Believe it or not, the holidays are right around the corner and Bacon and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is a perfect entree for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. It’s also perfect for any other type of holiday entertaining or dinner party.
This flavorful recipe features pork tenderloin stuffed with a bacon and mushroom filling which is so delicious you could serve it as a side dish all by itself. Tender and juicy, the pork fairly melts in your mouth. This pork tenderloin recipe does take a little more effort than just popping it in the oven, but the few extra minutes are so worth it.
Pork tenderloin, also called pork fillet, is a long thin tender cut of pork which is juicy, moist and full of flavor. It’s also relatively low in calories and is just as lean as a skinless chicken breast. Pork tenderloin is also versatile and cooks quickly making it ideal for weeknight meals when you are in a hurry.
If you are looking for other easy pork tenderloin recipes, you might also want to check out these recipes: Herb Crusted Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce, Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Dark Cherry Sauce, and Chili Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze.
How to make Bacon and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Gather your ingredients which are: pork tenderloins, bacon, and mushrooms. Additionally, you will need olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic, breadcrumbs, fresh parsley and lemon zest.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, which should take about 8-10 minutes.
Remove the bacon, drain and crumble. Set aside.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and season them with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook the mushrooms over medium heat until they are soft which should take about 5-6 minutes. Add the bacon and minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and all but two tablespoons of the parsley. Let cool.
To butterfly the tenderloins, make an incision down the length of the pork. Do not cut all the way through. Open the tenderloin like a book, so the pork lies flat.
Cover the pork with plastic wrap or a gallon size plastic bag and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or you can use a small cast iron skillet which is what I use. Take your time and start from the middle of the pork and work your way outward until your pork is 1/2 inch thick. (It’s hard to roll up your pork with the stuffing if it’s any thicker.)
Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the two flattened tenderloins.
Starting with a long side of the pork, tightly roll up each tenderloin. Secure the seams with toothpicks.
Then tie each tenderloin securely with kitchen string to hold it together.
Brush the tenderloins with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Sear each tenderloin in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes a side.
Place the tenderloins on a metal baking rack, on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 140 degrees. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes for the temperature to come up to 145 degrees.
While the meat rests, mix three tablespoons of olive oil with two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Set aside.
When the pork is ready, remove the toothpicks and strings and cut into 1-inch slices. To serve, top with the parsley mixture.
Bacon and Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins
- 5 Tbsp olive oil, divided plus more for brushing on the tenderloins
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 16 ounces fresh mushrooms chopped
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 Tbsps breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, which should take about 8-10 minutes. Remove the bacon, drain and crumble. Set aside.
- Add the mushrooms to the pan and season them with one tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook the mushrooms over medium heat until they are soft which should take about 5-6 minutes. Add the bacon and minced garlic and cook 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs and all but two tablespoons of the parsley. Let cool.
- To butterfly, the tenderloins make an incision down the length of the pork. Do not cut all the way through. Open the tenderloin like a book so the tenderloin lies flat.
- Cover the pork with plastic wrap or a gallon size plastic bag and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or you can use a small cast iron skillet which is what I use. Take your time and start from the middle of the pork and work your way outward until your pork is 1/2 inch thick. (It's hard to roll your pork up with the stuffing if its any thicker.)
- Spread the mushroom mixture evenly over the two flattened tenderloins
- Starting with a long side of the pork, tightly roll up each tenderloin. Secure the seams with toothpicks. Then tie each tenderloin securely with kitchen string to hold it together.
- Brush the tenderloins with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Sear each tenderloin in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes a side.
- Place the tenderloins on a metal baking rack, on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 140 degrees. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes for the temperature to come up to 145 degrees.
- Place the tenderloins on a metal baking rack, on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 140 degrees. Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes for the temperature to come up to 145 degrees. While the meat rests, mix three tablespoons of olive oil with two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Set aside.
- When the pork is ready, remove the toothpicks and strings and cut into 1-inch slices. To serve top with the parsley mixture.
This sounds delicious, am anxious to try it. I’m going ahead and ordering that cookbook, Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook. This is truly an addiction.
Carolyn