Tag: grilled pork tenderloin

Let the Grilling (Season) Begin – Kale Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Here in the Midwest, we seem to finally be having Spring like weather, (with Memorial day just around the corner, it’s about time). Warmer weather lends itself to grilling. Lighter meals and less time spent in the kitchen are both good reasons to take the cooking outside. Even though we grill year round, there’s something special about cooking out in warmer weather. The fact that it is staying light longer makes lingering outdoors to enjoy the warmer temperatures a real pleasure. Plain and simple, grilling just seems like the right thing to do.

A recent outing featured the ever popular Pork Tenderloin. While this lean cut of meat can be easily decimated on the grill, a few carefully chosen steps can result in a juicy and tender piece of meat. I opted to use a stuffing to add moisture deep inside the pork. Then just to make sure that everything stayed juicy, I wrapped it in bacon. Yes folks, we had pork on pork goodness.

The stuffing was a simple blend of onions, garlic, and kale sautéed in olive oil that cooked down to caramelized deliciousness. A little salt and pepper was the only other addition. Once the tenderloin had been opened up, the filling went into every nook and cranny.IMG_1798How to securely enclose this lovely filling? There is always butcher’s twine, but since the little torpedo was going on the grill, something that could provide a bit of protection seemed like a better choice. Enter Thick Cut Peppered Bacon. I precooked it a little before inrobing the tenderloin. It rendered a bit of the fat and ensured both of the porks would be ready at the same time. Again, butcher’s twine could have and probably should have come into service. Instead I used toothpicks, eight to be exact. Knowing the exact number is actually pretty important; it prevents someone getting an unexpected surprise.IMG_1800Off to the grill it went. The wonderful thing about Pork Tenderloin is that it cooks very quickly making it a perfect weeknight meal. This was average size, weighing in at around a pound and it was ready in about 25 minutes. It rested for a few minutes while the rest of the dinner came together (in this case, steamed broccoli). IMG_1804Not to brag, but the slices looked beautiful. The filling created a perfect green bullseye on each slice.IMG_1807

The taste matched the visual appeal. The rich, slightly bitter kale was a perfect counterpoint to the smokey flavor that the pork received from the bacon. All things considered, this was an excellent use for the last of the kale I had on hand. It had lost some of its luster and there wasn’t enough to create a true dish, but as the star of this filling, it stood proud and I felt noble having saved it from the compost bin. Any vegetables that you have on hand would work in this filling, so use what you have. As with the filling, the outer wrap is subject to what you have on hand. Prosciutto or pancetta would be wonderful. 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Kale
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Grilled Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Kale
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a medium size skillet. Add the onions and toss to coat. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes.
  2. Add the kale and the garlic and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or so. The kale should be wilted and somewhat tender and the onions and garlic should be golden.
  3. Add a little half and half to keep things moist and continue to cook until everything is very tender. Set aside
  4. If you choose to precook the bacon, lay the strips in a medium skillet and cook over low heat 5 -7 minutes until the bacon begins to render some fat. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels while you prepare the tenderloin.
  5. Trim any fat from the tenderloin. Using a sharp knife, cut along the length of the tenderloin so that it lays flat. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Set aside.
  6. Spoon the filling into the pork tenderloin stopping a bit short of the ends. Smooth the filling out stopping about 1/2 inch from the edges.
  7. Pull the cut edges together so that the filling is completely enclosed and the tenderloin is more or less back to its original shape.
  8. Wrap the bacon strips around the tenderloin covering it completely. Overlap the strips as necessary to create the coverage. Secure with tooth picks. Know how many you are putting in and make sure to take the same number out prior to serving.
  9. Place the tenderloin on a preheated grill and cook over medium high heat, turning as needed to brown and cook evenly, 20 - 25 minutes. Tenderloin is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
  10. Allow the tenderloin to rest at least 5 minutes before slicing.
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As we head into the first “Official” weekend of the summer, fire up those grills (if you haven’t already) and let you imagination run free. There should always be an affirmative answer to the question, “Can you grill it?”

Pork Tenderloin A La Boulangere…and Other Words of (Pork) Love

When I was growing up, my mother would cook Pork Tenderloin often. It was the 50’s and she would get it from the butcher at the Bonnie Bee. He did all the work of pounding it into thin cutlets. She took these lovely slices home and dredged them in flour seasoned with Lawry’s Salt. Fried in Crisco, in her electric fry pan, and usually served with mashed potatoes, it was heaven on a plate. That was then…this is now. My approach is lighter and healthier but, the result is still heaven on a plate.DIGITAL CAMERA

Why do I Love Pork Tenderloin?                                                                                                                     It is just the right size: Weighing in at right around one pound it is the perfect size for two people with enough leftover to make a fabulous lunch the next day.                                    It is relatively cheap: the going rate around here is somewhere around $3.00 to $4.00 per pound. That’s cheap for 2+ servings of deliciousness in my book.                                                     It is lean: cuddled deep inside the loin, it has little visible fat and is as tender as pork comes.

