Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin -- A Celebration Dinner for the Night the Dream Became a Payroll

Mama hired the first three new staff for the cafe-expansion this week — two new cooks (to support the expanded kitchen) and a new floor-manager (to support the expanded dining room). The hires are the small first concrete-manifestation of the expansion. The payroll will run for the first time with the new staff on November 15. The apricot stuffed pork tenderloin was the small Sunday-celebration-dinner. Brayden is one hundred and sixty weeks old. Eden is eighteen weeks old.

The apricot stuffed pork tenderloin is a small dressed-up pork-tenderloin dinner — pork tenderloin butterflied open, stuffed with a small dried-apricot-and-fresh-herb-and-bread-crumb stuffing, tied with butcher twine, seared and roasted at four-hundred for twenty-five minutes until 145 internal.

The technique on a stuffed tenderloin is the butterflying. The tenderloin is sliced lengthwise about three-quarters of the way through, opened like a book, pounded slightly to even the thickness. The stuffing goes down the center. The whole assembly is rolled and tied.

Sunday I made the tenderloin. Dustin had three slices. Brayden had a small piece.

Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 1/2 lbs), silver skin removed
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Kitchen twine for tying

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or small roasting pan with foil and set aside.
2. Make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the chopped dried apricots, cream cheese, Dijon mustard, thyme, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until well mixed.
3. Butterfly the tenderloin. Place the tenderloin on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut lengthwise down the center of the tenderloin, cutting about 3/4 of the way through — not all the way. Open the tenderloin like a book and flatten it gently with your palm.
4. Stuff and roll. Spread the apricot filling evenly down the center of the butterflied tenderloin, leaving a 1/2-inch border on all sides. Carefully roll the tenderloin back up lengthwise and tie it at 1-inch intervals with kitchen twine to hold its shape.
5. Season and sear. Season the outside of the rolled tenderloin with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the tenderloin on all sides, turning every 1—2 minutes, until golden brown all around, about 6—8 minutes total.
6. Make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the apricot preserves and balsamic vinegar. Brush generously over the seared tenderloin.
7. Roast. Transfer the skillet (or move the tenderloin to the prepared baking sheet) to the preheated oven. Roast for 20—25 minutes, brushing with additional glaze halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 145°F.
8. Rest and slice. Remove from the oven and let the tenderloin rest for 5 minutes before removing the twine and slicing into 1-inch medallions. Serve with any pan juices drizzled over the top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 310 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 420mg