Saturday, April 22, 2023

Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Shallots, Poached Pears, and Blue Cheese


And we are back!

A brief break due do internet bullying.

I posted a photo of a meal I made on a local facebook food page and someone shared it and create a meme that was just plain mean and nasty.

What I learned was that I will never share a photo on that local page ever again.

But forget all that BS. Tonight I made an amazing (!!!) dinner. 

Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Shallots, Poached Pears, and Blue Cheese.


It looked really fancy but it was so freakin' easy to make!
It was fun to make. Before I started the recipe I was thinking it looks like too much work but I decided that I need to push myself. Glad I did. Amazing flavors!!!


Ingredients-
1 pound pork tenderloin
2 Bosc pears (2 cups  diced)
2 medium shallots (1 cup, sliced)
1 tbsp salted butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups white wine 
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 1/2 feet of butcher’s twine
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 c. chicken broth

Method-
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Dice pears into small 1/4-inch squares. Thinly slice the shallot. 
2. Melt butter in a Dutch oven or an oven-safe pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the pear and white wine. Let steadily simmer for about 12 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the pears are translucent.
3. While the pears simmer, slice the pork tenderloin horizontally down the center. Slice almost all the way through the tenderloin, and then lay it flat.
4. Once the pears and shallots are done simmering, generously pile the mixture into the center of the tenderloin.

5. Pile the crumbled blue cheese on top of the shallots and poached pears. Cut the butcher’s twine into 6-inch pieces. Then, press the shallots, pears, and blue cheese down and pull the tenderloin together. 



Top with the rosemary, and tie with the butcher’s twine. The easiest technique is to slide the butcher’s twine underneath the pork and then pull the pork together and tie it closed. Cut the excess twine after tying it. 



Top the pork with the remaining salt and pepper.6. Heat olive oil in the same Dutch oven or pan (no need to wash it) over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the pork tenderloin and sear for 2-3 minutes until it has browned. Rotate the tenderloin in the pan 2-3 times, letting all sides brown.

7. Place a lid on the pot, and put the tenderloin in the oven to bake. Let the tenderloin bake for 12 minutes or until it reaches 145 degrees with a meat thermometer.


8. Remove the tenderloin from the pot and place it on a cutting board to rest. The tenderloin needs to rest for 5 minutes before you slice it. This keeps the juices in the meat, making it tender.
9. Pour the chicken broth into the pot you used to cook the tenderloin. Simmer over medium heat, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Let reduce and thicken for 5 minutes, creating a sauce.

10. Slice the tenderloin, removing the butcher’s twine as you go. Serve with the sauce poured over the meat.