25-Minute Adobo Pork & Charred Pineapple Platter (The Friday Patio Hero)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your broiler to high (or fire up the grill). In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp adobo sauce from canned chipotles, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, and 1 tbsp olive oil. This is your flavor lever—it takes two minutes but tastes like it took two hours.

   3 min

   Tip: Bodega Mode: If you don't want to open a whole can of chipotles, substitute 1 tbsp smoked paprika and an extra pinch of salt, but the adobo is worth it.

2. 2

   Take your 1.5 lbs pork tenderloin and butterfly it: slice it lengthwise down the middle, stopping just before you cut all the way through, and open it like a book. Season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt. Rub that gorgeous adobo glaze all over the meat.

   4 min

   Tip: Butterflying is the ultimate Brooklyn shortcut. It turns a 25-minute roast into a 10-minute sear with double the crust.

3. 3

   Place the glazed pork and your 4 thick pineapple rings onto a foil-lined sheet pan. Throw it under the broiler (about 4 inches from the heat). Broil until the pork is charred at the edges and cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. The pineapple should get those beautiful caramelized black spots.

   12 min

   Tip: Watch the broiler! Every oven is different. We want charred, not incinerated.

4. 4

   Mom math: while the pork cooks, we fix the beans. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Dump in the 1 can (15oz) black beans, undrained and 1/2 tsp ground cumin. Simmer vigorously, smashing them lightly with the back of a spoon until creamy and thick.

   5 min

   Tip: Don't drain the beans! That starchy liquid is what gives us a silky puree without needing a blender.

5. 5

   In a serving bowl, toss the 2 cups shredded red cabbage with 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Give it a good massage so it slightly softens but stays crunchy.

   4 min

   Tip: Texture contrast is everything. We need this bright crunch to cut through the rich, smoky pork.

6. 6

   Pull the sheet pan from the oven. Let the pork rest on a cutting board so the juices redistribute. Roughly chop the charred pineapple into bite-sized chunks and fold them directly into your cabbage slaw along with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

   5 min

   Tip: We are not suffering for dinner—let that meat rest or all the flavor ends up on the cutting board!

7. 7

   Assembly time: Swirl your creamy black beans across a big platter. Slice the rested pork into medallions and lay them over the beans. Crown the whole thing with the charred pineapple slaw. Taste it—then decide. But I promise, it's perfect.

   2 min

   Tip: Serve right from the platter on the patio table. Pass a stack of warm tortillas if you've got them.