Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Looking for a new way to prepare pork tenderloin? Try stuffing it with goodies such as fresh spices, spinach and of course bacon. Serve with a fresh salad and freshly baked bread or dinner rolls for a well-balanced dinner that is great for home or camp cooking.
Ingredients:
5 lb Pork loin
8 slices, thick sliced Bacon
16 oz Mushrooms, sliced
1 Large Onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Fresh Spinach
2 cups Bread crumbs
½ cup Dijon mustard
1 tbs fresh Oregano
1 tbs fresh Thyme
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
Olive oil
Butcher's twine
Directions:
Start off by ordering a 5 pound boneless pork tenderloin from your local butcher. One advantage of using a local butcher is that they will butterfly your pork loin for you if you ask although I suggest that you try doing it yourself. Its not hard to do and it makes a good learning opportunity for a young assistant. To butterfly your roast make a slice with a sharp knife about 1.5 inches below the fat cap. Cut down the entire length of the roast leaving about 1.5 inches down one side as a hinge. Next, make another slice in the opposite direction again leaving a "hinge" on the opposite side of the roast. The idea is to cut the roast like a "tri fold" so that it can be opened into a flat square of even thickness. Once you have opened your roast, season with a three finger pinch of Kosher salt and ground black pepper. Rub the seasoning into the meat and let it sit, uncovered, for an hour.
While your roast is sitting its time to prepare your stuffing. Begin by frying 8 slices of bacon so that the fat is rendered but the bacon is not crisp. Set the bacon aside on paper towels to drain. discard the bacon fat and wipe out your frying pan. Pour a couple tablespoons of olive oil into your frying pan then add your sliced onions seasoned with a two-finger pinch (½ tsp.) of Kosher salt. Cook the onions until they are translucent then add in your mushrooms and continue to cook until the moisture is gone from the pan and your onions/mushrooms are caramelized. be sure to stir while cooking, don't allow them to burn. While cooking the onions, make a paste with the bread crumbs, dijon mustard and minced garlic then evenly spread the paste over the meat. Follow up by spreading the onion/mushroom mixture over the meat then the spices the spinach and finally the bacon.
Here is where it helps to have an assistant. Roll the roast up starting with the lean end so that the cap of fat is once again the top of the roast. With your helper holding the roast together, tightly tie the roast with the butcher's twine. Brown the laced up roast on all sides using a griddle or Dutch oven. Once browned, place the roast onto a trivet in a 14" Dutch oven. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the roast is 160°. If cooking outdoors use 30 charcoal briquettes with 15 coals both on top and beneath your dutch oven.
When finished remove the roast to a cutting board and place tinfoil over the roast. Let it rest 15 minutes before slicing serving. Use the drippings from the roast as an au jus.
Serves 12-15