Pork tenderloin is by far one of the most versatile and delicious meats you can grill, making it one of our favorite go-to cuts of meat at TEC Grills. The flavor is mild, the meat is tender, and because of its size it is quick to grill. A lot of folks don’t like pork tenderloin because it can be dry and tough to eat. But when you cook it on our 100% infrared grills, it will come out juicy every time.

It is also really easy to up the flavor factor with pork tenderloin, and the variations are endless. Here are three different recipe techniques you can use to Stuff, Wrap, and Marinate pork tenderloin. You can’t go wrong any way you choose!

Stuff It

Since pork tenderloin is a long tubular piece of meat, it is perfect for stuffing. The key is to butterfly the pork so that you can lay the stuffing flat on the meat, and then roll it up like a jelly-roll. Add a little herb crust mixture on the outside, and you are ready to grill. Our recipe for Feta and Spinach stuffing with an Oregano crust is inspired by the classic Greek marinated chicken or pork recipe. Just add some grilled asparagus for a delicious, but sophisticated spring dinner party.

 

Feta, Spinach, and Prosciutto Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Oregano Crust

1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons, plus 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 small onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bag pre-washed fresh spinach
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried thyme
3-4 slices prosciutto

1. Butterfly pork tenderloin. Gently pound out until pork is a uniform thickness. Set aside.

2. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.

3. When the oil is hot, add the onion to the pan. Saute until starting to brown, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Add the garlic to the pan, and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds-1 minute.

5. Add the spinach to the pan in handfuls, stirring to wilt the spinach in the pan.

6. Add lemon juice to the pan. Stir until lemon juice is almost evaporated. Remove pan from heat, and let spinach mixture cool slightly.

7. Add the feta cheese to the pan, and stir to combine. Season stuffing with pepper (you probably won’t need salt since feta is salty), and set aside.

8. Combine oregano, parsley, and thyme in a small bowl. Add the 1/2 cup of olive oil, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

9. Preheat the grill on medium heat with the hood closed.

10. Lay the slices of prosciutto on the inside of the butterflied pork. Spread the spinach stuffing on top of the prosciutto. Carefully roll up the pork along the long edge to make a roulade. Secure roll with twine, silicone ties, or long toothpicks.

11. Spread the oregano mixture all over the outside of the pork tenderloin, pressing gently to adhere.

12. Grill the tenderloin for about 10 minutes, until the pork easily releases from the grill. If it is sticking to the grates, leave it for a few more minutes.

13. Flip and grill on the other side for about 10 more minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.

14. Remove the tenderloin from the grill, and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

 

Wrap It

We all know that bacon makes everything better. And when it is wrapped around a pork tenderloin and smoked on our Infrared Smoker/Roaster, the fat from the bacon helps keep the tenderloin from drying out. Weaved bacon is quite the sensation right now. But in addition to looking really cool, it actually helps the bacon stay wrapped on the pork tenderloin and not curl up. Pre-cooking the bacon weave helps the inside of the bacon to be a little crispier, and not so gummy and chewy too. Add a little Maple BBQ sauce (from the grill master himself, Myron Mixon), and you could serve this dish for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner!

 

Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Maple Bourbon BBQ Sauce

About 10-12 thin slices of bacon
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
Myron Mixon’s Maple BBQ Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lay out enough bacon in a weave pattern on a piece of foil, so that it will just wrap around the pork tenderloin from end to end. Scott Thomas of Grillin’ Fools has a great tutorial for how to do this.

3. Cook the bacon in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the bacon starts to turn brown at the edges. Remove bacon from the oven, and cool to room temperature.

TEC Tip: To cool the bacon faster, put it in the fridge for about 5 minutes!

4. Lay the pork tenderloin on top of the bacon weave. Carefully wrap the tenderloin with the bacon, and secure with toothpicks on the bottom side.

5. Place the Infrared Smoker/Roaster on the grill grates, and preheat the grill on medium for 10 minutes with the hood closed. Add some wood chips to the chip corral.

6. Turn down the grill to medium-low, and place the pork tenderloin on the Smoker/Roaster rack.

7. Close the hood, and smoke for about 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork is 145 degrees F and the bacon is brown and crispy at the edges.

8. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the BBQ Sauce.

 

Marinate It

Marinating is one of the easiest ways to add a lot of flavor to pork tenderloin. Since the meat is fairly mild in flavor, it is really adaptable to a wide range of flavor combinations. Here is one of our favorite marinades.

 

Dijon, Rosemary, and Garlic Marinated Pork Tenderloin

1 or 2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup olive oil
Juice of 1/2 large lemon
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
Freshly-ground pepper, to taste

1. Combine the mustard, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons of salt in a sturdy 1-gallon re-sealable plastic bag. Add the tenderloins, ensuring that they are coated in the marinade. Squeeze the air out of the bag, and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

2. Preheat the grill on medium heat with the hood closed.

3. Remove the pork from the marinade, and place on preheated grill.

4. Grill each tenderloin for about 10 minutes, until the pork easily releases from the grill. If it is sticking to the grates, leave it for a few more minutes. If desired, pour some of the marinade over the pork as it cooks for even more flavor.

5. Flip and grill on the other side for about 10 more minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.

6. Remove the tenderloin from the grill, and let it rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Season with pepper, and more salt if desired.

TEC Tip: This marinade, inspired by a Julia Child favorite of ours, works excellently with lamb chops.

 

Share with us how you like to grill pork tenderloin by using the hashtag #TECGrills on all your grilling pictures!