This marinade is tailor-made for fragrant winter meals of venison or game birds. But when venison is not available, try it on beef and lamb tenderloin or other lean and delicate cut. And it goes without saying that you must start the meal with a gin martini!

Brining helps insure that the turkey stays extra juicy during the roasting process. This orange brine complements the maple-glaze and scents the turkey with Thanksgiving's favorite seasonings.

For the sauce:

4 tablespoons butter

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons tomato paste

12-ounce can Dr Pepper soda (about 1 3/4 cups)

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground ancho chili powder or New Mexican chili powder

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the tenderloins:

2 pork tenderloins (1 1/3 pounds each)

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper or your favorite barbecue rub

In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes. Continue cooking until the sauce begins to thicken, about another 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Let the sauce cool for about 10 minutes, or until it is warm but no longer hot. Using an immersion or traditional blender, puree the sauce. Let cool and, if not using immediately, pour into a clean glass jar. The sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for 2 weeks.

To grill the pork, heat the grill to medium.

Wrap the tenderloins in paper towels to remove any surface moisture. This will help you to get great grill marks. Brush the dry meat with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place the meat directly over the heat to sear. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once or twice, or until you get good grill marks.

Switch to medium indirect heat and move the meat to the center of the cooking grate and cook for 30 to 35 minutes total, turning once during cooking and brushing with the barbecue sauce every 5 to 7 minutes until the tenderloins are done and the sauce has created a glaze. Using a meat thermometer, make sure the tenderloins read 145 F at the thickest part.

Remove the tenderloins from the grill, allow them to rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then slice on the bias.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 470 calories; 130 calories from fat (28 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 145 mg cholesterol; 43 g carbohydrate; 42 g protein; 1 g fiber; 1,220 mg sodium.

Photo: Mathew Meade

This is my go-to marinade for anything that I want to impart with sunshine (citrus) and garlic. Use it on pork, poultry and all fish and shellfish—it’s also great for green onions and other green veggies. Make a double batch and use it as both a marinade and a dipping sauce!

This simple marinade gives beef and lamb a depth of flavor that might make your dinner guests think that you toiled over the dish when all you did was give your meat a little "spa" treatment! For fish, poultry and pork, substitute your favorite white wine for the red and you've got an equally great marinade.

This classic Cuban marinade tastes best used within a few hours of making. It is classically used on pork but is great for fish and poultry as well. The traditional marinade uses sour oranges which aren’t widely available in the U.S. A combination of lime and orange juice approximates the juice from a sour orange. However, if you can find sour oranges, use them instead.

This simple marinade gives fish, poultry and pork a depth of flavor that might make your dinner guests think that you toiled over the dish when all you did was give your meat a little "spa" treatment!

I love slathering a whole chicken with this marinade and then grilling it Beer-Can Chicken Style! The yogurt marinade tenderizes the chicken and makes a great crust! It's also great for all other meats and fish except beef!