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The Pork Tenderloins, That Is

Given the opportunity, Roscoe can never resist a chance to add some flavor to anything. After all, that’s the main philosophy of Club Roscoe: Make your food taste good. So when you’ve got a pork tenderloin laying there in front of you practically crying out to be “kicked up,” as Emeril would say, well, you give it up and get out your knife, because…

It’s Butterfly Time

The first cut

Make sure your knife is sharp, or this surgery won’t work. Make a lengthwise incision (yes, Roscoe could very easily have been a surgeon) in the tenderloin, but don’t cut all the way through. Leave about a half inch of the meat uncut. Be careful, take your time, just as you’d expect your doctor would if you were on his (or her) table. When you’ve completed the cut, gently pull the top and bottom apart without separating the meat or tearing it apart, just expanding it. Then do the same on both parts of what’s left: a careful incision, then pull apart.

Pound It Gently

Pound gently, don't hurt it

Between some plastic wrap. You’re not trying to get it tender, just flat. Then season it and put it in a bag with the marinade, preferably over night, but as long as you can do it is fine.

The Filling

Chopped fruit

Here’s where it gets fun. You can stuff pork tenderloins with just about anything. For Easter Roscoe is going with sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, salami and feta in one, and dried fruit in the other. But hey, stuff your meat with whatever you like: spinach and feta is pretty good (sounds kind of Mediterranean so far, doesn’t it? Like maybe Roscoe’s been spending a little too much time at Ernie’s. The truth is, probably not enough.) Or try ham and swiss, or you can even do one of Roscoe’s specialties: the Pork Tenderloin Spiedini, which is usually done with eye of round, but is really spectacular with pork tenderloin, stuffed with ham, salami, onions, celery, mozzarella cheese, red peppers, olives, and grated parmesan, all chopped, spiced up and sauteed together before it’s stuffed into the tenderloin. Just like the spiedini stuffing, whatever you put in the tenderloins is chopped and mixed together. In the case of the dried fruit, reconstitute it in juice, or maybe some Dr. Pepper. Or both. Go for it.

Roll The Tenderloin And Tie It

Butcher’s twine is a cook’s best friend. Tie the tenderloin up so the stuffing doesn’t fall out. It’s already seasoned, remember? So whenever you’re ready…

Grill It

That’s right, fire up the ‘ol barbeque. Sear it on all sides on a high heat, then turn the burner down and let it go, turning every few minutes. When it’s just tender to the touch of your tongs (don’t be pokin’ these things with a fork), or when the temp hits 140, pull them off, let them rest (very important, you don’t want ‘em falling apart when you cut ‘em). Then cut into two inch pieces (again, a sharp knife will make your life much easier, and your tenderloins much prettier).

Happy Easter From Club Roscoe