Category: Pork

Pork Hors d’Oeuvres: The One-Bite Wonder That Puts Meat on a Pedestal

5/7/2025

Here at Mad Dog & Merrill® Midwest Grill’n, we take our snacks seriously. Because why settle for boring when you can slap pork on a cracker and make everyone at the party lose their minds?

These Pork Hors d’Oeuvres are not just fancy—they’re dangerously snackable. We’re talking layers of horseradish cheese, cold grilled pork tenderloin (leftovers never had it so good), and a generous spoonful of Gooseberry Pork Marmalade—aka that sweet-savory spread we cooked up with a bit of culinary chaos and a whole lot of love.

Toss on a caper or two, and you’ve got a snack that says, “I’m sophisticated, but also kinda spicy.”

Your Oeuvre of Hors d’Oeuvre Ingredients:

Breton crackers – a sturdy, buttery base for pork greatness.
Horseradish cheese – cold, creamy, and a little bit snarky.
Sliced grilled pork tenderloin – chilled and sliced thin. If you made our Rosemary Pork Tenderloin, this is its glorious encore.
Gooseberry Pork Marmalade – sweet, tangy, and suspiciously addictive. Cranberry preserves from the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers would also make a berry fine substitute.
Capers – the salty little pop that ties it all together and makes you feel like you're eating something served on a silver tray.

Assembly Instructions: AKA Pork Stackin’ Time

Lay out your Breton crackers on a platter like you’re about to host the classiest BBQ in town.
Add a slice of horseradish cheese to each one. Cold is fine—it’s snacky sophistication.
Place a slice of pork tenderloin on each cracker. Make sure it’s tender and grilled to perfection (bonus points if it came off your Pit Boss earlier in the week).
Spoon on a dollop of Gooseberry Pork Marmalade. If you’re out, cranberry preserves will do the trick—especially if they’re homegrown Wisconsin cranberries.
Top with one or two capers. Because if you’re not adding briny drama, are you even hors d’oeuvre-ing?

Not All Crackers Wear Capes (But These Ones Might)
If these hors d’oeuvres were people:

The Overachiever: Double pork, excessive marmalade, three capers stacked like a tiny edible snowman.
The Minimalist: One slice of cheese, one slice of pork. That's it. Wears turtlenecks.
The Daredevil: Replaces marmalade with jalapeño jelly and pretends not to notice the tears.
The Midwesterner: Quietly adds a dill pickle slice and says, “This is how Nana did it.”

Unsolicited Substitution Suggestions:
No horseradish cheese?
Try cream cheese with a horseradish swirl, or a whisper of sharp cheddar and a dream.
No crackers?
Thick-cut potato chips. Slices of baguette. The sturdy part of a romaine leaf if you’re pretending to be healthy.
No pork?
Use cold meatloaf and don’t tell anyone. It’s rustic. It's mysterious. It's Midwestern sushi.
No marmalade?
Enter: cranberry preserves from the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers, here to rescue your flavor with a tart little hug.

Let’s Be Clear: This Is Not an Hors d’Oeuvre
(Just so we're all on the same tray)
❌ A brat on a Ritz
❌ Ketchup on a saltine
❌ That one pretzel you found in your hoodie pocket
❌ A hot dog cut into slices and stabbed with uncooked spaghetti
If it doesn’t require just a little effort and a touch of presentation? It’s just a snack. This? This is a moment.

Final Thoughts (a.k.a. Oeuvres of Wisdom):
Let’s be real—some people bring chips to the party. You bring Pork Hors d’Oeuvres. These bite-sized beauties are stacked, sauced, and flavor-packed thanks to grilled tenderloin, cheesy kick, and the kind of sweet-savory marmalade that should have its own fan club.

So next time you’re hosting, skip the tray of mystery meat cubes and give your guests something to talk about. Because when pork shows up on a cracker, everybody wins.