DIGITAL CAMERAIt is a perfect blank canvas: it loves rubs and marinades,DIGITAL CAMERAand it can be grilled, roasted or sautéed.DIGITAL CAMERAWith a little patience, you can even stuff it.DIGITAL CAMERA

I think my favorite preparation however, is cooking this lovely little morsel whole. And I’m torn as to whether I like it better roasted or grilled. So, I’m sharing recipes for pork tenderloin both ways. The grilled version is more of a guideline than a formal recipe. The oven recipe is more specific and features smokey bacon that adds tons of flavor as well as an insulating robe of moistness.DIGITAL CAMERA The grilled version gets flavor from, well, the grill, and retains its juciness with careful supervision ( a little olive oil helps, too).DIGITAL CAMERANow, back to the roasted tenderloin. The inspiration for this recipe came from my Doubleday Cookbook. I’ve shared my long-term love affair with this two-volume gem before. It is still one of the best cookbooks I’ve ever used. The recipe is Roast Pork A La Boulangere;  potatoes, onions and pork prepared as a French baker’s wife would do it. This is usually done with a bone-in pork loin roast that results in succulent meat served with potatoes and onions that have roasted in the pork fat and juices. It is comfort food on steroids and probably not the healthiest of meals, but it is wonderful.

Substituting the pork tenderloin reduces the fat and cooking time tremendously. Yes, there is bacon, but it’s only two slices and the flavor they give to everything is more than worth the indulgence. Pork tenderloin cooks very quickly, 20 to 30 minutes in a hot oven is all it takes. The potatoes and onions take longer than that, so I gave them a head start. Salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil was all that I added. DIGITAL CAMERAI let them roast for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. While that was happening, I spread some Dijon mustard on all the sides of the pork. I wrapped the bacon around the little torpedo, securing the strips with toothpicks. Some freshly ground pepper and it was ready to sit high atop the partially cooked potatoes.DIGITAL CAMERAIt only took 25 minutes for the pork to cook. I strongly recommend using a meat thermometer. Current guidelines recommend an internal temperature of 145 degrees. This results in juicy slices with just a hint of pink.DIGITAL CAMERA

Pork Tenderloin A La Boulangere
Print Recipe
Servings
2
Servings
2
Pork Tenderloin A La Boulangere
Print Recipe
Servings
2
Servings
2
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a baking pan with cooking spray. Combine the sliced potatoes, onions, and garlic in the pan. Add the olive oil and toss to coat. Add 1 teaspoon of coarsely ground pepper and a pinch of salt. Roast for 30 minutes.
  2. While the potatoes roast, prepare the pork. Lay the bacon strips crosswise on a cutting board. Brush a little of the mustard down the center of the bacon. Brush mustard on one side of the pork. Lay the pork in the center of the bacon mustard side down.
  3. Brush the remaining mustard on all the other sides of the pork. Wrap the bacon around the pork at a slight diagonal. Fasten with toothpicks. Sprinkle the remaining pepper on all sides of the pork/bacon bundle.
  4. Remove the pan from the oven. Place the pork on top of the potatoes and return it to the oven and roast for about 20 -25 minutes.
  5. Check for doneness with a meat thermometer after 20 minutes. The internal temperature should be 145 degrees. Continue to roast, checking often for the correct internal temperature.
  6. When the meat is cooked, remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the pork to a warm platter, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 10 - 15 minutes.
  7. Remove the foil and cut into thick slices. Serve with the potatoes and onions.
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While the roasted version is richly delicious,the grilled version has just as much to offer. As I’ve said, this blank canvas takes to anything you want to put it in or coat it with. This is a non-recipe, recipe. I’ve slathered it in mustard, soaked it in teriyaki, rubbed it with spices and tied it with herbs. These are suggestions that you can use to create your own pork love. Any marinade that strikes your fancy will work. The same goes for herbs, spices, and wet rubs, too.

A word of warning here: Pork tenderloin is very lean. Read that to mean it can go from wonderful to burnt and dry in a matter of minutes. Once the meat is on the grill, designate a responsible guardian. For even cooking and browning, turn every 4 or 5 minutes and move it around as needed. Keep that meat thermometer handy and check for the magic 145 degrees at the 20 minute mark. Continue to turn and check until that temperature is reached. Bring the pork in and allow it to rest before slicing. Partner it with any sides of your choice and enjoy the love.

DIGITAL CAMERAI keep a small stash of these little bundles of joy in my freezer. Every time I cook one it is a new adventure. There are so many directions to take this delight in that I know I’ll be sharing for a long time to come. I hope that you will, too.