Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Flattening pork tenderloin


GSBravo

Recommended Posts

I have a piece of pork tenderloin that I am going to make for dinner. Not really sure what I want to with it either.

I just had this crazy idea, well it certainly sounds crazy. I want to flatten the tenderloin, add stuffing to the center, and roll it back up. I figure I'll make Stove Top, since I have some, and I don't have enough ingredients to make stuffing from scratch. It would probably need some kind of sauce/gravy.

My questions are:

1) Can this work?

2) Would I need to cook the Stove Top first?

3) How the hell do I cook the pork? I can figure out how to flatten it, but I'm not

sure about the cooking?

4) Sauce/gravy? What type would work?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Oh, to add pressure, I plan on starting in about 2 hours. And there is no going to the grocery store, the cars not here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sure, this will work just fine. A dish from my childhood. Butterfly the pork to open it up and flatten. I have never used Stove Top (nor tasted) so I cannot advise there When making this dish with dressing from scratch, one woud add a bit more butter and/or liquid than usual as there is not much fat in the meat. Tie it up, pan sear, and roast it covered with a bit of water in the pan.

Hope this helps.

Barbara Laidlaw aka "Jake"

Good friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm, interesting idea. What about slicing it lengthwise, flattening it, and then stuffing and rolling it instead of just generally pounding it out? I've never done it before, although I have sliced tenderloin into 2 1/2 inch to 3 inch slices, laid them flat and pounded them out. Pork tends to flatten pretty well, easier than chicken.

For your recipe, I'd cook the Stove Top, stuff the tenderloin, get a skillet real hot and sear it on all sides, then toss it into a 350/375 oven to finish. I'd probably season it pretty well with whatever your tastes are - a little brown sugar, rosemary, and minced garlic with olive oil perhaps - then when it's finished, make a sauce in the pan while you let the meat sit for 10-15 minutes. I'd be careful with the sauce, probably would pull the stuffing out first so it doesn't soak it all up.

Anyhow, that's what I'd do, real quick. It would make a pretty easy and quick meal. Let us know what you did and how it worked out!

-Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm, interesting idea. What about slicing it lengthwise, flattening it, and then stuffing and rolling it instead of just generally pounding it out?

Exactly what I do, and one of the few recipes of my mother's that I still use! Minimal flattening is required, usually depending on the size/shape of the tenderloin.

Just out of curiosity, what is Stove Top like?

Barbara Laidlaw aka "Jake"

Good friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm, interesting idea.  What about slicing it lengthwise, flattening it, and then stuffing and rolling it instead of just generally pounding it out?

Exactly what I do, and one of the few recipes of my mother's that I still use! Minimal flattening is required, usually depending on the size/shape of the tenderloin.

Just out of curiosity, what is Stove Top like?

Searing. That's what what I couldn't quite see.

Stove Top.

It's crap. Seriously, when pressed for time, it makes an okay subsitute for the real thing. If done right, it's okay. It takes a little time and effort to make it worthwhile. However, it ain't nowhere near what my mother used to make.

It's one of those things I like to keep around, so that when I'm pressed for real ingredients, I can still whip out a fancy meal. Kinda like taking credit for the cake made from box mix. :wink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just out of curiosity, what is Stove Top like?

Searing. That's what what I couldn't quite see.

Stove Top.

It's crap. Seriously, when pressed for time, it makes an okay subsitute for the real thing. If done right, it's okay. It takes a little time and effort to make it worthwhile. However, it ain't nowhere near what my mother used to make.

It's one of those things I like to keep around, so that when I'm pressed for real ingredients, I can still whip out a fancy meal. Kinda like taking credit for the cake made from box mix. :wink:

Barbara Laidlaw aka "Jake"

Good friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Exactly what I do, and one of the few recipes of my mother's that I still use! Minimal flattening is required, usually depending on the size/shape of the tenderloin.

Sorry, Jake - we must have been simultaneously posting. :hmmm:

Good call on the additional butter for the stuffing, that'll likely help quite a bit.

