Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
By June Naylor
Photo by Ralph Lauer
For Father’s Day inspiration, we consulted Ranzell “Dr. Nick” Nickelson, co-owner of Fort Worth butcher shop The Meat Board. A food and animal scientist, he’s also a passionate cook who creates and tests recipes for the store and its cafe. While steaks are the main draw at The Meat Board, you’ll find everything from poultry to pork. For this month’s recipe, Nickelson opted for a Cheshire pork tenderloin stuffed with green chiles, goat cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds. Dried apricots add a delicate sweetness. Wrapping the works in bacon (he prefers the oak-smoked variety from Klein Smokehaus in Boerne, also sold at The Meat Board) infuses the meat with extra flavor. For serving, Nickelson adds the smoky-sweet raspberry-chipotle sauce from Fredericksburg’s Fischer & Wieser.
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Serves 4 to 6
- 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
- 2 medium canned green chiles, sliced into ¼-inch-wide strips
- ½ cup goat cheese crumbles
- 2 tablespoons pepitas, toasted
- 6 dried apricots, chopped
- 4 slices smoked bacon
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut a pocket into the tenderloin, slicing the length of the meat but leaving at least ½-inch meat intact at either end and on sides; do not slice all the way through.
Cover the bottom of the pocket with green chile slices and follow with a layer each of goat cheese, pepitas and chopped apricots. Wrap tenderloin with bacon slices and insert toothpicks to keep bacon secure and pocket closed (count toothpicks to ensure all are removed after cooking).
Place pork atop a wire rack positioned over a cookie sheet or roasting pan and bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees, using a meat thermometer. Bacon should be brown and crisp. Let rest 10 minutes before removing toothpicks. Slice and serve.
THE MEAT BOARD
Open Tuesday through Saturday at 6314 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 844-693-6328, themeatboard.com. Orders from the meat, seafood, side dishes, desserts, wine plus deli lunches can be placed by phone or at orders@themeatboard.com or through facebook.com/themeatboard. Curbside pickup is available.
