Ok… Let me start by saying we RARELY eat pork in this house, but when we do, we go all out. Exhibit A: Apple and Bacon Pork Tenderloin Roulade. Sounds intimidating and complicated. It’s not. I promise. The hardest thing is waiting for it to be done. Real talk.
I, personally, really enjoy pork (Anthony would swear it’s my favorite meat, but I don’t think so). Give me some thick center cut slices of bacon or Nana’s smothered pork chops any day of the week. This husband of mine, not so much (he’s kinda Rasta in that way… Sans dreads these days though). I’m still not quite sure how I got him to eat this pork tenderloin rolled up with crispy bacon and seared in bacon grease, but he ate it AND liked it! Success!
The filling is super easy to make- I just chopped up a Granny Smith apple and quickly sauteed it with some onion, garlic and dried herbs. And bacon. Crispy, salty, Porky Pig bacon! Haha! It just wouldn’t be the same any other way. Really though- that takes all of a few minutes and then you just roll it all up, sear away, and finish up in the oven for a bit. (This is where a cast iron pan comes in handy, yet again.) We did this one with a mini tenderloin (because, you know, there was no guarantee anyone other than myself would be eating it…) but you can definitely get a larger one and bump up the measurements and follow the same method if you have a house full of pork lovers to feed.
This is one of those dishes that, when sliced and plated, gets all the oooohs and ahhhhhs from your dinner guests but really doesn’t take a whole lot of fancy shmancy preparation. It’s WAY easier than it looks but still pretty impressive, so give it a try next time you want to jazz up dinner a bit and have an excuse to eat double the pork in one serving.
- 1 lb pork tenderloin
- 1 Granny smith apple
- 4 slices thick cut pork bacon
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried sage
- ½ yellow onion
- Salt
- Crushed red pepper
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Dice the onion into a small dice, mince the garlic, and peel and grate the ginger. Core and slice the apples into thin wedges, then chop the wedges into small ¼-inch chunks, reserving some full wedges for serving.
- Rinse the pork and place it on a cutting board covered in plastic wrap, then butterfly it: slice it lengthwise down the middle without cutting all the way through.
- Open up the pork (like you would a book) and cover the top with plastic wrap. Carefully but firmly use a meat tenderizer (or heavy rolling pin) to pound out the pork into a thin, even layer, working from the center to the edges. Season the pork generously with salt and pepper.
- In a large oven-proof skillet (preferably cast iron), fry the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat. Crumble the crisped bacon into small pieces, and remove the skillet from the heat (for now).
- Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and herbs to the skillet and saute in bacon drippings for 1-2 minutes until the flavors meld, but the apples are still crisp. Season with salt and crushed red pepper to taste. When done, use a slotted spoon to remove the apple mixture to a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess bacon grease.
- Spoon the filling onto the pork loin in an even layer. Then, from a short end, roll up the pork like you would a jelly roll. Then, use kitchen twine to tie it together so it doesn't unravel.
- Place the skillet back over medium-high heat and sear the pork roll for 2-3 minutes on all sides until it's browned and crisp on the outside. Take the skillet off the stove and place it in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes to finish cooking the pork through. You'll know when it's done when a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork reads 165 degrees F.
- When the pork is done, transfer it to a cutting board and tent it with foil. Allow the pork to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.