Pork tenderloin in a crust, with puff pastry, guanciale (or pancetta) and potatoes. Succulent, refined, original and visually appealing, this pork tenderloin inspired by the famous Beef Wellington is the meat main course perfect for Sundays and holidays. This pork tenderloin preparation is ideal for special occasions when you want to present dishes that pamper the guests’ palates. It takes some time to prepare, but the recipe itself is simple and does not require advanced culinary skills. The only thing I strongly recommend is buying a good kitchen thermometer to achieve perfect doneness.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 20 Hours
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make the pork tenderloin in crust
- 1 pork tenderloin (whole, about 1.1–1.5 lb (approx.))
- to taste 00 flour (all-purpose flour)
- 3 tbsp butter
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 3 leaves bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 glasses red wine
- 1.3 lb potatoes
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- to taste nutmeg
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 rolls puff pastry
- 3.5 oz guanciale (sliced (or use pancetta))
- 1 egg yolk (diluted with a couple of tablespoons of milk)
- to taste sesame seeds
Tools
- Frying pan
- Oven
- Bowls
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pastry cutter
- Pastry brush
- Kitchen twine
- Thermometer
Whole pork tenderloin in crust
Place the garlic, rosemary, bay leaves, a little lemon zest and the butter in a pan. Turn on the heat and start warming everything. Put the tenderloin in the pan and sear it in the butter over high heat, turning so it browns evenly. Be careful not to pierce the meat at all.
Pour the first glass of red wine over the meat, let it flavor well and add the honey. Cook over high heat, continuously spooning the tenderloin with the wine reduction; once the alcohol has evaporated (about 3-4 minutes), move the meat to a rack and pour another glass of wine into the pan after removing the aromatics. Continue cooking the sauce until it has reduced and thickened. Adjust salt if necessary.
Cook the potatoes in the microwave for 20 minutes at 750W after rinsing and wrapping them in parchment paper. This step can be done at the beginning.
Even before starting to cook the tenderloin, you can do the potatoes. Once cooked (you could also simply boil them for 35 minutes or until soft — do the skewer test to check tenderness), mash them and season with a pinch of salt, butter, pepper and nutmeg, mixing well. Unroll a sheet of parchment paper, spread a layer of mashed potatoes evenly and arrange the slices of guanciale or pancetta in a lattice on top.
Place the tenderloin (remove the twine) on top and, using the parchment paper, roll it into a compact cylinder. Then unroll the puff pastry and wrap the potato-and-meat cylinder with the pastry.
Take the other sheet of pastry, cut strips and use them to weave a lattice around your pork in crust. This braid is not only decorative but also helps hold the preparation together. Brush with beaten egg yolk mixed with a little milk, sprinkle with sesame seeds, insert a probe thermometer and bake in a preheated oven at 338°F for 45 minutes, or until the internal temperature at the center of the tenderloin reaches 149°F for a succulent doneness — be careful not to exceed 158°F. Avoid piercing the tenderloin during cooking, as it would lose its juices and become dry.
Let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature and slice. Serve with the cooking jus, which is simply the previously prepared and strained red wine reduction.
In any case, a good kitchen thermometer with a wired probe will be of great help.
Storage notes and tips
Store leftover pork tenderloin in the refrigerator and consume within 24 hours after reheating.
If you need to get organized in advance, prepare the tenderloin 12 hours earlier: assemble it with all the ingredients once cooled and store covered in the fridge. 90 minutes before serving, brush with an egg, sprinkle with seeds and proceed — note that starting from a completely cold product will increase cooking time by about 15-20 minutes.
If you need to get organized in advance, prepare the tenderloin 12 hours earlier: assemble it with all the ingredients once cooled and store covered in the fridge. 90 minutes before serving, brush with an egg, sprinkle with seeds and proceed — note that starting from a completely cold product will increase cooking time by about 15-20 minutes.
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