Sometimes Juli has trouble with "gamey" flavors, so I decided to braise this pork tenderloin in order to give it a nice, sweet flavor. The Aztecs and the Mayans used a nifty spice by the name of "Axiote" (pronounced ah-chote-eh, and sometimes spelled Achiote) to season pork and give it a rich, earthy tone. You can usually find it in Mexican markets, but it's basically just ground Annatto seed, with a few other simple flavorings (like salt and garlic). I made a marinade/braising liquid using the juice of 2 oranges, 1 lemon, spoonful of Axiote paste, 1" chunk of ginger, salt/pepper, and a drizzle of honey. After marinating for about an hour, I seared the skin of the tenderloin in my favorite pan.
I then added the braising liquid and half of a sliced onion, turned the heat down to medium, and covered the pan. Cook until the pork has an internal temperature of 145 F, then remove and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. The temperature will raise and the meat will continue to cook while resting. Slice and serve with rice and your favorite accompaniments (I like chili garlic hot sauce, Juli likes sweet chili)!
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