An aside here - I mentioned that I have sliced tenderloin and pounded it out, then pan fried it. This was something that I just decided to try for the heck of it one night and it really worked out well. The pork stays tender, which was a concern going into the dish, and it's a rapid way to cook it. Something to keep in the back of your mind. I sauteed granny smith apples in brown sugar and butter, then pulled them and added the pork to the pan. Seared those and finished with some Calvados. I was pretty pleased with the end result.

-Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

An aside here - I mentioned that I have sliced tenderloin and pounded it out, then pan fried it. This was something that I just decided to try for the heck of it one night and it really worked out well. The pork stays tender, which was a concern going into the dish, and it's a rapid way to cook it. Something to keep in the back of your mind. I sauteed granny smith apples in brown sugar and butter, then pulled them and added the pork to the pan. Seared those and finished with some Calvados. I was pretty pleased with the end result.

-Mark

We must cook alike at times as well. I have used a similar treatment a few times with good results.

I've done quite a bit with pork tenderloin in the last couple years due to friends/family eating habits, availability etc. Believe it or not, I even substituted pork in a veal piccata recipe to please a family member who refuses to eat veal! Wouldn't highly reccomend it (as a veal lover) but it worked in a pinch and I didn't have to change the whole menu at the last minute.

Barbara Laidlaw aka "Jake"

Good friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found this site some time ago on butterflying pork. Clickety.

This is for loin but I think the same technique would work for tenderloin.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i do this all of the time. i just slice it, stuff it, and tie it up. i'll generally sear it in a pan and then finish in the oven, as it will often not get any real browning when put right into the oven.

deglaze the pan afterwards with some red or white wine and broth/stock and throw in a little butter for a bit of sauce if desired. (or just stock or water for that matter if you don't have wine)

a simple stuffing of sausage, bread, onion and sage, or anything really, might be a better alternative to a pre-packaged stuffing. edit: i see that's not an option here.

Edited by tommy (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was going to mention earlier that Stove Top was a tad, uh, boxed (?) but decided against it. I suppose since the thread starter admitted to the less-than-awesome quality of the product, I'll voice my opinion. It's quick and easy, and it's satisfactory, but it's by no means very good. To me it tastes like salty bread with butter and boullion - not necessarily a terrible thing, but there are better alternatives for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was going to mention earlier that Stove Top was a tad, uh, boxed (?) but decided against it. I suppose since the thread starter admitted to the less-than-awesome quality of the product, I'll voice my opinion. It's quick and easy, and it's satisfactory, but it's by no means very good. To me it tastes like salty bread with butter and boullion - not necessarily a terrible thing, but there are better alternatives for sure.

Thanks, Mark. As a matter of practice, I tend not to use most prepared and/or processed foods, even at home. Therefore, I am somewhat unfamiliar with many of them as to whether they're a good substitute or not. Always interested in other opinions.

Barbara Laidlaw aka "Jake"

Good friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree about butterflying the pork, stuffing it, sewing it up (or twinging and knotting string) and searing it quickly then slower cooking. I would also suggest a mixture of dry breads, cooked rice, onions, fresh herbs such as either dill or tarragon etc.......have also added dried sliced apricots, finely chopped granny smith apple, I would baste in meat inside the cut with some butter or olive oil before pressing the stuffing onto the meat

If you slice it on an angle, the meat 'holds' and it presents very well with the stuffing. This way, you can place two pieces of meat at angles and present other foods (and sauces) along with it.

Cheers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have only pounded crosswise pieces of pork tenderloin. It works well. Stuffing a long piece intrigues me, I've done that w/ flank steak (Brue Aidell's Matambre recipe in the Complete Meat Cookbook. Lots of garlic in the stiuffing; the meat is seared on the gas Weber, then finished in the oven.)

I have never tasted Stove Top stuffing, so I have no idea whether or not it sucks. However, being out here in the land of sourdough, I always have odds and ends of bread in my freezer (even we can't eat a whole loaf for dinner, and God forbid we should eat stale bread the next night.) Stuffing is one of my favorite ways to use it up. Saute a little onion & celery in butter, add stale bread (dried out in the oven for a bit if it's not hard enough), about 1/2 cup of stock, herbs, salt & pepper and you've got fabulous stuffing without much work.(Bake covered for about 1/2 hour, then uncovered.) Add an apple, some sausage, and/or some sauteed mushrooms and as far as I'm concerned, it's a main course!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I figure I'll make Stove Top, since I have some, and I don't have enough ingredients to make stuffing from scratch.  It would probably need some kind of sauce/gravy.

