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Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites

Spice-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Bites

We get rave reviews for our no-skewer riff on pinchos morunos—juicy pork tenderloin bites, in 20 minutes.

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    20 minutes
  • Rating

Loosely translated as “Moorish bites impaled on thorns or small pointed sticks,” pinchos morunos is a Basque dish of seared pork rubbed with a blend of spices, garlic, herbs and olive oil. The recipe dates back generations, boasting influences from Spain and North Africa. Classic versions skewer the meat, which is seasoned with ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend, among other flavorings. We streamlined, nixing the skewers. And since ras el hanout can be hard to find, we went with a blend of cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and black pepper. We finished with a drizzle of honey, which heightened the flavor of the pork and seasonings.

Ingredients
  • 1

    tablespoon honey

  • 1

    tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1¼

    pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of silver skin and cut into 1- to 1½-inch chunks

  • 1½

    teaspoons ground coriander

  • 1½

    teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1½

    teaspoons smoked paprika

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    tablespoon neutral oil

In a small bowl, mix the honey and lemon juice. In a medium bowl, toss the pork with the coriander, cumin, paprika and ¾ teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet, heat the oil until barely smoking. Add the pork and cook undisturbed until well browned on the bottom. Flip the pieces and cook, occasionally turning, until browned on all sides. Off heat, drizzle with the honey-lemon mixture.