I was looking for a great pork tenderloin recipe when I stumbled upon this one in a Taste of Home magazine. What I neglected to realize was how involved the recipe would be for a week night. Also, if you don't have air conditioning, not a good one for the summer. I suggest giving yourself several hours to prepare this one; but it is so worth it!
The first obstacle that I faced was finding the dried porcini mushrooms; the larger Wegmans stores do have them. On a funny side note, when I got the dried mushrooms home my dog, Mac, and I both noticed that their smell resembled that of his favorite dog treats (don't worry, they don't taste like dog treats). I did make my own soft bread crumbs according to the note at the bottom of the recipe which I'm sure you can buy to save time. I used two larger pork tenderloins (about 2 lbs a piece) which worked out fine but make sure to keep an eye on them so they don't become dried out.
While they were baking in the oven, my husband and I were overwhelmed with a holiday-esque aroma that filled the house. My husband also proceeded to ask, "are we feeding another family tonight", in other words, the recipe is really meant for a crowd.
The pork was so delicious, quite possibly the best stuffing that I have ever had. By far the best part of the meal was the mushroom sauce which unfortunately left us wanting more. Next time, I'd like to find a way to get more liquid out of the dried mushrooms in order to make more sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
- 2 small onions, chopped
- 5 cups coarsely chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms (about 3/4 pound), divided
- 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh sage or 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 5 cups soft bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, divided
- 2 pork tenderloins (about 1-1/4 pound each)
- 1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- In a small saucepan, bring water and porcini mushrooms to a boil. Remove from the heat; let stand 20-30 minutes or until mushrooms are softened. Using a slotted spoon, remove mushrooms; finely chop and set aside. Strain soaking liquid through a fine mesh strainer, reserving 2/3 cup.
- In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon. Remove drippings, reserving 2 tablespoons. Saute 4 cups shiitake mushrooms in reserved drippings until tender.
- Add rosemary, sage, porcini mushrooms and 1/3 cup mushroom soaking liquid; cook 2 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; stir in the bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons parsley and sausage.
- Make a lengthwise slit down the center of each tenderloin to within 1/2 in. of bottom. Open so meat lies flat. Cover with plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-in. to 1/2-in. thickness. Remove plastic wrap.
- Spoon half of the stuffing down center of each tenderloin. Close roasts; tie several times with kitchen string and secure ends with toothpicks. Sprinkle each roast with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Place tenderloins on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 35-45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in pork reads 145°. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, saute remaining shiitake mushrooms in butter until tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Gradually add broth and remaining 1/3 cup mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the remaining parsley, salt and pepper. Serve with pork. Yield: 8 servings (2 cups sauce).
The pork was delish, thank you for sharing :)
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