One of the best ways to create an unforgettable meal is to stuff just about any meat. Stuffings are so versatile in that they offer a wide range of taste choices that can change any meal into an over the top taste experience! Today I will share a couple of stuffing recipes I love for pork tenderloins. Pork is such a wonderful meat for stuffing, as fresh pork has such a mild taste and lends itself well to adding of flavor! These recipes may be done a day or even two ahead.
When prepping a pork tenderloin we must use a very sharp knife. The pork will have a silver streak of tendon on one side it is very important to remove this tendon. It is very thin so remove it with care, then I like to cut the thinner ends of the loin off to save as stew meat for a later date. This will make the meat more uniform in size. Next we will slice the loin lengthwise while rolling it out to make one large thin plank of the meat. Much like unrolling a jelly roll. This is when a thin layer of the stuffing is spread over the pork and then we roll the pork back into a log shape and pick with toothpicks to hold it together.
Once we have secured the loin , they may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. When ready to cook you will need to cut each loin in half. This will make them cook more evenly and give you two portions per loin. Take the loin pieces and dust with seasoned flour, add to a saute pan with a bit of oil to sear on two sides. This will take a couple of minutes on each side. Once browned place the pork on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven which is preheated to 375 degrees and bake for 20- 25 minutes until done. The stuffing will keep the loins moist while bulking up the portion of meat, and add great flavor!
I slice the pork into 1/3 inch rounds and plate around a mound of mashed potatoes, rice or risotto. I also use a Bordelaise Sauce to dress the Pork. I suggest a "Maderia" infused Bordelaise for these two recipes. If in a hurry try a reduction of Port and Balsamic Vinegar to the syrup stage. The reduction is great with these recipes but remember to use it sparingly as it is very pungent in flavor!
These recipes are for 4 Tenderloins or serving of 8
- Acorn Squash and Apple Stuffing: Peel and core 2 Granny Smith Apples, Peel and seed 1 large Acorn Squash. Dice apples and squash into small cubes. You will also need 1 small Yellow Onion diced. Mix all ingredients and saute in Olive Oil www.rolandfood.com until just tender and starting to brown. Now add 1 cup Chicken broth,www.swansonbroth.com 1/2 tsp each garlic powder, ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, with 1 tsp Kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Cook until most of the liquid is absorbed, and let cool. Once cooled add 1/2 cup chopped pecans www.youngplantations.com, and 1+1/2 cup bread crumbs mixed with 1 Tbs corn starch dissolved in 1 cup apple cider, www.zeiglers.com and 2 Tbs Olive Oil. Mix all ingredients well and you should have a nice moist stuffing mixture.
- Spinach and Mushroom Stuffing with Apple Smoked Bacon: In a saute pan cook 1 lb of Apple Smoked Bacon www.nueskes.com just until it starts to brown. Remove the bacon and place in a food processor. In the bacon fat add 1 small Yellow Onion Diced and 1 lb sliced Mushrooms cook until onion is soft, and now add 1 lb fresh cleaned and washed Spinach. The spinach will wilt almost immediately. Transfer to food processor with bacon and process into a chunky stuffing. Incorporate well but not smooth, add bread crumbs until you have a desired consistency. I also like to add 1/2 cup Yellow Raisins to this stuffing to add just a bit of sweetness if serving with mashed sweet potatoes!
Now if you are feeling really inspired try making a stuffing out of 1 package Cornbread Stuffing www.pepperidgefarm.com. I add 3 Green Onions diced, 1/2 of one each Red and Yellow Bell Pepper diced ultra fine, 6 Sundried Tomatos diced very small, 1/2 lb of cooked Crawfish Tails, 1/2 lb Jumbo Lump Crabmeat, 2 tsp Gumbo File’ www.zatarains.com, and 3 tsp Creole Seasong with 1/2 tsp Red Chile Flakes. To this add Chicken Broth until you have a desired stuffing mixture. I serve this dish with Rice www.mahatmarice.com and use a spicy Tomato sauce Creole Style in place of the brown sauce!
I suggest these are some of the best recipes and techniques for offering great result when planning a menu for large groups as well as for everyday meals. If you are preparing a menu for a large group the pork is easy to prep ahead and offers a simple plate option for larger groups. It holds well in a warmer and once dressed with the sauce is so fresh looking! By creating your stuffings yourself you can keep food cost in line, and offer a gourmet meal at a fraction of the cost of other meat choices. As a caterer I often offer these types of dish to the client it saves me time and travels well to the event!
As always I have wine suggestions to serve with these recipes. For the Apple Stuffing I suggest a "Rutherford Hill, Merlot from Napa www.rutherfordhill.com
For the Spinach and Mushroom with Bacon Stuffed Pork I suggest a "Red Zinfandel" from "Cline" www.clinecellars.com
For the Creole Stuffed Pork I suggest a "Chateau Moncontour, Vouvray" www.winechateau.com
