This Grilled Pork and Peach Salad is the perfect way to celebrate summer. Made with a juicy pork tenderloin and fresh peaches, it’s got a simple aged balsamic vinegar dressing. An easy and healthy recipe that’s gluten free, paleo, and Whole30 compliant!
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This grilled salad pairs juicy pork with perfectly grilled peaches to make a simple summer dish that is not only easy to make, but tastes delicious.
The secret is dry brining the pork – it helps lock in both moisture and flavor. This salad doesn’t even need a typical dressing – the aged balsamic vinegar mixes with the juices from the pork to act as a dressing on its own.
Even better, the only thing you need to make this salad is a grill.
HOW TO MAKE GRILLED PORK & PEACH SALAD
STEP 1: BRINE THE PORK
Pat the pork dry with a paper towel then remove the fat and silverskin of the pork with a large sharp knife.
Measure out the kosher salt with a measuring spoon and sprinkle it over the pork. Spread it around with your hands until the pork is covered with the salt, then place the tenderloin on a plate and in the fridge, uncovered, for 8 hours.
STEP 2: PREP THE PEACHES & PORK
Remove the pork from the fridge 30 minutes before you grill it. While the pork is sitting out, cut the peaches into eight pieces. First slice it in half all the way around with a large sharp knife. Remove the pit by using the tip of the knife to loosen it, then remove it with your fingers.
Cut each peach half into two pieces, then cut those pieces in half again, resulting in eight pieces of peach. Repeat the process with the second peach.
Pour half a tablespoon of oil over the peach slices and rub the oil over each slice with your fingers. Make sure each slice is well covered so it doesn’t stick to the grill.
Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil over the pork and rub it all over with your hands, making sure it’s fully covered.
STEP 3: GRILL THE PORK & PEACHES
Light the grill and bring the heat up to 375 degrees F. Use a pair of tongs to place the pork on the grill. Close the lid and cook it for 5 minutes, then use the tongs to flip the pork to the other side (so the side that was up is now on the grill and being cooked). Close the lid again and cook for another 5 minutes.
After the 5 minutes are up, check the temperature of the meat with a meat thermometer (we have used and loved our Thermapen for years – it’s the purple one in the picture above). You want to pull the tenderloin off the grill at 140 degrees F. Cook the pork for an additional 3 to 8 minutes, depending on how thick it is and checking the temperature every couple of minutes as necessary.
When the pork has come to temperature, pull it off the grill and onto a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
While the pork is resting, grill the peaches. Use a pair of tongs to place the peach slices on the grill. Close the lid and cook for 2 minutes, then open the lid and flip the peaches onto the uncooked side. Close the lid again and grill for another 2 minutes, then remove the peach slices from the grill. Set aside.
STEP 4: MAKE THE SALAD
Using a large knife, slice the pork into medallions (roughly half an inch wide). Put the lettuce on a large platter and place the sliced pork and peaches on it. Drizzle aged balsamic vinegar over everything and serve immediately.
You may have a couple of questions about this summer salad – let’s get to those now.
Can the salad be made ahead of time?
The salad is best when served immediately after cooking the pork and peaches. The grilled foods will wilt the lettuce a bit, as will the juices from the meat.
What do you serve with this salad?
While this salad is great on its own, you could certainly serve up additional sides like grilled zucchini or grilled bell peppers.
RECIPE TIPS
- Make sure not to brine the meat for too long. If you over brine the pork it will become too salty and inedible. Right around 8 hours is good.
- If you’re not sure the best way to check the internal temperature of the meat, check out my article on how to use a meat thermometer.
- You’ll want to use freestone peaches for this recipe. These peaches are the types where the pit comes out easily – the typical yellow peaches you find at the store are freestone peaches.
- Pay attention to the hot spots on your grill – typically the back of the grill is hotter than the front. Which means you’ll want to place your tenderloin all in the same zone – side to side rather than with one end at the back and one end at the front.
