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How to Expertly Cut Pork Tenderloin for the Perfect Stuffed Roast

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Want to serve something really tasty AND impressive? Look no further than this Spiral-Stuffed Pork Loin. It’s perfect for Christmas, Easter, Sunday night dinner, or whenever you want your guests to say “wow!”.

Stuffed pork tenderloin makes for an incredibly impressive yet easy main course. When sliced, the beautiful spiral filling is revealed, wowing dinner guests. But getting the right cut is crucial for both cooking performance and presentation

In this guide, you’ll learn the step-by-step process for cutting pork tenderloin to create the ideal vessel for flavorful fillings. With a few simple knife skills, you’ll be able to craft a mouthwatering masterpiece. Let’s get started!

Benefits of Cutting and Stuffing Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is a lean, tender cut that cooks quickly Stuffing it gives you these advantages

  • Flavor – Stuffing adds spice, herbs, cheese, fruits etc. for delicious flavor in every bite.

  • Moisture: To keep the pork moist while roasting, fillings often have juices, oil, or cream in them.

  • Variety – Get creative with different cultural stuffings like Italian, Asian or Mexican flavors.

  • Presentation – When sliced, the spiral design looks impressive and elegant on the plate.

  • Portion control – Cutting and stuffing portions each tenderloin allows for easy serving sizes.

With so many benefits, it’s easy to see why cutting pork for stuffing is a great cooking technique to master.

Choosing the Right Pork Tenderloin

Look for tenderloins that are:

  • About 1 to 1 1/2 pounds each—enough to cut in half lengthwise and stuff.

  • Similar thickness – Helps them cook evenly when stuffed.

  • Tapered at one end – Makes butterflying easier.

  • Free of large fat pockets – Can interfere with even cooking.

  • Bright pink color – Indicates freshness.

Two tenderloins can easily feed 4 to 6 people when stuffed.

Necessary Equipment

You don’t need fancy gadgets to cut and stuff pork tenderloin. Here’s the basic equipment:

  • Sharp chef’s knife – Essential for precision butterfly cuts.

  • Cutting board – Give yourself lots of room to work.

  • Kitchen string – For trussing to hold shape while cooking.

  • Instant-read thermometer – Checks doneness temperature.

  • Small spoon – Helps press filling into spaces evenly.

With just these simple items, you’re ready to start prepping the perfect pork roast.

Step-by-Step Guide to Cutting Pork Tenderloin

Follow these simple steps for flawless results:

1. Trim Excess Fat and Silver Skin

  • Lay the tenderloin on a cutting board and trim off any excess fat around the sides.

  • Peel off and discard the thin silver skin membrane for better presentation.

2. Butterfly the Tenderloin

  • Position your knife about 1/3 down from the tapered end.

  • Make a horizontal cut through almost but not completely through.

  • Open it up like a book. The butterflied loaf should be about 1 inch thick.

3. Pound to Even Thickness

  • Cover with plastic wrap. Gently pound with a mallet or pan to flatten and even out the thickness.

4. Season the Inside

  • Salt, pepper and sprinkle herbs or rub on the inside surface that will hold the stuffing.

5. Spread the Stuffing

  • Leaving a 1/2 inch border, cover the inside with your favorite stuffing mixture.

6. Roll Up Tightly

  • Starting at a tapered end, roll up the pork around the filling. Press gently to pack the stuffing in tightly.

7. Tie Securely with Butcher’s Twine

  • Wrap string around the roll in four or five spots to hold the shape for cooking.

With these simple steps, you’ll have a beautiful and evenly stuffed tenderloin ready for roasting.

Choosing the Best Stuffings

The possibilities are endless for delicious fillings. Consider these options:

  • Italian – Spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, feta, basil, garlic

  • Apple and Sage – Sauteed apples, onions, fresh sage

  • Mediterranean – Artichokes, olives, roasted peppers

  • Southwest – Corn, black beans, Monterey Jack, cilantro

  • Asian – Mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts, ginger, 5-spice powder

  • Bacon and Cheese – Sauteed spinach, bacon, cheddar or Swiss

  • Fruit and Nut – Dried cranberries, apricots, pistachios, walnuts

Get creative and combine your favorite flavors. Just avoid extremely moist stuffings that won’t hold their shape.

Roasting Perfectly Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Once stuffed, sealed and trussed, roast the tenderloin using these tips:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.

  • Heat olive oil in a skillet. Sear all sides to brown the outside.

  • Roast for 30-40 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.

  • Allow to rest tented in foil for 10 minutes before slicing.

monitor the temperature closely with a meat thermometer for a juicy interior.

Serving Your Filled Pork Tenderloin

When resting time is up, it’s finally time to wow your guests.

  • Remove strings and slice into rounds 1/2 to 1 inch thick.

  • Fan out on a platter to showcase the filling.

  • Serve with roasted veggies and rice or pasta to complement.

  • Pour any juices from the pan over the top for added moisture.

Your elegant yet easy stuffed pork will be an impressive meal that everyone will remember.

