This Whole30-friendly sheet pan dinner was inspired by the flavors of Chinese barbecue pork (a.k.a. char siu)—long strips of seasoned, roasted boneless pork, often glazed with a sweet barbecue sauce.
Yes, I have a Paleo Char Siu recipe, too, but unfortunately, the traditional preparation takes hours, and I simply don’t have time for that on a weeknight. On busy evenings, I just want to throw some healthy protein and veggies tossed with a umami-packed marinade in the oven and call it dinner. (Of course, when you’re not pressed for time, you should definitely make my Paleo Char Siu because it’s amazing and well worth the effort. Do it this weekend!)
COOKING TIPS, SUBSTITUTIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS
Can I use a different protein in place of the pork?
Absolutely! Boneless and skinless chicken pieces work great in this recipe, but you may have to cook them longer (25 to 35 minutes) to reach the proper temperature (a meat thermometer should read 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh or 150°F if you’re using chicken breasts). Alternatively, you can cut the chicken pieces into smaller pieces to speed up the cooking time.
Are there other vegetables I can use?
Yes! Choose vegetables that are skinny and cook in the same amount of time as the green beans. Some great substitutes are broccolini (a.k.a. baby broccoli) and asparagus.
Where can I find Whole30-compliant sriracha?
Whole30-friendly sriracha is not easy to find, but I have great recipe for it over here. If you like spicy food but don’t want to make your own sriracha, simply add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes in place of it. Taste the marinade and add more if desired.
Can I leave out the sriracha?
Truth be told, the sriracha only adds a subtle kick of heat—even my kids don’t find it overwhelming. Of course, everyone has different spice tolerance, so feel free to tweak the marinade to your taste. You can adjust the amount of spiciness yourself—add a little sriracha at a time and taste the marinade until it is suits your tastebuds.
You can leave out the sriracha altogether if you don’t like spicy dishes—just sample the marinade before tossing in the raw pork to check if you need to add extra coconut aminos or fish sauce to balance out the sweetness of the jam.
Where do I find Whole30-compliant jam?
It’s important to use a high-quality, 100% fruit jam in this recipe. I buy St. Dalfour brand (it’s not a sponsor—I just like the stuff, and it’s pretty widely available), and its plum, apricot, and peach spreads work equally well in this recipe. I’ve found this brand at most grocery stores, but you can also find it online.
Is parchment paper necessary?
Although the pictures in this recipe post show parchment-lined baking sheets, they only help make clean-up easier. In fact, you actually get better browning when you leave it off. The choice is up to you!
What side dishes can I serve with this dish?
I like to serve a simple vegetable side dish with this dish: Simple Cauliflower Rice, stir-fried greens (e.g. spinach, bok choy, or broccoli), or a big green salad.
How do I store the leftovers?
You can store the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for a few months.
Now let’s make a simple sheet pan dinner!
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1-inch medallions
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ cup plum jam (with just fruit juice as sweetener)
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons Whole30 Sriracha
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- ¼ pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
- ½ medium red onion, cut into ½-inch wedges
- 2 scallions, sliced on the bias
Equipment:
Method:
Preheat the oven to 450°F or 425°F convection, with one rack in the upper middle position and another one in the lower middle position. While you’re waiting for the oven to heat up, prep the ingredients.
Sprinkle 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt on the pork medallions and toss well.
Next, combine the jam, coconut aminos, sriracha, tomato paste, fish sauce, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl.
Whisk until smooth.
Add the pork to the bowl and mix well. Arrange the pork in a single-layer on two rimmed baking sheet.
Toss in the green beans, mushrooms, bell pepper, and onions, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the bowl with the remaining sauce. Use your hands to coat all the vegetables evenly in the sauce.
Arrange the veggies in a single layer around the pork on the baking sheets.
Pop the trays in the oven…
…and roast for a total of 15 to 20 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (140°F in the thickest parts of the pork medallions), swapping the pans at the halfway point to ensure even doneness.
If you want your pork and veggies with a little more char, place each tray about 6 inches under the broiler for a few minutes to brown. Top with scallions and serve.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013) and Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017)!
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Sheet Pan Sweet and Spicy Pork
This Whole30-friendly Sheet Pan Sweet and Spicy Pork perfect for busy weeknights when you want a healthy and delicious dinner in no time flat! The tangy marinade has a slight kick and tastes great on many protein and vegetable combinations!
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin (cut crosswise into 1-inch medallions)
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ cup plum jam (sweetened with fruit juice (peach and apricot jam also work))
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons Whole30 Sriracha
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound green beans (trimmed)
- ¼ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms (stemmed and quartered)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch squares)
- ½ medium red onion (cut into ½-inch wedges)
- 2 scallions (sliced on the bias)
-
Preheat the oven to 450°F or 425°F convection, with one rack in the upper middle position and another one in the lower middle position. While you’re waiting for the oven to heat up, prep the ingredients.
-
Sprinkle 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt on the pork medallions and toss well.
-
Next, combine the jam, coconut aminos, sriracha, tomato paste, fish sauce, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth.
-
Add the pork to the bowl and mix well. Arrange the pork in a single-layer on two rimmed baking sheet.
-
Toss in the green beans, mushrooms, bell pepper, and onions, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the bowl with the remaining sauce. Use your hands to coat all the vegetables evenly in the sauce.
-
Arrange the veggies in a single layer around the pork on the baking sheets.
-
Pop the trays in the oven and roast for a total of 15 to 20 minutes or until the pork is cooked through (140°F in the thickest parts of the pork medallions), swapping the pans at the halfway point to ensure even doneness.
-
If you want your pork and veggies with a little more char, place each tray about 6 inches under the broiler for a few minutes to brown. Top with scallions and serve.
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