Are you looking for a new recipe for pork tenderloin? Let me tell you all about this delicious Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloin. It looks pretty fancy, but I promise it is not nearly as hard as it looks!
Why Make This Stuffed Pork Tenderloin?
I love to make this because pork tenderloin is one of our family's favorite meats. It is also one I cook most often for guests. Everyone seems to love pork tenderloin, so let's get grilling!
Grilling tenderloin is delicious, but stuffing it and grilling it brings it to a whole new level. After trying this recipe, you'll see what I mean.
Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, making it a healthier option. It is filled with caramelized onions, spinach, and goat cheese, which makes it even better.
This is a meal to impress. Although it looks pretty hard to make, it isn't that bad, and all of your friends and family will be impressed. It can also be called a pork roulade.
Ingredients
- Pork Tenderloin
- Onions
- Spinach
- Goat Cheese
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
What Is The Difference Between Pork Tenderloin and Pork Loin
These meats sound familiar, but don't get them confused! They are different cuts of meat.
Pork tenderloin is a long, narrow, boneless cut of meat that comes from the muscle that runs along the backbone. A pork loin can be a boneless or bone-in cut of meat and is always wider and flatter than a tenderloin.
How To Butterfly A Pork Tenderloin
To butterfly a pork tenderloin, start by cutting lengthwise down the pork tenderloin, making sure to leave an inch from the back of the tenderloin. Open it up and lay it flat.
Next, place saran wrap on top of the meat, and use a meat tenderizer to pound it. You want the tenderloin to be about ⅓ to ½ inch thick. This is it, now you are ready to stuff your tenderloin!
How To Make The Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
- Caramelize your onions. This takes time, so start it early.
- Once it is done, set it aside to cool.
- Remove the silverskin and trim the fat off your tenderloin.
- Butterfly your tenderloin, as explained above.
- Pat it dry on both sides.
- Sprinkle the side facing up lightly with the seasoning mix from recipe.
- Spread with the caramelized onion, spinach, and then dot with the goat cheese.
- Now, gently roll it tightly, and tie to close. Here is a great video on tying your pork tenderloin. If you would like, you can just tie it in a series of knots as I did, about every 2 inches.
- Sprinkle generously with your seasoning.
- Grill over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes, making sure to turn it about every 5 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and let it rest at least 5 minutes.
- Cut your ties, and slice in 1-inch slices.
- That is it, sit back and enjoy!
How To Caramelize Onions
3 paragraphs, 2-3 sentences each
To caramelize the onions for this recipe, start by sauteing them on low heat in olive oil. Add salt after 10 minutes. Add a sprinkle of sugar after another 10 minutes to help with caramelization.
Make sure to mix consistently so it doesn't burn. Add a little water if it starts to dry out. They should be ready after about 30-45 minutes. Make sure to let them cool before adding them to the tenderloin.
Grilling Pork Tenderloin On A Gas Grill
There is a difference between grilling on a gas grill over charcoal. Gas grilling leaves more moisture in the meat, while charcoal dries it out. Charcoal also takes more time to preheat.
I'll explain more about how to grill a pork tenderloin on a gas grill in the section below.
Notes About Grilling Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Make sure not to overcook. Tenderloin is very tender unless it is overcooked!
You can prep everything for this recipe ahead of time, except for grilling the meat. Roll the tenderloin up and tie it right before grilling and serving. I used spinach, but you can use any other green that you prefer.
Do You Grill Pork Tenderloin Fast Or Slow?
When you are grilling pork tenderloin, you want to do so fast. This recipe is meant to be grilled hot and fast. For this meat, I did it at about 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
FAQ Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Yes! I would recommend you sear it first, then move it to the oven. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a pan heated over medium-high heat. Sear the tenderloin all the way around. The place in an oven-safe pan and bake at 400 degrees for about 7-10 minutes.
Gruyere would be really good. You can use fresh mozzarella, just go sparingly. A Monterey would also be good or even parmesan.
You can make everything ahead of time, but I don't recommend grilling until you are ready to serve. If you make it ahead of time, wrap tightly with saran wrap and store in the fridge for up to 4 hours.
What To Serve With Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Broccoli Stuffed Potatoes
- Veggie Couscous Salad
- Superfoods Salad
- Sprouted Quinoa Salad
- Parker House Rolls
- Honey Oatmeal Bread
- Simple Green Pea and Potato Side
- No Mayo Potato Side Dish
- Cajun Mashed Potatoes
Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided you will use 2 tablespoons for caramelizing the onions and 1 for the spinach
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 pork tenderloin They are usually in between 1-2.5 pounds
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 4 ounces goat cheese
Rub
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan over low heat.
- Add in you olive oil and heat it as well.
- Place chopped onions in the pan.
- Stirring occasionally, cook them for about 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with about ¼ teaspoon salt
- Continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally so it won't burn.
- I sprinkled mine with about ¼ teaspoon sugar. You can skip this if you want, but I like it for better caramelization.
- Once the onions are beautiful and caramelized, remove from heat and allow them to cool.
- While they are cooling, let's saute the spinach.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a pan and heat over medium heat.
- Put in your spinach and cook for about 5-7 minutes until it is wilted. Make sure and stir occasionally.
- Once both have cooled, let's start the pork.
- Butterfly the pork. Once it is cut, I like to put it on a cutting board, then cover it with saran wrap. Pound it with the meat tenderizer until the pork is flat and the same thickness.
- Combine the rub ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle about ⅓ of it on the cut side up of the pork tenderloin.
- Spread the onions across the tenderloin, then the spinach, and lastly dot the goat cheese on.
- Roll the pork up tightly and tie as shown in the photos.
- Sprinkle with the rest of the rub and press it in.
- Heat your grill over medium-high heat. Mine was about 400 degrees.
- Cook the tenderloin for about 15-20 minutes. Making sure to turn it about 5 minutes.
- Remove and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Cut off the ties. Then slice at about 1- 1 ½ inch.
- This is best served right away. It reheats okay, but this will dry it out a little.
- Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!