Chorizo-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Cuisine: American
This mouthwatering pork tenderloin is stuffed with chorizo, cheese and spinach
Ingredients
- 1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- ½ cup shredded smoked or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
- 2 ounces Spanish chorizo (see Note) or hard salami, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 1-1¼ pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Combine spinach, cheese, chorizo (or salami) and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Combine garlic, 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt in another bowl; set aside.
- To butterfly the tenderloin, lay it on a large cutting board. Holding the knife blade flat and parallel to the board, make a lengthwise cut through the center of the meat, stopping short of the opposite edge so that the tenderloin remains in one piece. Open as you would a book. Cover with plastic wrap. With a meat mallet, rolling pin or heavy pan, pound the pork to an even ¼-inch thickness.
- Spread the spinach mixture in the center of the pork, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Starting at a long side, roll up the pork to enclose the filling. To keep the stuffing from falling out during roasting, fold in about 1 inch of the two short ends as you roll. Tie kitchen string firmly lengthwise around the roast to secure the two ends, then tie it crosswise at 2-inch intervals.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and lightly brown the pork on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes total. Brush the top with the reserved garlic mixture; season with pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes before slicing.