Apple and Feta Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Pork loin or pork tenderloin?  Most of us have probably been to the shop to buy a pork joint for Sunday roast and ended up with something a little different.  Because the two cuts of meat, while both from the same animal, are pretty different.  This recipe is for apple and feta stuffed pork tenderloin but what’s the difference?

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Why tenderloin pork?

There are a few differences between pork loin and pork tenderloin – starting with the fact that the latter is thin and smaller while the former is large enough to cut steaks from.  But the real difference comes in the cooking of them. 

With pork tenderloin, you often cook it quicker than pork loin, which is often slowly roasted in the oven.  Both cuts are pretty lean but don’t really swap with each other so if you are making this recipe, make sure you get tenderloin.  It is also something known as pork filet or even pork tender.

Lastly, pork tenderloin is usually around 1 pound in weight so if you get a two pound pack, there will be two pieces.  To make this dish, you would butterfly each, cutting them halfway through lengthwise but not chopping them in half.

What you need to make stuffed pork tenderloin

• 2–2½ lbs. pork tenderloin, butterflied
• ½ cup apple juice
• ½ c. Riesling, or other sweet white wine
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 small Gala apples, peeled and diced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1/3 cup dates, chopped
• 6 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled

Will also need

• Kitchen string or toothpicks

Kitchen equipment

• Meat mallet
• Large skillet
• Roasting dish
• Pastry brush

How to make the recipe

STEP 1: Lift the meat out and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking

STEP 2: Preheat the oven to 425F / 220C

STEP 3: Mix the apple juice and wine in a bowl and season then set it aside

STEP 4: Place a sheet of plastic wrap (cling film) on the bench and add the butterflied tenderloins into it.  Cover with another sheet.  Pound the meat with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it is around 1/3 inch thick, remove the plastic sheets then season with salt and pepper

STEP 5: Heat a large skillet over a medium heat.  Add the chopped apples, red onion and mushroom, cooking until soft and the onions slightly brown, usually 8-10 minutes then season

STEP 6: Add the rosemary, cinnamon and cloves and cook for another 1-2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and mix in the chopped dates and Feta cheese

STEP 7: Spread the mixture onto the pork and roll up tightly then secure with kitchen string or toothpicks

STEP 8: Move to a roasting dish and with a pastry brush, coat the outside of each piece with the wine mixture and pour half of the remaining mix in the pan.  Place in the pre-heated oven

STEP 9: Baste the pork with the rest of the wine mixture every 10-15 minutes until cooked.  Check after 50 minutes and look for a temperature of 145F / 63C in the centre

STEP 10: Remove from the oven and cover loosely with aluminium foil.  Leave to rest for 10-15 minutes before removing the string or toothpicks and serving, drizzled with the pan juices

Recipe tips

Another little tip is the wine used in the recipe – Riesling.  If you haven’t encountered it before, it is usually a semi-sweet or sweet white wine, occasionally dry.  If you get a German Riesling, which is one of the common ones, it has an apple note to it which is why it is perfect for this recipe.

When it comes to cooking time, there are a few factors.  The thickness of the meat will factor into how long you need to cook it.  It is definitely a good idea to have a temperature probe for this kind of dish to make sure it is the right temperature and cooked thoroughly before serving.  Check after 50 minutes and cook further based on the meat’s temperature.

Yield: 6 portions

Apple and Feta Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

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Enjoy this tasty cut of pork stuffed with apples and feta and cooked in white wine

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2–2½ lbs. pork tenderloin, butterflied
• ½ cup apple juice
• ½ c. Riesling, or other sweet white wine
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 small Gala apples, peeled and diced
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1/3 cup dates, chopped
• 6 oz. Feta cheese, crumbled
• Will also need
• Kitchen string or toothpicks

Instructions

Lift the meat out and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking

Preheat the oven to 425F / 220C

Mix the apple juice and wine in a bowl and season then set it aside

Place a sheet of plastic wrap (cling film) on the bench and add the butterflied tenderloins into it. Cover with another sheet. Pound the meat with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it is around 1/3 inch thick, remove the plastic sheets then season with salt and pepper

Heat a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the chopped apples, red onion and mushroom, cooking until soft and the onions slightly brown, usually 8-10 minutes then season

Add the rosemary, cinnamon and cloves and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the chopped dates and Feta cheese

Spread the mixture onto the pork and roll up tightly then secure with kitchen string or toothpicks

Move to a roasting dish and with a pastry brush, coat the outside of each piece with the wine mixture and pour half of the remaining mix in the pan. Place in the pre-heated oven

Baste the pork with the rest of the wine mixture every 10-15 minutes until cooked. Check after 50 minutes and look for a temperature of 145F / 63C in the centre

Remove from the oven and cover loosely with aluminium foil. Leave to rest for 10-15 minutes before removing the string or toothpicks and serving, drizzled with the pan juices

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 263Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 286mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 3gSugar: 15gProtein: 15g

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