Perfectly Stuffed Pork Tenderloins Made Easy

With these simple steps, you can master the method for flawlessly cut and stuffed pork tenderloin:

  • Choose the right size tenderloins for stuffing.

  • Equip your kitchen with just a few essential tools.

  • Trim, butterfly, pound and season the pork.

  • Pack the stuffing tightly into the cut.

  • Roll up and tie securely to seal.

  • Sear, roast and slice to serve this delicious dish.

Plus experiment with endless filling variations from all over the world.

Cutting pork tenderloin for stuffing unlocks a world of possibilities for amazing flavors and presentation. Impress hungry guests at your next dinner party with this spectacular yet easy roast.

how to cut a pork tenderloin for stuffing

Video: How To Spiral Stuff A Pork Loin

There are a few different ways you can stuff a pork loin. The easiest way is to cut the meat cylinder down the middle so it opens up like a book, stuff it, and then close it back up. Sometimes this is called butterflying and it makes for slices of meat that look like this.

Another way is to cut a hole in the middle of the loin, making a tube-like shape, and stuff the tube. It makes for slices that have a donut-shaped piece of meat with the stuffing in the center.

My favorite, though, is a spiral-cut—because its slices are the most impressive, beautiful spirals of meat and filling. Confusingly, this is also sometimes called butterflying, even though it’s completely different than the first option. It’s also sometimes called a roll cut because the final roast looks like a jelly roll. Any way you look at it, it’s not that hard to do, and even if you mess up, most of the “mistakes” will be gone after the meat is cooked and sliced.

Here’s how you do it.

How To Make Stuffed Pork Loin:

how to cut a pork tenderloin for stuffing

Start with the loin on a large cutting board. (Don’t know the difference between a pork loin and a pork tenderloin? Jump over to this post here. Line up the meat so that it is straight across from you. Cut along one side of the cylinder about 1/2 inch from the edge, stopping about 1/2 inch short of the cutting board. You should have a 1/2-inch flap of meat running the length of the cylinder on the side where you cut (your right hand if you’re right-handed).

how to cut a pork tenderloin for stuffing

Change your knife so it’s parallel to the cutting board. Cut into the meat away from the flap, starting where the flap meets the cylinder. Keep your knife 1/2 inch above the cutting board.

how to cut a pork tenderloin for stuffing

Use your other hand to pull the meat away from the knife, like you’re unfolding a carpet. Keep making this cut. Eventually, you’ll have one large rectangle of meat that’s about 1/2-inch thick. Ta-da!.

There may be places where the meat feels too thick. Cut a small hole in the meat and press it open. You can see where I did this on the right side of the picture above.

If the surface of the meat looks a little ragged or there are holes, don’t worry too much. Most of those imperfections will be unnoticeable once the roast reaches the dinner table.

how to cut a pork tenderloin for stuffing

Add your stuffing to the top of this rectangle, using my recipe below or your own. About a 1/4-inch thickness is ideal.

how to cut a pork tenderloin for stuffing

Take the inside of the meat and roll it back up into a cylinder. Then, tie it with kitchen twine.

how to cut a pork tenderloin for stuffing

You’re ready to roast.

And, as I already said, the slices of your spiral-cut roast not only look great, but they also taste great. Because the stuffing adds flavor to the roast through and through!.

You can always roast the pork loin without stuffing it if all of that seems like too much work or if you meant to stuff it but forgot and don’t have time. I think you’ll love this way of cooking a pork loin roast in the oven almost as much as I do. Either way, Enjoy!.

How to Roll Cut a Pork Tenderloin

FAQ

How do you cut a pork loin so you can stuff it?

Ways To Stuff A Pork Loin The simplest way is to cut the cylinder of meat lengthwise so it opens up like a book, add the stuffing, and close it up again. Sometimes this is called butterflying and it makes for slices of meat that look like this.

How do you cook a stuffed pork tenderloin?

To cook a stuffed pork tenderloin, sear the meat in a preheated oven at 400°F. This temperature results in a deeply colored exterior and juicy meat. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. (The passage does not provide information on how to stuff the pork tenderloin, please refer to the recipe for that information.)

How do you make a stuffed pork loin?

To make a stuffed pork loin, the meat should be about half an inch thick. Layer in the stuffing ingredients, spinach, roasted red peppers, pesto seasoning, bacon, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Then, roll the meat as you would cinnamon rolls, tucking in the ends as you go. Use a couple of toothpicks or some kitchen string to keep it held together.

Should stuffed pork tenderloin be refrigerated before cooking?

Make ahead: You can refrigerate the stuffed tenderloin up to a day in advance, after stuffing it. Let the meat come to room temperature before cooking. Did you make this? A guide to making stuffed pork tenderloin with spinach, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and pesto.

How to prepare a pork tenderloin?

To prepare a pork tenderloin, first thaw the loin and butterfly it with a sharp knife (or cut it almost in half). Next, wrap the loin in a sheet of plastic wrap and pound the meat with the flat side of a meat mallet until it is about half an inch thick.

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