Introduction
Pork tenderloin is one of the best low-cost, high-reward proteins for a proper dinner. This version is stuffed with herbs and cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, and seared first for a strong crust before finishing in the oven.
I roast the vegetables in the same round: big chunks, a little spice, a spoon of honey, and high heat. You get sweetness, browning, and a plate that feels more ambitious than the actual effort.
Step-by-step
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 pork tenderloin (about 800 g, 1.75 lb), trimmed
- 200 g plain cream cheese (7 oz)
- 12 g fresh parsley, finely chopped (0.4 oz)
- 8 g fresh thyme, finely chopped (0.3 oz)
- 140 g bacon (5 oz)
- 600 g root vegetables (1.3 lb) (carrot, parsnip, celeriac), cut into large pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 15 g honey (0.5 oz)
- 15 ml olive oil (1 tbsp)
- 30 g butter (2 tbsp)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 8 g salt (0.3 oz)
- 3 g black pepper (0.1 oz)
- 3 g paprika (0.1 oz)
- 2 g garlic powder (0.07 oz)
Method
- Preheat oven to 200 °C / 390 °F.
- Cut the tenderloin lengthwise almost all the way through (like opening a book), then flatten lightly. Season the inside with a little salt and pepper.
- Mix cream cheese, parsley, thyme, and lemon juice. Spread over the pork and roll tightly.
- Wrap the bacon slices around the tenderloin so the whole piece is covered.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high with a little oil. Sear the pork on all sides until the bacon has a proper crust, 6–8 minutes total.
- Transfer to a baking dish. Toss root vegetables and onion with oil, honey, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then place around the pork.
- Roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of about 60 °C / 140 °F, about 18–25 minutes depending on thickness.
- Rest for 10 minutes. The temperature will rise to around 66 °C / 151 °F, leaving the center juicy and lightly pink.
- Toss the vegetables in the pan juices and serve the pork sliced thick.
Serving note
This was served with The Grinder Wild Bouquet Chenin Blanc (new at Vinmonopolet), priced at NOK 159. It works well with the cream cheese filling and the sweetness from the roasted vegetables.
