piggly wiggly

Maple and bacon taste good together, this much we know. We recently took a little vacation to Duck, NC, and had some maple bacon donuts, further proving the point.

A company called Kelly's Delight is well aware of this awesome combination, and they're taking full advantage of it! They have a Maple Bacon Cane Syrup that's perfect for just about anything, from pancakes to pork. They also make Liquid Sugar Cane Syrup, Cinnamon Cane Syrup (a dream come true for this gal!), and Maple Cane Syrup. Their ingredients are pure, straightforward, and simple, including no high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. This is definitely a company I feel good about rooting for and supporting!

I decided to skip the obvious pancake use for this syrup and took a savory route instead. I incorporated the syrup into a really tasty sauce for pork loin. Don't just take my word for it. My husband, who is a meat lover of the highest order, had one comment after his first bite: "Wow, this sauce is really good!" I'm usually the one drowning my meat in sweet sauce, but this time, we both did; it really was that delicious.

This is some pig-on-pig tastiness, folks. Pig squared. Double the pig, double the pleasure. I recommend using the Kelly's Delight Maple Bacon Syrup if you can find it, and if you can't, make this with whatever maple syrup you have on hand!

Pig-Glazed Pig
(printable recipe)
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup maple syrup, divided use (I used Kelly's Delight Maple Bacon Syrup)
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 pork tenderloins (1 to 1-1/2 pounds each)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon or whole grain mustard

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Stir 1/4 cup maple syrup, vinegar, and rosemary together in a liquid measuring cup or bowl; set aside.
Whisk cornstarch, salt, and black pepper in small bowl until combined. Transfer the cornstarch mixture to a rimmed baking sheet or big plate.
Pat the pork tenderloins dry with paper towels, then roll in cornstarch mixture until evenly coated on all sides, shaking off the excess.
In an oven-proof cast iron skillet (or similar), heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering and hot.
Place both tenderloins in the skillet, leaving at least 1 inch in between, and cook until well browned on all sides, 6-8 minutes total.
Transfer the tenderloins to a plate while you make the glaze.
Meanwhile, pour off any excess fat from the skillet and return it to medium heat.
Add the syrup mixture to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon, and simmer the mixture until it is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes.
Transfer 2 tablespoons of the hot glaze to a small bowl and set aside.
Pour the remaining glaze back into the measuring cup, move the loins back into the skillet, then brush each tenderloin with approximately 1 tablespoon glaze.
Roast the pork in the oven for about 10-12 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of tenderloins registers 125 degrees F.
Brush each tenderloin with another tablespoon glaze and continue to roast another 1-3 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of tenderloins registers 130 to 135 degrees F.
Remove the skillet from the oven and brush the pork with the remaining glaze. Cover the loins with foil and let them rest for 10 minutes.
While the tenderloins rest, stir the remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup and mustard into the reserved 2 tablespoons glaze.
Slice the pork into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices and serve with the maple-mustard glaze.