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pork tenderloin stuffed with an apple filling
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5 from 11 votes

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Apple Bourbon Gravy

This Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Apple Bourbon Gravy is the perfect alternative to a huge turkey on your holiday menu!
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: holiday main dish, roasted pork
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 315kcal

Ingredients

Pork tenderloin

  • 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin silver skin removed
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

Stuffing

  • 2 slices bacon diced
  • 2 small to medium gala apples (or your favorite type) peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

Seasoning rub

  • 1 1/2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp ground cumin

Apple bourbon gravy

  • 1/4 - 1/3 cup pan drippings from cooking the pork
  • 1/3 cup bourbon
  • 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth or stock
  • 2/3 cup apple cider
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp cold unsalted butter

Instructions

Make the stuffing

  • Heat a large oven safe skillet (I prefer cast iron), over MED LOW heat.  Add bacon pieces and cook until crisp.  Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate.
  • To the same skillet, add onion, apple, garlic, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes, until softened.
  • Stir in sage, rosemary and thyme, and remove mixture to the plate with the bacon.
  • Wipe out skillet, but no need to wash.  Set aside for now.

Prepare the tenderloin

  • Add tenderloin to a cutting board. Hold your knife parallel to the board and carefully slice the pork from right to left (if you’re a righty), until you're about 1/2 an inch away from the opposite side.
  • Open the tenderloin up like a book, then cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and pound with the flat side of a meat mallet until the whole tenderloin is about 1/2 an inch thick.
  • Remove plastic wrap, and spread stuffing mixture evenly over the surface of the meat, leaving a small border all the way around.
  • Start with a long edge, and roll the meat up into a tight log shape, pushing any stuffing back in that falls out of the ends.
  • Secure the ends with several toothpicks, keeping them all pointing the same way. Take note of how many you used, so you can make sure you take that same amount back out at the end of cooking!

Make the rub

  • Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl, then rub evenly over the entire surface of the tenderloin, being careful not to poke yourself on the toothpicks.

Sear and roast

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Add 2 Tbsp to cast iron skillet from earlier, and heat over MED HIGH heat.  Once oil is hot, add tenderloin, toothpick side down, and sear for 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown.
  • Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer reads 140-145°F.

Make the gravy

  • Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest for about 10 minutes.
  • While meat is resting, transfer skillet back to the stovetop and heat over MED/MED HIGH heat.  There should be drippings in the skillet from cooking the pork, drain off some if needed, so that you have about 1/4 - 1/3 cup left… those add great flavor.
  • Add bourbon and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan, loosening any browned bits.
  • Pour in chicken stock, apple cider, mustard, salt, pepper, and onion powder, and bring to a low boil.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine cold water and cornstarch and whisk together until smooth.
  • Pour cornstarch mixture into the boiling liquid, whisking as you add it.  
  • Reduce heat to MED LOW and simmer, stirring often, until gravy has thickened to your liking.
  • Remove from heat and add cold butter, whisking as it melts into the gravy.

Serve

  • Slice tenderloin into 1/2-3/4” rings, and drizzle gravy over the slices.
  • Serve with additional gravy on the side.

Notes

  1. If you don't have a meat mallet, a heavy bottomed skillet or pot, rolling pin, empty wine bottle, etc will work just fine.
  2. Removing the silver skin from the pork tenderloin is essential, because if it stays on, that part of the pork will be very chewy and not appetizing.
  3. The silver skin will likely be on just one side of the tenderloin, and it looks white and silvery, and a bit shiny.  Insert your knife just under that skin and cut it away from the meat on one side.  Then turn the knife the other way and while lifting the skin, slide the knife down the length of the tenderloin, separating the skin from the pork.  If you'd like a photo/video demonstration, Cook the Story has a great article on this.

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 531mg | Potassium: 593mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg