Take this Pork and…Stuff it!

Longing for grill season with its easy breezy meals and consistently warmer temps? Me too. If you’re looking for a new way to prepare the ‘other’ white meat, here it is.

This grilled pork tenderloin stuffed to keep in moisture and punch up the flavor is worth trying. When I tested the recipe, it called for Artichoke Stuffing. Our family found the pork tender and flavorful, and the stuffing bright with a little tang. Try it for yourself or check out the 2011 Cook’s Illustrated Summer Grilling issue for more tips and an Apple-Cranberry Filling.

 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Artichoke Stuffing

From Cook's Illustrated.

Serves 4 to 6



Note: It’s important to make sure that the artichokes and porcini 
mushrooms are thoroughly patted dry before processing. 



½ cup dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed 


3 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry (3/4 cup) 


1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)


¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse 


¼ cup parsley leaves


2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted


2 garlic cloves, minced


1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice


Kosher salt and ground black pepper


2 tablespoons dark brown sugar


1 cup loosely packed baby spinach


2 (1 ¼ to 1 ½ pound) pork tenderloins, silver skin removed 


2 tablespoons olive oil



1. Microwave ½ cup water and porcinis in covered bowl until steaming, about 
1 minute. Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain mushrooms 
through fine-mesh strainer lined with coffee filter, discard liquid, and pat 
mushrooms dry. Pulse artichokes, Parmesan, tomatoes, parsley, pine nuts, 
garlic, lemon zest, and juice in food processor until coarsely chopped, 5 to 10 
pulses; season with salt and pepper to taste. Combine sugar, 1 tablespoon 
salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl.



2. Cut each tenderloin in half horizontally, stopping ½-inch away from edge so 
halves remain attached. Open up tenderloins, cover with plastic wrap and 
pound to ¼-inch thickness. Trim any ragged edges to create rough rectangle 
about 10 inches by 6 inches. 



3. With long side of pork facing you, lay ½ cup spinach over bottom half of 
pork followed by half of artichoke mixture, leaving 1/2-inch border around 
edges. Roll away from you into tight cylinder, taking care not to squeeze 
stuffing out ends. Position tenderloin seam-side down. Evenly space 5 pieces 
twine underneath and tie. Repeat with remaining tenderloin, spinach, and 
stuffing. 



4a. For Charcoal Grill: Light large chimney starter filled with 
charcoal (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour in 
even layer over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and heat grill 
until hot, about 5 minutes.



4b. For Gas Grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill 
until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other 
burner(s).



5. Clean and oil cooking grate. Coat pork with oil, then rub entire surface with 
brown sugar mixture. Place pork on cool side of grill, cover, and cook until 
center of stuffing registers 140 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pork once 
halfway through cooking. 



6. Transfer pork to carving board, tent loosely with foil, and rest 20 minutes. 
Remove twine, slice pork into ½-inch-thick slices, and serve.

Stuffing Shots

Tiny little bread cubes all in a bowl.

Stuffing before it hit the oven. You'll have to check again later to see the delicious golden brown dish and get the recipe - so good!

Surprising Stuffing Success

Let me start by saying this will mostly be about food. However, it’s raining outside and we may have a busted sprinkler valve. So I’ll make a quick prediction that a lake and a huge repair bill will surface soon.

Now, let’s discuss food. My latest recipe assignment was for some big time stuffing. My thoughts when I read the recipe? I love homemade stuffing as long as someone else makes it. Stuffing at our house usually comes from a box or bag. If I feel really chef-y I’ll jazz it up by using broth in place of the water. Woo-hoo! I knew I would have to dig deep to make this work, but welcomed the challenge.

I gathered all the ingredients and started cooking. The weather was perfect, just chilly enough to welcome a heated oven and a hot meal. The dish was probably one of my hardest yet since I decided to work on it late one hectic day. Not my smartest move, but the work was worth the reward.

I cut bread into hundreds of little squares, shaved veggies with a substitute peeler (bad idea) and made a mess of the kitchen. A friend stopped by the night I served the dish to my family and was kind enough to wait until I got the stuffing ready and help us with a taste test. Thanks, Deb!

I thought the ingredients might yield a sweet stuffing, I like savory, and wondered if the crowd would enjoy it. Boy, were we surprised. Not too sweet or too savory, just yummy! The dish was so good that we ate heaping portions and I even sent some home with my friend and froze a batch. Last night, we ate leftovers and it was just as tasty as the first meal.

I highly recommend this stuffing! Once the recipe is published, I will share the info. For now, you’ll have to drool and wonder. So you’re not hanging too long, I’ll post a picture soon.

SYOAS – See you online again soon!