Smoke small

Pork tenderloin is a good lean protein to have on hand for quick cooking. It is an ideal cut of meat, whether it is grilled, roasted in the oven or pan-seared.

You also can smoke pork tenderloins on the grill. Smoking is a hot trend this summer, showing up in many magazines and books.

Several of my friends are really into smoking foods. They’ve smoked big hunks of pork for pulled pork, a plethora of ribs (baby backs and spare ribs), copious amounts chicken and even a few burly beef briskets.

But smoking is not just for big hunks of meat that require hours and hours of low and slow cooking – which most people will tell you is true barbecue.

You can achieve that smoky essence with smaller cuts, like pork tenderloin, and in a shorter amount of time, according to Jamie Purviance’s new “Weber’s Smoke: A Guide to Smoke Cooking for Everyone and Any Grill” (Sunset, $21.95).

What you’ll need are some wood chips and time (to soak the wood chips and, if using charcoal, to build a fire).

The other task that takes some time is marinating the meat. Other than that, smoking is easy because all you need to do is add soaked wood chips to hot coals.

With smoking smaller cuts, it’s ideal to use smaller wood chips because you only need to soak them in water 30 minutes before using. Once you’ve got the heat right according to the recipe, add the chips – just keep an eye on the color of the smoke billowing out of the grill. When using charcoal, the color of smoke should be whitish. If it’s gray and starting to turn black, the wood chips are being starved of oxygen and are not smoldering properly, according to Purviance.

Also, try not to peek. Each time you lift the lid that smoky scented essence escapes.

A word of note: Pork tenderloin, grilled to the right temperature, should have a rosy hue in the center, but not be raw.

If you’re eager to try smoking meats, Hickory Pork Tenderloins are a good place to start. The recipe is easy and hickory is a mild flavor that balances well with the orange glaze. You also can use apple wood chips, another common mild wood chip.

Hickory Pork Tenderloins with Citrus-Cilantro Sauce

For the sauce:

2 navel oranges

1 lime

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup bourbon

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

For the pork:

2 pork tenderloins, each about 1 pound, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin

Olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 large handful hickory wood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

To make the sauce: Finely grate the zest from the oranges and lime and set them aside. Juice the oranges (you should have 1 cup juice) and the lime (you should have 3 tablespoons juice).

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the orange and lime juice and the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring just until the sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking, without stirring, until the mixture is covered with large, glossy bubbles and is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Remove from the heat. Carefully stir in the bourbon, taking care that it doesn’t ignite.

Return the saucepan to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook until syrupy and reduced again to 1/2 cup, stirring occasionally. Pour into a heatproof container and cool completely. Stir in the orange and lime zest and the cilantro.

To make the pork: Lightly brush the tenderloins with oil and season evenly with the salt and red pepper flakes.

Prepare a two-zone fire for medium heat – one area should be about 350 degrees and the other 450 degrees. If using a charcoal grill, prepare the coals, banking them to one side of the grill, or use charcoal baskets set on each side. This will be the hotter area.

Brush the cooking grate clean. Drain and add the wood chips to the charcoal and put the lid on the grill.

When the wood begins to smoke, place the tenderloins over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the outsides are seared and golden brown, about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Then generously brush the tops with some of the sauce, close the lid, and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the pork over and brush with more sauce. Close the lid, and cook until the internal temperature reaches 145-150 degrees, about 5 minutes more.

Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the tenderloins crosswise into 1/2-inch slices and serve with the remaining sauce.

Yield: 6 servings