When you place this apple walnut stuffed pork tenderloin on the table, everyone will think you worked for hours in the kitchen to create this masterpiece. You’ll know that it was quick and easy to make!
It’s so tasty and perfect to serve for a family Sunday dinner and is special enough for a holiday. My family isn’t fond of the traditional turkey or ham dinner, but this pork tenderloin is a big hit.
Apple Walnut Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20-30 minutes depending on thickness
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 small red onion, diced
2 medium apples, peeled and diced
¼ c. walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. breadcrumbs
1 tsp. dried thyme (or 2 tsp. fresh thyme)
2 lb. pork tenderloin, butterflied
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Soak 6-8 toothpicks in a bowl of water. This is to prevent the toothpicks from burning in the oven.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and add in the onion and apples. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become slightly soft and translucent, around 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add in the walnuts, breadcrumbs, and fresh thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Lay the pork tenderloin on a flat surface and cover with plastic wrap. Pound the meat with a meat mallet until around 1/2 inch thick.
- Spread the apple and walnut mixture over the meat and tightly roll the tenderloin like a jellyroll. Secure with toothpicks. Brush the tenderloin with the remaining olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Place the same skillet you used to cook the onion and apples on a high heat.
- Add the pork tenderloin to the hot skillet and sear until golden on all sides, around 5-6 minutes.
- Transfer the tenderloin to the preheated oven and roast until fully cooked through in the middle, 20-30 minutes. The temperature in the thickest part of the meat should read 155°F with an instant read thermometer (like this one – https://amzn.to/3PMz58J Replace with your own affiliate link).
- Remove from the oven. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. Remove toothpicks, slice, and serve. Enjoy!
TIPS:
Butterflying pork tenderloin allows it to cook quickly and evenly, making it a simple, easy weeknight meal choice. To butterfly, place tenderloin on a large piece of plastic wrap on a cutting board.
Make a slit, cutting lengthwise down the middle, being careful not to cut all the way through. The best results are achieved by cutting 2/3 of the way through, leaving 1/3 of the overall thickness of the tenderloin.
Open the tenderloin like a book. Cover with a 2nd sheet of plastic wrap and pound it out with the flat side of a meat mallet or press it out with a rolling pin to an even thickness.
Apple and Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 3 T. olive oil divided
- 1 small red onion diced
- 2 medium apples peeled and diced
- ¼ c. walnuts roughly chopped
- 2 T. breadcrumbs
- 2 t. fresh thyme
- 2 lb. pork tenderloin butterflied
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Soak 6-8 toothpicks in a bowl of water. This is to prevent the toothpicks from burning in the oven.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and add in the onion and apples. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions become slightly soft and translucent, around 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add in the walnuts, breadcrumbs, and fresh thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Lay the pork tenderloin on a flat surface and cover with plastic wrap. Pound the meat with a meat mallet until around 1/2 inch thick.
- Spread the apple and walnut mixture over the meat and tightly roll the tenderloin like a jellyroll. Secure with toothpicks. Brush the tenderloin with the remaining olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Place the same skillet you used to cook the onion and apples on a high heat.
- Add the pork tenderloin to the hot skillet and sear until golden on all sides, around 5-6 minutes.
- Transfer the tenderloin to the preheated oven and roast until fully cooked through in the middle, 20-30 minutes. The temperature in the thickest part of the meat should read 155°F with an instant read thermometer
- Remove from the oven. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. Remove toothpicks, slice and serve. Enjoy!
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