Cherry and Onion Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Serves six.

by Joanne Weir
from Fine Cooking
Issue 105
Last Edit Date: 5/6/2010 3:52:49 PM

Wilted green and red Swiss chard with a splash of white balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes makes a great bed for the sliced pork.

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3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
6 Tbs. freshly squeezed orange juice
3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. granulated sugar
1-1/2 tsp. freshly grated orange zes
1-1/2 cups fresh sweet cherries (about 8 oz.), pitted and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 lb. each), trimmed
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1 cup lower-salt chicken broth
1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
2 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and light golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the orange juice, vinegar, sugar, and orange zest, reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue to cook until the onions are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes more. Uncover and continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes more. Add the cherries and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature.

Heat the oven to 425°F. Meanwhile, butterfly the pork by slitting each tenderloin lengthwise just far enough that it opens like a book to make a flat piece. Place the pork between two pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper and pound gently with a meat mallet to flatten it to a 3/8-inch thickness. In a small bowl, mix 1 Tbs. of the olive oil, the ground cloves, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Rub the mixture on both sides of the pork and season generously with salt.

Divide and spread the cherry mixture evenly over the tenderloins and roll them back to their original shape. Tie them with butcher twine at 1-inch intervals.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil in an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the pork on all sides until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a tenderloin reads 145°F, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil.

Set the skillet over medium-high heat, add the wine, and deglaze the pan by scraping up the cooked bits with a wooden spoon. Boil to reduce the wine by about half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and rosemary, bring to a boil, and reduce by about half, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter one piece at a time, letting each melt before adding the next. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove the strings from the pork and slice it into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Serve drizzled with the sauce.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 370; Fat (g): 18; Fat Calories (kcal): 160; Saturated Fat (g): 6; Protein (g): 34; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 9; Carbohydrates (g): 14; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1.5; Sodium (mg): 370; Cholesterol (mg): 110; Fiber (g): 1;

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by user-334748, 8/13/2012This was a little labor intentive but soooo worth it. I used Valaslia onions as they are sweet and in season. My guest raved and raved about how awesome this dish was. It will go into my favorites file. I would consider making this for a holiday meal.

by hmarnold, 6/6/2011I made this dish last night, but I put the tenderloin on the grill because it was 87 degrees outside, so I didn't get to do the sauce part. I suggest to definitely make the sauce, as it probably would have completed the dish and made it so much more flavorful. Without it, it was an ok dish. It was a lot of work pitting the cherries and chopping them and creating the filling and it ended up with just a little bit of flavor with the pork...almost "lost" in it if you know what I mean.

by butterscotch, 12/11/2010Absolutely luscious recipe. Easy to make but dressy enough for special occasion dinners. Even though cherries weren't in season, I was able to make this successfully using a combination of bottled sour cherries and sweet cherry preserves.

by Prattd, 8/21/2010What a great combination of flavors! This is a keeper!

by Portia_Mindbender, 7/25/2010This was just wonderful. We got the cherries and the sweet onions from a local farm and made it a fun day with the assorted cherry receipes from the site.

by emily_07, 7/12/2010This is great! The pork turns out very tender and moist, and the cherries compliment the taste very well!

by sewapel, 6/18/2010

by TheMomChef, 6/8/2010Absolutely outstanding, tender and delicious. Read my full review at: http://themomchef.blogspot.com/2010/06/cherry-and-onion-stuffed-pork.html

by myltlpny, 5/26/2010My family and I enjoyed this recipe very much. I used Vadalia onions which are in season this time of year and it paired very nicely with the sweet cherries.

by TimothySmith, 5/14/2010This recipe is outstanding and easy to make. The sweet-tartness of the cherry onion stuffing compliments the pork tenderloin and makes every bite a mouth-watering treat. Joanne Weir is a genius.