I’m so happy that grilling season is here because there is nothing I enjoy better than when the weather warms up and we start cooking and eating outdoors. Spending the long days poolside and cooking up an easy meal like grilled pork tenderloin fajitas is my idea of relaxing and making the most of the weather. I am the one, of course, doing the cooking because I don’t lie in the sun, but I don’t mind because this recipe is so quick and easy. I like to serve the fajitas family style and that way everyone can help themselves, whenever they want. They’re easy to eat (no utensils, just hands) and cleanup is a breeze! I love to eat pork tenderloin all year long and when I can grill it, even better. Pork tenderloin grills up so quickly and I love the crispy crust that develops on the outside that is created by the rub.
Grilling the pork tenderloin on high heat leads to the best possible crust. For me, the crust is the best part and since I am the cook, I do have dibs on the crispy charred ends. With pork tenderloin being so lean it can get overcooked quickly, so I do have a couple of tips to ensure the perfect outcome. First, remove the meat from the refrigerator no longer than 1 hour before you are ready to cook it. This allows the cool meat to relax before heating it up and makes for more tender results.
I also recommend using a meat thermometer to get the ideal temperature to avoid overcooking or even undercooking the meat. Pork tenderloin is recommended internal cooking temperature of 140°F and this reading should be taken at the thickest part of the meat. Resting after cooking is also important. This should be about 10 minutes before you start slicing. This ensures that all the juices stay inside for perfectly moist meat. We’ve all been impatient and sliced meat right off the grill and that’s when you see all the lovely juices running out. Patience does pay off in this instance. Another plus of grilling is being able to cook all the ingredients of a meal on the grill. Fajitas are a quick and easy meal and I like to cook the onions and peppers alongside the meat in a vegetable grilling tray on the grill then everything is ready at the same time. The fajitas are served on flour tortillas that are warmed on the grill. When the pork is done, it must be allowed to rest for 10 minutes, then sliced. The slices are added to the warm tortillas, topped with onions and peppers and garnished with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro. A poolside meal in under 30 minutes, then normal activities can resume.
