Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
On February 13, 2020 (Updated October 25, 2023)
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This Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is packed with flavor from balsamic caramelized onions, crumbled bacon, Manchego cheese, and spinach. The whole thing is rolled up and grilled until the pork is juicy and the cheese is nice and melted.
Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin is an amazing way to amp up a simple cut of meat. Pork tenderloins are incredibly tender, since they are essentially the filet. Because there is very little fat in a tenderloin, it is perfect to stuff with all sorts of tasty things to bring in both moisture and flavor.
I sprinkled my stuffed pork tenderloin liberally with my Award-Winning Chicken Seasoning. This blend is bold with a little bit of heat, making it the perfect complement to the layers of flavor within the filling. The seasoning also allowed me to grill this particular pork tenderloin quickly over Medium-High heat (around 375 degrees F) and get a nice smoked flavor in under 30 minutes.
If you don’t have any of my Chicken Seasoning on hand, you can use this recipe for my Lemon Herb Chicken Seasoning. And for an additional layer of flavor, you could smoke the stuffed pork tenderloin at 225 degrees F for about an hour. It would be absolutely delicious!
How to Prepare Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Making stuffed pork tenderloin takes a bit of extra time, but you’ll quickly see it was well worth the effort (just scroll below to the comments to see what other folks are saying about this amazing meal!).
- Remove the fat. Start by removing any excess fat or silverskin from the exterior of the tenderloin.
- Butterfly the tenderloin. Working on a large cutting board, butterfly open your tenderloin by running a sharp knife about 1/2 an inch above the bottom side of the tenderloin. Keep your knife at a parallel 1/2 inch above the cutting board as you essentially unroll the tenderloin until it is flat and even.
- Stuff the pork! Spread on some softened cream cheese and add a layer of Manchego cheese. The Manchego cheese melts nicely and has the perfect bite. (You could also substitute with an extra sharp white cheddar if you don’t have access to Manchego). Spoon on some fresh spinach, the sweet and tangy balsamic caramelized onions, and crispy bacon pieces. (Instructions for cooking these are detailed in the recipe card below). These flavors together are dynamite!
- Roll and secure. Starting with the inside edge of your tenderloin, roll tightly until it looks like a slightly bigger version of the tenderloin you started with. Tie off every couple of inches with butcher’s twine.
- Season! Sprinkle the outside of the stuffed tenderloin liberally with my Signature Chicken Seasoning or Lemon Herb Seasoning.
How to Cook Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Once your tenderloin is prepped and ready to go, cooking the stuffed pork tenderloin is a breeze!
With your grill preheated to Medium-High heat, place the tenderloin directly on the grill grates. Close the lid, and cook for approximately 20-30 minutes. Make sure to turn the tenderloin every 5 minutes to ensure it cooks evenly.
Once the meat is fully cooked, remove it from the grill, and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes. You’re then ready to remove the twine and slice the pork into 1-inch thick rounds to serve.
How Long to Cook Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
With your grill preheated to Medium-High heat, it will take approximately 20-30 minutes to cook this pork over indirect heat. Keep a reliable meat thermometer handy. (I wouldn’t dream of cooking any meat without using my ThermoWorks Mk4 to help monitor temperature as I go).
Remove the pork tenderloin when the internal temperature of pork has reached 145 degrees F. Make sure to cook to temperature and not to time to ensure your meat is cooked through and safe to consume.
Can I Cook Stuffed Pork Tenderloin in the Oven?
If you don’t have access to a grill, you can still make this recipe using your oven!
Follow the same steps outlined above to prepare your stuffed pork tenderloin. Next, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F, place your pork in an oven-safe dish, and cook for 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reads 145 degrees (make sure to take this temperature in the thickest part of the meat.
Remove the tenderloin from the oven, rest for 5 minutes, and serve!
More Pork Tenderloin Recipes
Pork tenderloin is a great cut of meat to cook in your grill or smoker. If you liked this recipe, you’ll love these other delicious tenderloin recipes from Hey Grill Hey:
Smoked Pork Tenderloin
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Beer and Mustard Glaze
Grilled Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin Stuffed with Apples
Best Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Watch the video below, and let’s make something delicious! I’m all about helping you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a BBQ hero Check out more Hey Grill Hey behind the scenes action on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin silverskin removed
- 1-2 Tablespoons Award-Winning Chicken Seasoning
- 2 slices thick cut bacon diced
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 oz manchego cheese grated
- 1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
Balsamic Caramelized Onions
- 1 large red onion cut into rings
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. Preheat a 9 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon pieces are crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel to drain and leave the bacon fat in the pan.
- Make the balsamic caramlized onions. Add the butter and the sliced red onions to the empty skillet. Cook for about 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions have darkened considerably in color. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
- Remove the fat from the tenderloin. Place the pork tenderloin on a large cutting board. Remove any excess fat or silverskin from the exterior of the tenderloin.
- Butterfly the pork. Butterfly open the pork tenderloin by using long strokes of your knife along the side of the tenderloin about 1/2 inch above the cutting board. Keep the slices parallel to the cutting board and roll open the tenderloin while slicing.
- Stuff the tenderloin. Spread the softened cream cheese on top of the butterflied tenderloin. Sprinkle with the shredded manchego cheese, caramelized onions, baby spinach leaves, and bacon pieces.
- Fire up the grill. Preheat your grill to Medium-High heat (about 375 degrees F) for two-zone cooking (one indirect heat side of the grill, one direct heat side). You can also cook this in your oven at the same temperature.
- Roll and secure. Starting with the edge of the pork tenderloin that was the inside (before slicing open) begin tightly rolling the tenderloin back up. It's okay if there are a few casualties that fall out the sides while rolling. Tie the roll together with butcher's twine every inch to inch and a half until the roll is nice and bound. Season the pork tenderloin liberally with the Chicken Seasoning.
- Grill the tenderloin. Place the stuffed pork tenderloin directly on the grill grates on the indirect heat side of the grill. Cook for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the tenderloin is 145 degrees F in the thickest part of the meat. Turn the pork tenderloin every 5 minutes while cooking.
- Rest and serve. Remove the tenderloin from the grill. Allow it to rest at least 5-10 minutes before removing the butcher's twine, slicing the tenderloin into 1 inch thick rounds, and serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
**This post was originally published July 2018. We recently updated it with more information and helpful tips. The recipe remains the same.
Ive prepared this twice now to rave reviews from family/friends. Wondering…can i prepare this ahead of time and freeze (wrapped in tinfoil) to cook later? Taking a trip and will have to use coolerfor travel but want to prep ahead of time. Hoping it will thaw and still hold up on grill or in oven. Not sure what grill will be at rental house so what would you recommend time/temp for oven if need be?
You can totally do that. Use the same time/temp directions for the oven, and keep an eye on the internal temp.
This is our favorite stuffed pork tenderloin roast recipe, and I think we have tried the all!We wrap the stuffed roast with prosciutto and cook on the Traeger. Make sure to let it rest and you have a SHARP knife to cut, that will keep the integrity for a beautiful presentation. I make a roasted red pepper cream sauce to serve under the sliced roast. Happy cooking!
Hi, how do you keep from losing all the cheese? Mine is kind of open at the ends!
I have two tenderloins and have followed the recipe for both but want to save one. Should I freeze it cooked or uncooked?
Could you prep and roll this a day ahead and then grill?
Sure!
Very good! Didn’t have the rub so made up my own based on rub reviews and ingredients. Added seared mushrooms flavored with sherry. Served with rice and a mushroom cream sauce. Definitely a keeper! Thanks!