As I have embarked on my new journey as a domestic goddess, I have certainly had my bouts with failure when it comes to cooking. Coming out of college I didn’t cook that much outside of powdered pancake mixes and grilled cheeses. Post college I didn’t know that a yam and a sweet potato were the same damn thing. It’s been a learning process.

But throughout the countless recipes I’ve found or have been passed down, this one has been a crowd favorite. It’s safe to say that it’s my fiance’s favorite, which is a good go-to meal when he’s feeling down and needs a small gesture to pick him up. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and I can agree 🙂

Stuffing Stuffed-Bacon Wrapped-Pork Tenderloin

You’ll need three ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin (you can get these in different marinades as well, I like teriyaki)

1 box Stove Top Stuffing (turkey or chicken flavor)

1 package of bacon

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.Then start boiling the water and margarine (or butter) in a medium saucepan. Once you bring the water to a boil, throw in the stuffing mix and fluff with a fork. Throw on the lid and set it on a warmer.

 Once your stuffing is made, grab a casserole dish or a baking pan. I’ve used both before and it doesn’t make a difference, I grab whichever is closest.

Take the tenderloin and make a vertical cut down the center, but don’t cut in half. Keep making vertical cuts until the meat flattens out on the pan. I use a paring knife, it seems to work the best.

Once the meat is laying flat, take the stuffing and begin to pile it on top. You’ll want to kind of shape it into a long cylinder and start to bring the sides of the tenderloin back into their original position. Sometimes I use a large spoon to help smooth the stuffing around.

You don’t need to use the whole pan of stuffing, just about half. As you bring the sides of meat back around, you’ll see that you’ve completed the “stuffing” step. Now it’s time to grab the bacon and begin wrapping the tenderloin.

This is the true AMERICAN part, because bacon literally makes anything better, and if you don’t believe that, then you’re in the wrong country.

I normally start wrapping from the middle and make my way out to the ends. Simply take one strip and make a loop all the way around the meat. Continue until you reach the ends. If you have extra bacon left over, just get creative.

Next you’ll need toothpicks to secure the delicious thing you just created. No need to go crazy with toothpicks, just insert them every couple inches to secure the bacon.

By this time, your oven will most likely be preheated to 425 degrees. You’ll need 30 mins per pound cooking time–so if you buy a pork tenderloin that is over a pound, make sure you’re adding more time. It’s also wise to invest in a meat thermometer just in case. The pork should be 170 degrees F, fully cooked.

When the oven beeps, be ready to fill your kitchen with the amazing aroma of bacon! As for sides, I normally make a pot of green beans or mixed veggies to go along with it. I’ll also use the rest of the stuffing as a side–because it’s just that good.

You really don’t need a knife to eat this, it is extremely tender and a fork will get the job done.

I promise that this will not disappoint! It’s easy, fun to make and eat and not to mention, budget friendly.

Enjoy 🙂

 

XOXO

 

Chelsea