Goat Cheese & Apple Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Pairing Suggestion: Seyval Blanc

Ingredients:

1 Pork Tenderloin

1 Green Apple

Goat Cheese

6 Strips of Bacon

1 Minced Shallot

4-6 Cloves of Minced Garlic

6 Leaves of Freshly Chopped Sage

Salt & Pepper

Kitchen Twine

Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut your tenderloin lengthwise, but not all the way through. You want to start at one end (about ¼ inch from the end) and make a slice along the length of the pork until you can open it slightly. I like to slice it twice, so you can open it up a little after the first cut and have more space to make the second cut. You want to slice it open enough so that it will lay flat on the cutting board, allowing you to stuff it, without slicing through to the other side. Season the inside with salt & pepper.

STEP 2: Cut 8-10 pieces of 8-inch-long twine, you’ll want them 1 ½-2 inches apart along the pork. Slide them under the pork, starting at the center and spacing them out until you get to the ends.

STEP 3: Next, slice up your bacon into bite size pieces and cook those in a sauté pan until crispy. Scoop out the bacon and place on a paper towel to drain. Pour out some of the bacon grease, leaving a little to cook the rest of the filling with.

STEP 4: Cut your apple into little chunks, toss those in your sauté pan with the shallot and cook down for a few minutes with a little salt & pepper. Then add the garlic and the sage and cook for 2-3 more minutes.

STEP 5: Turn off the heat and then add the bacon and goat cheese into your stuffing and mix well. Add your stuffing onto the pork down the center lengthwise, leaving an inch or two along the edges, so you can wrap it back up.

STEP 6: Tie up the pork tightly with the twine, double knotting and cutting off the excess ends. Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle down some olive oil. Move your pork onto the baking sheet, rolling it in the olive oil. Salt & pepper the outside of the pork and then bake it for 20-25 minutes (depending on how big the tenderloin is), turning it halfway through to brown both sides. You want the internal temperature at 140-145 degrees. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing it, to keep all the juices from running out.

STEP 7: I made a white wine butter sauce (using the Seyval Blanc) to drizzle on top of the sliced pork for plating, which is totally optional!

STEP 8: Plate your pork (make sure you remove the twine) with a salad or roasted potatoes and enjoy!

Recipe by: Tess Cardillo

Photography: Bob Knill