What is Stove Top, please?

edit:

Oh. I see.

So how did it go?

Edited by Jinmyo (log)

"I've caught you Richardson, stuffing spit-backs in your vile maw. 'Let tomorrow's omelets go empty,' is that your fucking attitude?" -E. B. Farnum

"Behold, I teach you the ubermunch. The ubermunch is the meaning of the earth. Let your will say: the ubermunch shall be the meaning of the earth!" -Fritzy N.

"It's okay to like celery more than yogurt, but it's not okay to think that batter is yogurt."

Serving fine and fresh gratuitous comments since Oct 5 2001, 09:53 PM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I figure I'll make Stove Top, since I have some, and I don't have enough ingredients to make stuffing from scratch.  It would probably need some kind of sauce/gravy.

What is Stove Top, please?

edit:

Oh. I see.

So how did it go?

Thanks Jinmyo -- glad to see I'm not the only one unfamiliar with it!

Barbara Laidlaw aka "Jake"

Good friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stove Top does not suck.

I second that. Stove Top is a decent product, especially for the busy homemaker pressed for time. I also have no problem serving up some Rice-A-Roni products as a side dish to the fam. Just as long as you are aware that these packaged items are usually far less superior to the homemade versions and you are using these products out of convenience. I prefer cornbread stuffing and will usually use a recipe of Jiffy corn muffin mix to make it. I learned how to make cornbread stuffing from my mom early on and she always used Jiffy cornbread. Cornbread from scratch is rather easy as well, but you can't really beat the thirty-nine cents for a box of Jiffy. One of her dishes that she would make was in fact a pork loin with a pistachio and andouille sausage corn bread stuffing. I thimk she used cognac to deglaze the pan that she seared the stuffed pork in to make the sauce and it was always fantastic. Now that I think about it, I can't believe I've never made it myself.

Kiss my grits

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how about just stuffing without all the cutting and pounding? you'll find recipes/techniques for that in most cookbooks. just use a boning knife or other slim knife to make a reasonable hole through your tenderloin...this saves the tying, etc. and makes for a nice surface for searing.

you can always use stove top and doctor it up if you need to. i like the apple idea also. that's a pretty common treatment with pork. then, you can take some veal stock or something and reduce it like a demi-glace and finish it with butter and calvados for a nice "gravy" after you slice up the tenderloin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also like the double butterfly technique for stuffed loins. I also find that by using that cutting method lends itself well to brine or marinade the loin after cutting. Since you've now opened up the meat giving more surface area, than a whole loin, flavor from the marinade or brine goes much deeper into the meat, in a shorter time.

woodburner

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Umbrian chef-friend stuffs a flattened pork with chard. He puts the chard, garlic, an egg or two, Dijon, a couple of anchovie filets ("Don't forget la Strega"), bread crumbs and parmegiano into a food processor and whirls it into a paste. Then spreads same into the flattened pork, adds a handful of pine nuts for texture and rools it up like a jellyroll and ties it off. Put in a 500 degree oven for fifteen minutes, lower to 225 for about an hour and rest it for twenty minutes. Memorable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as packaged stuffings are concerned, I would recommend Bell's stuffing over Stove Top, as Bell's is made to be cooked inside meat (unlike Stove Top, which is meant to be cooked as the name implies.) While I make my own stuffing most of the time, I feel very comfortable using Bell's when I don't feel like it.

Edited by mikeycook (log)

"If the divine creator has taken pains to give us delicious and exquisite things to eat, the least we can do is prepare them well and serve them with ceremony."

~ Fernand Point

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One other cooking method that I like with stuffed meat roll-ups --

Sear in enameled cast iron pot, remove, and set aside. Saute garlic and veggies in same. deglaze. Add some tomato sauce, or whatever your pleasure is for braising liquid. Return meat to pot. Cover. Throw in oven for 60-90 minutes. Great winter-time meal.

If someone writes a book about restaurants and nobody reads it, will it produce a 10 page thread?

Joe W

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...