Belgian Beer Week! Beer Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Garlic-Ginger Chutney {Naptime Everyday}

What’s Going on Today: Summer camp heaven, walks to the beach, lazy summer days.

Tonight’s Menu: Beer Marinated Pork Tenderloin, Composed Salad with Lambrucha-Chervil Vinaigrette, Blueberry Pavlova

One of the best parts about Belgian beer is that is can be sipped, stirred and baked. In the virtual picnic Wendy and I dreamt up while we were discussing Belgian Beer Week we decided on a beer marinated pork roast as the main course. This easy dish can be served hot or cold and even taken on picnics or boat rides. Marinating it in beer tenderizes the meat and adds all sorts of spicy flavors. I like it, of course, because preparing is so incredibly naptime chef-friendly.

When I made this for my real picnic the other day I popped the tenderloin in to marinate while my daughter was at camp and baked it that evening for dinner. It was perhaps one of the simplest dishes I’ve made in a very long while and it was incredibly delicious. Wendy had gotten the idea for marinating the pork like this from Richard Blaise. When he was just starting out he developed some terrific recipes for Vanberg & DeWulf showcasing their beers. On several occasions he used the beer as a marinade to tenderize the meat and infuse it with spicy flavors. Ruth Van Waerebeek the modern godmother of Belgian cuisine also champions marinating pork in beer in her cookbook, Everybody Eats Well in Belgium. She swears by using pork shoulder with the bone-in, but I prefer pork tenderloin without the bone because it is easier to find and less expensive.

This main course we a true highlight during our week and has already earned a place in our regular rotation. The chutney I served it with was made by my friend Tanna, she has her own chutney company, Chutney Unlimited!, in Cooperstown and they are delicious. Any comparable chutney you can find would work just as well. Stay tuned for our final installment of Belgian Beer Week!