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A Tenderloin So Good It’ll Make You Squeal: Rosemary Pork Tenderloin on the Grill

5/7/2025

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There are moments in life that are truly unforgettable. Your first car. Your first love. The time you tried to flip a pork tenderloin with a spatula and accidentally launched it into the neighbor’s yard. And then--then—there’s the first time you grill up a Rosemary Pork

Tenderloin so delicious, your taste buds file a formal complaint against all previous meals.
We’re here to help you create that moment.
This recipe doesn’t just bring the flavor. It shows up late, wearing sunglasses, holding a boombox blasting power ballads from the 80s, and still manages to win everyone over. It’s got sweet. It’s got heat. It’s got herbs. It’s got that oooh what’s that smell?? kind of magic that’ll make your neighbors peek over the fence with grilled-meat envy.
So buckle up, apron on, and let’s pork with a purpose.

Ingredients You’ll Need (and why they matter):

1 pork tenderloin – This cut is tender, flavorful, and impressively forgiving, unlike that group project you did in high school.
½ cup molasses – Thick, sweet, and dark like the plot twist in a late-night soap opera.
½ cup Mad Dog & Merrill® Spicy BBQ Sauce – Our spicy sweetheart. She kicks. She kisses. She completes you.
½ lemon – Adds just enough zing to make the rest of the ingredients sit up straighter.
¼ cup jarred garlic – We get it, you’re busy. Jarred garlic is your shortcut to greatness.
¼ cup rosemary – Earthy. Piney. Slightly overdramatic. Basically the Meryl Streep of herbs.
¼ cup thyme – Adds that nice savory depth, and frankly we all wish we had more of it.
½ cup brown sugar – Brings caramelization, balance, and the kind of sweet finish that’ll have folks licking their fingers and pretending it’s "just polite."

Directions: AKA “How to Turn Meat Into a Main Character”

Preheat your grill to medium heat. Not too hot, not too cold—think Goldilocks, but with grill marks.
Place the pork tenderloin into a baking dish or shallow pan like it’s about to get a five-star spa treatment.
Pour molasses and Spicy BBQ Sauce over the pork like you’re in a food-themed music video. Be generous. Be bold. This is your moment.
Squeeze half a lemon over the top. It adds brightness, zing, and an excuse to say “zest” in a sentence.
Rub in the garlic like you’re massaging a tiny pork spa client who’s just come back from a long week at the office.
Sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, and brown sugar—layer it like you’re dressing a pork-themed mannequin in a department store of deliciousness.
Grill until internal temp reaches 135°F. This is not a drill. This is flavor science. Use a meat thermometer. Trust the thermometer. Be the thermometer.
Rest the meat. Not you—the pork. Let it hang out for a few minutes while you dramatically wave the grill tongs in celebration.

Extra Flavor Notes from the Grill Masters:

Want to level up even more? Use a cedar plank or a smoking box for that ooh la la flavor infusion.
Need a sidekick? This tenderloin pairs beautifully with grilled asparagus, roasted potatoes, or honestly just a cold beer and silence.

Leftovers? Slice it cold the next day and throw it on a sandwich with mayo and pickled onions. You’re welcome.

Final Thoughts (a.k.a. The Sappy Ending of the Recipe Blog)
We’ve been grillin’ across the Midwest for 15 years, and one thing we know for sure is this: food isn’t just about eating. It’s about memories. It’s about the smells drifting through the yard, the way people hover near the grill even when you tell them to back up, and the moment everyone takes a bite and goes quiet because flavor just knocked their socks off.

So grab your tongs, light up that grill, and turn your backyard into BBQ central. This Rosemary Pork Tenderloin isn’t just dinner. It’s a moment. It’s a vibe. It’s a delicious, herby, slightly sticky, joy-filled moment of Midwestern Grill’n greatness.

And if someone asks for the recipe?

