Ontario Pork Tenderloin is a favourite in my kitchen. As meat protein goes, it’s very low in fat and calories, yet it’s so versatile & delicious.
Pork tenderloin works with flavours from all over the globe and the preparation options are endless. Roast it, bake it, poach it, stew it, braise it, broil it, sear it, grill it, smoke it, stir fry it, deep fry it... you name it, there’s a delicious way to cook pork tenderloin.
I’ve partnered with Ontario Pork to develop two easy and equally flavourful ways to prepare Pork Tenderloins.
The first, this stuffed Pork Tenderloin in tomato sauce. An elegant preparation that works just as well for a weeknight family meal, as it does for entertaining guests.
The tenderloin is butterflied, slathered with pesto, layered with cheese and a tasty breadcrumb mixture. Then rolled, tied and seared, before being nestled into the tomato sauce and left to simmer away.
The sliced tenderloin presented on a bed of tomato sauce, reveals the stuffing & melty cheese surrounded by the moist and tender meat... a sight sure to impress everyone gathered around the table.
Wanting something a bit different? Try the Grilled Ontario Pork Tenderloin Skewers.
Yield: Serves 6-8
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 x 1 1/2 -pound Ontario pork tenderloins (silver skin removed, butterflied, lightly pounded **)
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 Tbsp (60 ml) chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 4 Tbsp (60 ml) pickled roasted red pepper, finely diced
- 1 tsp (5 ml) kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) red pepper flakes (not required if using arrabiata sauce)
- 4 Tbsp (60 ml) olive oil (divided)
- 6 Tbsp (90 ml) pesto sauce, plus more for serving (homemade or store-bought)
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine
- 3 cups (675 ml) tomato sauce (homemade or your favourite jar/can – marinara or spicy arrabiata)
Cooking Instructions:
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley, roasted red pepper, salt, red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Lay the tenderloins open** and flat on a board. Coat each tenderloin evenly with 3 tbsp of pesto.
- Lay 3 slices of provolone on each loin.
- Divide 1/2 the breadcrumb mixture over the provolone of each tenderloin.
- Roll the loins back up into their original shape and tie in 5 spots with kitchen twine.
- Heat a large deep skillet (with a lid) over medium-high heat.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat the oil.
- Sear the pork tenderloins until evenly golden brown all the way around, about 3 minutes per side. Remove tenderloins to a plate.
- Deglaze the skillet with the white wine, add the tomato sauce, place the pork into the sauce, cover and simmer until the pork is just cooked through, about 25 minutes (internal temperature of 145°F).
- Remove from the heat and allow to rest uncovered for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with the sauce.
- While the tenderloin rests, I like to take a handful of colourful little tomatoes, cut them in half and sauté them in olive oil, salt & pepper. Once the pork is plated on the sauce, I drop the tomatoes into the sauce and drizzle some pesto over the tomatoes. (optional but recommended!)
** ask your butcher to butterfly your tenderloins
** if butterflying yourself: take a sharp knife and cut the tenderloin lengthwise from tip to tip, about 3 quarters of the way through the pork. Open it up like a book and cut each side on a slight angle from tip to tip about 3 quarters of the way through. Place a piece of wax paper over the pork. Using a mallet, rolling pin or bottom of a bottle, lightly pound the pork flat.