Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 13, 2013
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffing
½ cup pitted kalmata olives ½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse4 anchovy fillets 2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 1 teaspoon grated lemon zestTenderloin
4 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar 2⅛ teaspoons kosher salt 1⅛ teaspoons pepper 2 (12- to 16-ounce) pork tenderloins, trimmed1 cup baby spinach 2 tablespoons olive oilBefore You Begin
When stuffing this pork tenderloin, you can also use our Piquillo Pepper and Manchego Stuffing or our Porcini and Artichoke Stuffing.
Instructions
- Pulse all ingredients in food processor until coarsely chopped, 5 to 10 pulses. Season stuffing with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Combine sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl. 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. Sprinkle interior of each tenderloin with remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and remaining ⅛ teaspoon pepper.
- With long side of pork facing you, spread half of stuffing mixture over bottom half of one tenderloin followed by ½ cup spinach. 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, stuffing, and spinach.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A 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).
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Coat pork with oil, then rub entire surface with brown sugar mixture. Place pork on cooler side of grill, cover, and cook until center of stuffing registers 140 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pork once halfway through cooking.
- Transfer pork to carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove twine, slice pork into ½-inch-thick slices, and serve.
for the olive and sun-dried tomato stuffing
for the tenderloin
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffing
½ cup pitted kalmata olives
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse
4 anchovy fillets
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Tenderloin
4 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
2⅛ teaspoons kosher salt
1⅛ teaspoons pepper
2 (12- to 16-ounce) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 cup baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffing
½ cup pitted kalmata olives
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse
4 anchovy fillets
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Tenderloin
4 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
2⅛ teaspoons kosher salt
1⅛ teaspoons pepper
2 (12- to 16-ounce) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 cup baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffing
½ cup pitted kalmata olives
½ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped coarse
4 anchovy fillets
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Tenderloin
4 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
2⅛ teaspoons kosher salt
1⅛ teaspoons pepper
2 (12- to 16-ounce) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 cup baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Butterflying and pounding the pork in our grilled pork tenderloin recipe created a larger surface area for the filling, which we rolled up inside the pork tenderloin before trussing to prevent leakage. A traditional bread stuffing oozed out of the pork as it cooked, so we opted to fill our grilled stuffed pork tenderloin with a robustly flavored paste. We grilled the tenderloin over a modified two-level fire and rubbed some brown sugar onto its exterior. This gave our grilled stuffed pork tenderloin a moist interior and a perfectly browned crust.
Before You Begin
When stuffing this pork tenderloin, you can also use our Piquillo Pepper and Manchego Stuffing or our Porcini and Artichoke Stuffing.
Instructions
- Pulse all ingredients in food processor until coarsely chopped, 5 to 10 pulses. Season stuffing with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Combine sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in bowl. 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. Sprinkle interior of each tenderloin with remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and remaining ⅛ teaspoon pepper.
- With long side of pork facing you, spread half of stuffing mixture over bottom half of one tenderloin followed by ½ cup spinach. 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, stuffing, and spinach.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.FOR A 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).
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Coat pork with oil, then rub entire surface with brown sugar mixture. Place pork on cooler side of grill, cover, and cook until center of stuffing registers 140 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating pork once halfway through cooking.
- Transfer pork to carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove twine, slice pork into ½-inch-thick slices, and serve.
for the olive and sun-dried tomato stuffing
for the tenderloin
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