Simple stuffed pork loin a weeknight dinner winner

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This article was published 04/03/2020 (2373 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Pork tenderloin should be a go-to option for weeknight meals because it’s relatively inexpensive and doesn’t take a very long time to cook. Here, it’s served roulade-style, stuffed with a mix of goat cheese and spinach and rolled up like a hotdog. A savoury-sweet apricot-mustard glaze adds an elegant touch.

I stuffed it with goat cheese and spinach, but there’s nothing to say you can’t get creative with your favourite fillings — say, mushrooms and asparagus, feta and sundried tomato, or apples, onion and sage.

 

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
225 g (8 oz) fresh baby spinach
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
110 g (4 oz) goat cheese, softened
30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh chives
5 ml (1 tsp) lemon zest
900-g to 1.3-kg (2- to 3-lb) pork tenderloin, silver skin removed
60 ml (1/4 cup) apricot or peach preserves
30 ml (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
15 ml (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard
10 ml (2 tsp) apple cider vinegar

Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil in a large nonstick skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add spinach and cook 1 minute longer, until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

With a sharp knife, cut down the long end of the tenderloin, being careful not to cut through the meat, and open it like a book. Place tenderloin between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a rolling pin, pound meat until 1.2 cm (1/2-inch) thick. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix together goat cheese, chives and lemon zest.

Spread goat cheese mixture and shallot mixture evenly over pork, and then roll up jellyroll style. Secure with toothpicks or tie with kitchen twine.

Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F).

Reheat the same skillet over medium heat and add remaining 30 ml (2 tbps) of oil. Once oil is hot, place tenderloin in the skillet (toothpick side down) and sear about 3 to 4 minutes per side (6 to 8 minutes total). Transfer the skillet with the tenderloin to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 63 C (145 F) in the thickest portion of the meat. Transfer to a cutting board, brush with the pan drippings and rest 10 minutes.

While pork is resting, make sauce: Place apricot or peach preserves, butter and mustard in small saucepan, and cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, and mix to combine.

To serve, brush tenderloin with apricot-mustard sauce, and then cut into 2.5-cm (1-inch) rings. Serve with more sauce for dipping.

Serves 4.

— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette