Kahlua Pork Tenderloin with bacon slaw

The perfect weeknight meal, Kahlua pork tenderloin with bacon slaw is a smoky, salty, veggie and protein done in one skillet meal. No prep needed and on the table in 35 minutes.

Friends, I introduce to you, your new favorite weeknight meal. Kahlua pork tenderloin with bacon slaw, baked right in the same skillet. Your protein and veggie done at the same time, bam! You are so welcome.

This salty, smoky one pot, freaking so easy, Kahlua pork tenderloin has become my new favorite meal. Not even lying here folks. Dinners for me don't get much better than this in my opinion. I love a flavorful protein and a veggie that doesn't taste vegetable-y once it's done cooking. And this here pork and cabbage, just does it for me.

This pork tenderloin is many things. It is

• salty, oh so perfectly salty
• smoky, from bacon.
• um.. has bacon
• made in one skillet
• tender and juicy
• pairs so perfectly with the easiest baked right in the skillet bacon slow
• the most minimal, barely do any work, dinner ever
• ready and on the table in 35 minutes. 35 minutes you guys!

If you love a fancy meal, this one isn't for you. This is like a meat and potatoes meal. A get dinner on the table fast, with real food, quick ingredients, and taste amazing meal.

What is Kahlua pork?

If you are some kind of Kahlua pork expert then you know this isn't really Kahlua pork. Traditional Kahlua pork is slow cooked in a pit in the ground for one. That's what lends the smoky flavor. And it's not done with a pork tenderloin. Last time I checked most of you don't have a pit in your backyard to cook food, nor do you have hours and hours of time to make it.

So I made a quick version. There are tons of Kahlua pork recipes out there that use a pork butt or shoulder and a slow cooker. Those are delicious too. But they won't get dinner on the table in 35 minutes.

But this bad boy of a pork tenderloin is still named Kahlua pork because I used the traditional Hawaiian red alaea sea salt. Hawaiian alaea salt is sea salt that is mixed with volcanic red clay. I found mine at Home Goods! But I'm positive you can find it online as well. If you can't find the alaea salt you can substitute kosher course sea salt.

Hawaiian red alaea salt is unrefined, offers a crap ton of minerals for your body and is mighty tasty.

I've said it before and I will say it again. Food is medicine, and sea salt full of 80 different minerals is freaking medicine friends. Don't let the bs of media tell you salt is bad. Table salt= bad. Sea salt full of minerals most of us are lacking in = good.

One skillet wonder

Yup, yup friend you only have to bust out one skillet for this meal. And I love a skillet meal, therefore since we are friends you must love a skillet meal. It is transferable, my love for food becomes your love for food. Fact.

Why should you love this skillet meal? For one, it's freaking easy. Minimal dishes, and everything tastes might tasty because you get the caramelized brown bit goodness covered in everything.

I used a cast iron skillet for this recipe. You can use any skillet that a) holds all of the food and b) is safe to put in the oven at 425 degrees.

Ingredients for Kahlua Pork Tenderloin with bacon slaw

This meal is so minimalist and budget friendly. Here is what you need to make the meal:

• Pork tenderloin
• Course Hawaiian alaea red salt* or course sea salt
• Bacon
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Bagged coleslaw mix
• Olive oil (or oil of choice)

Step by step

1. Start with preparing your pork tenderloin by trimming the silver skin from the pork. Add half of your salt and half of your garlic powder to the top and half to the bottom. Massage into the tenderloin.

2. Heat your skillet on medium heat and cook your bacon slowly. The slower you cook it the more grease you will get from it, and for this meal we want ALL the grease. Yes friends bacon grease is good for you. I promise it is entirely way better for you than highly inflammatory vegetable oils. Your body knows what to do with bacon grease. It doesn't know what to do with foreign substances like vegetable oil mixes.

2. Remove the bacon and set aside on a paper towel to cool. Leave all of the grease in the pan and add your pork tenderloin. Brown your pork tenderloin on med high heat for 3 minutes on top and bottom.
3. Chop bacon in to small pieces. Mix bacon and bagged coleslaw together in large bowl with 2 teaspoon of oil salt and pepper.

2. Add slaw mix to the pork tenderloin skillet by placing it on the sides of the tenderloin.
3. Place it all in the oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until pork tenderloin has reached an internal temperature of 160°F ( this is the temperature I prefer my pork to be. Pork that is cooked thru will still have a slight pink tint. A cooking thermometer is really helpful with pork).
4. Once it is finished cooking remove it from the oven and stir the slaw mix. Be sure to scoop up the brown bits on the bottom of the skillet to get all of the flavor.
5. Let tenderloin cool for 3- 5 minutes before slicing.

Cleaning up

Pro tip! To make clean up a breeze with your cast iron skillet use course kosher salt! Clean it up after you use it by placing a little bit of water and about ¼ cup of salt in the skillet. Use your hand to basically exfoliate your skillet! Rinse with warm water and you are good to go. Don't use soap on your cast iron skillets or let water sit in them for long periods of time.

Do you love this meal or what? Let me know if you love and want to see more dinners that are completely no fuss, no prep and of course tasty. I would love to make them for you because you guys mean the world to me! Your health and your families health is what I am here for.

If you make this meal don't forget to #livelearnmom on instagram and tag me in it! I love seeing your food yo!

Love pork recipes? Check out this delicious slow cooker Cuban shredded pork! Perfect for taco night 🙂

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