Each year, some fifteen thousand Iowans enter nearly fifty thousand things in competitions at the State Fair. Categories range from draft horses and monster trucks to quilts and corn-cob mosaics. Of course there are pies and cakes, breads and biscuits, jellies and preserves, plus contests for the ugliest cake, the most creative dough sculpture, and things you can do with breakfast cereal. In 1994 Emma Whitlock of Indianola took first prize in the "Let's Cook Healthy! Iowa Pork" category. Although this isn't a traditional Fair version of pork tenderloins, it's a simple way to give them a sweet twist.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　two 3/4-pound pork tenderloins

　　1/4 cup honey

　　1/4 cup soy sauce

　　1/4 cup oyster sauce

　　2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

　　1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh gingerroot

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　1 tablespoon ketchup

　　1/4 teaspoon onion powder

　　1/4 teaspoon cayenne

　　1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

　　Garnish: fresh flat-leafed parsley sprigs

　　

Step 1

Pat pork dry and arrange in a shallow dish. In a bowl whisk together all remaining ingredients and pour marinade over pork. Turn pork to coat well. Chill pork, covered, turning it once or twice, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

　　

Step 2

Prepare grill.

　　

Step 3

Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade, and arrange on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals. Grill pork, basting with reserved marinade and turning it every 3 minutes, 10 minutes total. Discard marinade. Continue to cook pork, turning it every 3 minutes, until a thermometer diagonally inserted 2 inches into center of tenderloin registers 155°F., about 10 minutes more. Let pork stand 5 minutes before thinly slicing.

　　

Step 4

Serve pork garnished with parsley sprigs.