Just smile, wink, and tell them, “Sorry, family secret.” 😉

#MidwestGrilln #MadDogAndMerrill #PorkPerfection #TenderloinTales #GrillItAndTheyWillCome

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Lemon Pork

3/6/2025

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Ingredients

Pork Tenderloin
Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Citrus Twist
2 Tbsp Garlic Pepper

Directions

Place Pork Tenderloin on Cedar Plank.
Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice, Citrus Twist and Garlic Pepper.
Grill about 35 minutes.
Use a meat thermometer. Your meat is done when it reaches 145 degrees.

Lemon Pork is a Mad Dog & Merrill® Original Recipe from Episode Twenty One of the 2021 Season of the Midwest Grill'n Show. Watch "West Allis" for this great recipe from America's Favorite Grill'n Show and More! Episode recipes include Kobe Beef, Bloody Mary Shrimp, Lemon Pork, Apricot Sausage, and Red Snapper Drink. Download the E-Book by visiting the Mad Dog & Merrill Online Store and become a Lifetime Member of the Mad Dog & Merrill® Grill'n Club to gain FREE access to all episode E-Books.

Mad Dog & Merrill® only endorse the highest quality of products and services.
What kind of grills do Mad Dog & Merrill® use? Our favorite grills include Pit Boss Pellet Grills and Louisiana Grills.
Where can the products used on the Midwest Grill'n show be found? Sun Drop Soda, Awesome Shrimp, and Wisconsin Potatoes.
Help us thank our sponsors by patronizing their local business, such as Shooting Star Casino.
Produced by Lashbro Visual Communications.

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Bacon Trinity

2/6/2025

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Ingredients

1 lb Bacon
1 C Peppers
1 C Onions
1 C Celery

Directions

Cut bacon into pieces.
Place in cast iron skillet.
Grill until bacon begins to brown.
Add peppers, onions and celery.
Grill until bacon is crisp and veggies are tender.

Bacon Trinity is a Mad Dog & Merrill® Original Recipe from Episode Twenty of the 2021 Season of the Midwest Grill'n Show. Watch "Fiddlesticks" for this great recipe from America's Favorite Grill'n Show and More! Episode recipes include Bacon Trinity, Grill'n Meats, Midwest Chili, Grilled Garlic, Italian Corn, American Pie and Cherry Bombs. Download the E-Book by visiting the Mad Dog & Merrill Online Store and become a Lifetime Member of the Mad Dog & Merrill® Grill'n Club to gain FREE access to all episode E-Books.

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Apple Brats with Sauce

1/3/2025

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Ingredients

2 lb Apple Cider Brats
1 can Beer
1/2 C Sauerkraut Juice
1/4 C Horseradish

Apple Brat Sauce

1 C Applesauce
1/4 C Da Works
1/4 C Beer
1 C Sauerkraut

Directions

Mix first four ingredients together.
Marinade a few hours.
Slow cook brats on the grill.
Mix Apple Brat Sauce ingredients together.
Top fully cooked brats with sauce and serve!

Apple Brats With Sauce is a Mad Dog & Merrill® Original Recipe from Episode Nineteen of the 2021 Season of the Midwest Grill'n Show. Watch "LeRoy" for this great recipe from America's Favorite Grill'n Show and More! Episode recipes include Tomahawk Steak, Garlic Steak Sauce, Ghost Pepper Shrimp, Spicy Shrimp Sauce, Sweet Rum Chicken, Pineapple Rum Sauce, Ginger Pork Chops, Orange Chop Sauce, Bacon on a Stick and Apple Brats With Sauce. Download the E-Book by visiting the Mad Dog & Merrill Online Store and become a Lifetime Member of the Mad Dog & Merrill® Grill'n Club to gain FREE access to all episode E-Books.

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Pork Hors d’Oeuvres: The One-Bite Wonder That Puts Meat on a Pedestal

A Tenderloin So Good It’ll Make You Squeal: Rosemary Pork Tenderloin on the Grill

Lemon Pork

Bacon Trinity

Apple Brats with Sauce

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