RECIPE

Soy Sauce Pork Loin with Cucumber Salad

• Recipe by Melissa Rubel Jacobson

Pork loin is very lean and tends to dry out unless properly cooked; follow the directions below for sublimely tender and succulent meat. The sweet-and-spicy Asian-style marinade gives the meat an appealing soy flavor.

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• Fast
• Make-Ahead
• Web Exclusive

Ingredients

1. 3/4 cup rice vinegar
2. 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3. 1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
4. 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds
5. One 2 1/2-pound boneless pork loin
6. 1/4 cup soy sauce
7. 2 teaspoons sambal oelek or other Asian red chile sauce
8. 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

1. In a large glass bowl, mix the rice vinegar with 1/3 cup of the sugar. Microwave at high power just until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Add the cucumber, toss to coat and refrigerate for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain, add the sesame seeds and keep chilled.
2. Meanwhile, light a grill. Set the pork loin fat side down on a work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, make a lengthwise slit down the length of the roast, leaving 1 1/2 inches of meat attached; open it like a book. Make a slit down the center of each lobe, and open up the loin to expose as much surface area as possible.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the soy sauce with the sambal oelek, garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add the pork, turn to coat and let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pork from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Grill over moderate heat, turning once, until cooked through, about 12 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the pork and serve with the cucumber salad.

Make Ahead

The cucumber salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.