- This recipe calls for aged balsamic vinegar – the kind that is thick and slow to pour. If all you have is regular balsamic vinegar you’ll want to make a reduction. Check out this recipe for an easy balsamic reduction to do so.
PIN THIS GRILLED PORK AND PEACH SALAD FOR LATER!
IF YOU NEED OTHER EASY GRILLING DINNER IDEAS, TAKE A LOOK AT THESE!
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
- Carne Asada (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
- Greek Lamb Skewers (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
- Asian Steak Marinade (GF)
- Grilled Dijon Chicken (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
- Smoked Pork Loin Roast (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
OR IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR SOME OTHER SALAD RECIPES, CHECK THESE OUT!
- Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
- Gyro Salad (Whole30, Paleo, GF)
- Greek Rice Salad (GF)
- Corn Tomato Avocado Salad (GF)
If you make this Grilled Pork and Peach Salad (or any other recipe) then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below!
YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AND PINTEREST TO SEE MORE GOOD TO EAT, GLUTEN FREE AND WHOLE30 FOOD.
RECIPE FOR GRILLED PORK AND PEACH SALAD
Grilled Pork & Peach Salad
Ingredients
- 1.25 lb pork tenderloin
- 1 tbsp k salt
- 4 peaches
- 1.5 tbsp oil divided (1 & 0.5)
- 1 head lettuce
- Aged balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Pat the pork dry with a paper towel then remove the fat and silverskin of the pork with a large sharp knife. Measure out the kosher salt with a measuring spoon and sprinkle it over the pork. Spread it around with your hands until the pork is covered with the salt, then place the tenderloin on a plate and in the fridge, uncovered, for 8 hours.
- Remove the pork from the fridge 30 minutes before you grill it. While the pork is sitting out, cut the peaches into eight pieces. First slice it in half all the way around with a large sharp knife. Remove the pit by using the tip of the knife to loosen it, then remove it with your fingers.
- Cut each peach half into two pieces, then cut those pieces in half again, resulting in eight pieces of peach. Repeat the process with the second peach. Pour half a tablespoon of oil over the peach slices and rub the oil over each slice with your fingers. Make sure each slice is well covered so it doesn't stick to the grill. Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil over the pork and rub it all over with your hands, making sure it's fully covered.
- Light the grill and bring the heat up to 375 degrees F. Use a pair of tongs to place the pork on the grill. Close the lid and cook it for 5 minutes, then use the tongs to flip the pork to the other side (so the side that was up is now on the grill and being cooked). Close the lid again and cook for another 5 minutes.
- After the second 5 minutes, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the pork (we have used and loved our Thermapen for years - it's the purple one in the picture below). You want to pull the tenderloin off the grill at 140 degrees F. Cook the pork for an additional 3 to 8 minutes, depending on how thick it is and checking the temperature every couple of minutes as necessary.
- When the pork has come to temperature, pull it off the grill and onto a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. While the pork is resting, grill the peaches. Use a pair of tongs to place the peach slices on the grill. Close the lid and cook for 2 minutes, then open the lid and flip the peaches onto the uncooked side. Close the lid again and grill for another 2 minutes, then remove the peach slices from the grill. Set aside.
- Using a large knife, slice the pork into medallions (roughly half an inch wide). Put the lettuce on a large platter and place the sliced pork and peaches on it. Drizzle aged balsamic vinegar over everything and serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure not to brine the meat for too long. If you over brine the pork it will become too salty and inedible. Right around 8 hours is good.
- If you’re not sure the best way to check the internal temperature of the meat, check out my article on how to use a meat thermometer.
- You'll want to use freestone peaches for this recipe. These peaches are the types where the pit comes out easily – the typical yellow peaches you find at the store are freestone peaches.
- This recipe calls for aged balsamic vinegar - the kind that is thick and slow to pour. If all you have is regular balsamic vinegar you'll want to make a reduction. Check out this recipe for an easy balsamic reduction to do so.
Leave a comment