STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN

This Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is packed with flavor from balsamic caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, manchego cheese, and spinach. The whole thing is rolled up and grilled until the pork is juicy and the cheese is nice and melted.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Cook the bacon. Preheat a 9 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon pieces are crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel to drain and leave the bacon fat in the pan.

Step 2

Make the balsamic caramlized onions. Add the butter and the sliced red onions to the empty skillet. Cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions have darkened considerably in color. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

Step 3

Remove the fat from the tenderloin. Place the pork tenderloin on a large cutting board. Remove any excess fat or silverskin from the exterior of the tenderloin.

Step 4

Butterfly the pork. Butterfly open the pork tenderloin by using long strokes of your knife along the side of the tenderloin about 1/2 inch above the cutting board. Keep the slices parallel to the cutting board and roll open the tenderloin while slicing.

Step 5

Stuff the tenderloin. Spread the softened cream cheese on top of the butterflied tenderloin. Sprinkle with the shredded manchego cheese, caramelized onions, baby spinach leaves, and bacon pieces.

Step 6

Fire up the grill. Preheat your grill to Medium-High heat (about 375 degrees F) for two-zone cooking (one indirect heat side of the grill, one direct heat side). You can also cook this in your oven at the same temperature.

Step 7

Roll and secure. Starting with the edge of the pork tenderloin that was the inside (before slicing open) begin tightly rolling the tenderloin back up. It's okay if there are a few casualties that fall out the sides while rolling. Tie the roll together with butcher's twine every inch to inch and a half until the roll is nice and bound. Season the pork tenderloin liberally with the Chicken Seasoning.

Step 8

Grill the tenderloin. Place the stuffed pork tenderloin directly on the grill grates on the indirect heat side of the grill. Cook for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the tenderloin is 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the meat. Turn the pork tenderloin every 5 minutes while cooking.

Step 9

Rest and serve. Remove the tenderloin from the grill. Allow it to rest at least 5-10 minutes before removing the butcher's twine, slicing the tenderloin into 1 inch thick rounds, and serving.