Grilled Pork with Avocado Salsa

Memorial Day in Grinnell. The annual pilgrimage. Pork tenderloin sandwiches (the Iowa kind, always), potato salad (Mom's recipe, extra pickle juice, always), baked beans, watermelon. I packed the cooler at five AM and drove the family to Grinnell, and Dad was outside when we arrived — outside, walking the yard, checking the garden, moving with the careful purpose of a man who is sixty-eight and bypassed and alive and not about to waste a single May morning sitting inside.

His garden looks good. The strawberries he planted for Mom have set fruit — small green berries forming on the plants, promises in miniature. Mom saw them and touched one and said, "Roger." Just his name. He said, "They'll be ready in June." She said, "I know." Two people who have been married forty-five years, standing over strawberry plants, saying almost nothing and meaning everything. I watched from the porch and ate a pork tenderloin sandwich and tried not to cry into my mayonnaise.

Jack and Dad spent the afternoon in the garden. They talked about the watermelon project, and Dad gave Jack a piece of advice that I wrote down because it was the most Roger thing I've ever heard: "A watermelon tells you when it's ready by the sound it makes when you thump it. Don't look at it. Listen." Listen. Don't look. Listen. Roger Weber's farming philosophy in four words: pay attention with your ears, not your eyes. Trust the sound. Trust the plant. Trust the thing you're growing to tell you what it needs.

We ate in the yard. Paper plates, plastic cups, the tenderloin sandwiches bigger than the buns. Noah played catch with Kevin. Emma organized the dessert table (she organized a picnic — this girl). Jack sat next to Dad in the lawn chair and they watched the garden in silence, which is what they do, which is enough, which is the whole relationship — two people watching things grow, together, not needing to name what it means because the growing says it.

We always build Memorial Day around pork — it’s just the Iowa way, and I wouldn’t have it any other direction. When I got home from Grinnell, still carrying the feeling of that afternoon in the yard and the image of Mom touching that strawberry and saying nothing but Dad’s name, I wanted to cook something that felt like a continuation of the day — something with that same ease and brightness. This grilled pork with avocado salsa has become my take-it-home version of the holiday: fast enough for a weeknight when you’re still running on the good feelings of a long weekend, and fresh enough to feel like summer still has something left to give.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 ripe avocados, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt (for salsa)

Instructions

Heat the grill. Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush the grates lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
Season the pork. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels. Rub 1 tablespoon of the olive oil all over the surface. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper, then press the spice mixture evenly over the entire tenderloin.
Grill the pork. Place the seasoned tenderloin on the hot grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, turning every 3 to 4 minutes, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Make the avocado salsa. While the pork rests, combine the diced avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the lime juice. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and fold together gently so the avocado keeps its texture.
Slice and serve. Cut the rested pork tenderloin into 1/2-inch slices on a slight diagonal. Arrange on a platter and spoon the avocado salsa generously over the top. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Grilled Pork with Avocado Salsa — The Tenderloin Table We Carry Everywhere We Go