the silver skin and any loose fat from the pork tenderloin. Apply a coating of your favorite pork rub to all sides of the meat.

Heat your smoker or grill to 300 degrees for direct cooking. Place the tenderloin on the cooking grate, close the lid and cook for 90 seconds. Remove the lid, rotate the pork loin a quarter turn and cook for an additional 90 seconds.

Continue grilling and turning the pork until the tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 125 to 130 degrees in the thickest area before you start to apply the glaze. There is a large amount of sugar in the glaze, so make sure to move the pork loin to the coolest area of the grill to avoid burning. Apply several layers of the glaze and continue cooking until the thickest part of the tenderloin reaches 138 to 140 degrees.

Remove the tenderloin from the grill, tent it with foil and let it rest for 5 to 8 minutes. Then slice the tenderloin on the bias and serve with the reserved glaze as a dipping sauce.

— From “Operation BBQ: 200+ Smokin’ Recipes from Competition Grand Champions” by Stan Hayes with Tim O’Keefe (Page Street Publishing Co., $30)