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So a friend of mine sends me a YouTube video of a bunch of dudes in Columbia out in the yard drinking it up and grilling some food. He tells me its something I need to watch. 

 

Its Columbians doing Columbian things like drinking stuff and balancing chefs knives on their faces while drinking. Columbians are crazy.  

 

I dont don't understand a word these guys are saying. And I'm ready to hit close when this guy lays out an entire trimmed tenderloin chain and starts to soak a kitchen towel in red wine. 

 

So now Im 180% invested. 

 

He lays out the red wine soaked towel and covers it with a thick layer of salt. Then some herbs that are either Rosemary or oregano. He puts the tenderloin on the towel, salt, herbs and wraps the entire thing up like a mission burrito. 

 

At this point Im going crazy what this drunk Columbian is up too. 

 

He ties off the red wine towel wrapped tenderloin and drops it directly onto a bunch of glowing coals. And then piles some coals on top of it. My mind is spinning now. That damn towel is burning right now and this Columbian is pouring a glass of wine. 

 

After what I believe to be 20 minutes he pulls this charred black, rock hard brick off the coals. It looks like things have gone horribly wrong. Then that nutty Columbian starts smashing the charred out brick with some tongs and starts peeling back layers of rock hard salt burnt towel and butchers twine to expose a perfectly grilled 130 degree filet. 

 

At this point I'm hyperventilating trying to process what I'm watching. 

 

As it turns out. This how they grill huge chunks of meat in South America. When $1,500 stainless grills aren't readily available you adapt. 

 

Did I try this myself? Of course I did. And it's foolproof. It's almost impossible to screw this up. The towel and the salt create this tempered chamber for the tenderloin. The more it burns the harder the shell gets that in turn protects the beef. 

 

All this time I've been poking, prodding, turning, checking temperature of a tenderloin while these guys wrap one up in a damn dish towel and drink. 

 

Its the easiest grilling method I've ever tried. And when you bring a crusted out charred kitchen towel into the kitchen everyone looks at you like you just completely ruined  dinner. But when you take the back side of a chefs knife and crack that thing open and expose that tenderloin it's like Santa popping out of the chimney. 

 

You don't have to Google translate the video. Just follow what he does. 20 minutes on the coals. Use a fire pit if you don't have a charcoal grill. Or a fireplace. 

 

Oh yeah, it works great with a pork tenderloin too. Or a bunch of chicken thighs. 

 

Just make sure you have a well stocked supply of towels....

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Friend sent the video last Friday night. I'll buy a cryovac tenderloin at Costco and trim out the center cut and grind everything else for burgers. So this was a perfect thing to try. 

 

I was guessing on time. 20 minutes. Small end of the tenderloin was a little too far past rare but still good. 

 

Grabbed a pork tenderloin and tried that during the week. Perfect but I'll give it a rub next time. 

 

Running low on towels though....

I did a pork loin tonight, about a 3 lb.

 

1. Used white wine on the towel.

2. Coals should have been a little hotter I think.   I let it cook about 40 minutes and it still was a little pink in the middle.

3. Was not salty at all.  Used ground cloves, cinnamon, thyme, basil and celery salt as seasonings.  Forgot to sprinkle a little brown sugar on it. 

4. When cutting I don't think I have ever had a juicier pork loin. 

5. Will try a beef or maybe venison loin next time. 

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