Recipe: Grilled Wild Hog Tenderloin with Chimichurri

Turkey seasons are winding down, and the elk opener isn’t for a few months, but don’t despair. There are still some opportunities for hunters to bring home the bacon, literally. Wild pigs are still fair game, and with growing populations throughout the lower tier of the U.S., there are plenty of places to pull the trigger this summer.

Once you’ve got your hog down, try this grilled tenderloin recipe from Chef Mike Johnson, pitmaster and owner of Sugarfire Smoke House in St. Louis. Johnson has a fine-dining background, with stints in the kitchens of Emeril Lagasse, Charlie Trotter, and Gabino Sotellino, but his passion is barbecue. The two cooking styles come together in this recipe, with a classic Southern rub coupled with a French-Argentine fusion sauce. If you don’t have any plans for a pig hunt, don’t worry, this recipe works great with domestic hog as well.

Grilled Wild Hog Tenderloin with Fines Herbes Chimichurri

Ingredients
2 wild hog tenderloins (about 1 pound each, trimmed and patted dry)
2 Tbsp. olive oil

For the Spice Rub
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1.5 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. chili powder

For the Fines Herbes Chimichurri
¾ cup olive oil
4 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
½ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped chervil
2 Tbsp. chopped thyme
3 Tbsp. snipped chives
2 Tbsp. chopped tarragon

Directions
1. Combine the spice rub ingredients in a bowl. Rub on the wild hog tenderloins, and let rest for 15 minutes. Fire up the grill to medium-high heat.
2. Combine the chimichurri ingredients, and let rest 20 minutes to infuse.
3. Drizzle the tenderloins with oil and grill on the hottest part of the grill until the internal temperature hits 150 degrees, about 4 minutes per side. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Slice and top with the fines herbes chimichurri.

Photo Credit: Chris Cochran of Sugarfire Smoke House, courtesy of Green Olive Media