How quickly the time goes. I feel like we were just enjoying the last days of Summer and now here we are prepping for another Thanksgiving. We haven’t had snow here yet so at least I can be Thankful for that. And good food. I’ve been surrounded by some amazing food the last week or so, from restaurants and friends to trying some new recipes in my own kitchen. It’s so amazing to see what people with so much more talent than I have can do with some simple ingredients.

I’ve made variations of this stuffed pork tenderloin over the past few weeks and this recipe is the culmination of that work. I love the flavor combinations here and it brings out the best features of three kinds of pork. I love the ground spicy sausage in the middle surrounded by juicy pork tenderloin and then you get the crispy bits of thick cut bacon on the outside. Although I have to pick out the apple when the kids eat it, I love pork and apple together and the hits of rosemary add the final touch.

You can prep the tenderloin a few different ways. The easiest, and the one shown here, is to simply cut the tenderloin through the middle almost all the way through and open it up flat. You can then pound it out to even the thickness. You then spread the filling in the center and roll it over it. This puts the filling in the center of the roll.

The more difficult way would be to cut the tenderloin into a spiral and flatten it out. You do this by taking a sharp knife and start slicing along the top edge of the meat and then creating a spiral as you cut, almost like a backwards cinnamon roll. This will make a larger flat area once you have it done. You can then spread the filling out over the entire surface and then roll it up. This creates more of a spiral when you cut it up.

Either way you go after it, it helps to have a good sharp knife to use. I absolutely love my WÜSTHOF knives and they make easy work of prepping and serving meals like this. There’s nothing worse (or more dangerous) than fighting with a dull or clunky knife. Having a good knife can make all the difference. Read below how you can win some WÜSTHOF knives to help with your holiday cooking this year!

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Sausage Filling

Ingredients

1 1lb pork tenderloin
6 oz. spicy or mild Italian sausage
1 apple, cut into thick dices
2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
1 teaspoon chopped Rosemary
5-6 slices thick cut bacon
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Using a sharp knife, cut the tenderloin through the middle towards the other side but not cutting all the way through. Open the tenderloin so that it is flat and pound out to an even thickness.

In a medium sauté pan, cook the sausage until it begins to brown through, add the chopped apples and 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar and rosemary and continue cooking until the sausage is cooked through. Remove from heat.

Spread the sausage mixture over the tenderloin and roll the meat over the filling. Using the strips of bacon wrap the tenderloin tightly, securing the bacon with toothpicks as needed.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the wrapped tenderloin and sear on both sides, until the bacon is browned. Place the seared tenderloin in a oven proof pan. Brush the top of the meat with the Dijon mustard and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar.

Cook the tenderloin in a 350 degree oven until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice the meat and serve.

The Giveaway!

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment below and tell me how these knives would help with your holiday meal preparation.

CONTEST RULES: The contest will run through Sunday, November 29, 2015. The winner will be chosen at random on Monday, November 30, 2015. You must be at least 18 years of age with a U.S. mailing address to win. No purchase is necessary; void where prohibited. The winner will be notified by email and must respond within 24 hours or another winner may be selected.

Check out the other Virtual Potluck posts for even more recipes and chances to win.

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Foodplayer Linda

I am sure you love food. Otherwise, you won’t be here. As a full-time and a part-time chef at a local restaurant, I know my way around food. Ever since I was a young girl, I enjoyed helping my mom in the kitchen.

We would often experiment with the spices, ingredients, and flavors and create great meals for my brothers and dad. Since cocking was my first passion, I decided to go in that direction. I finished culinary school, got my first job, and started developing my skills.

Later when kids came, I had all the liberty in the kitchen to combine some of the unique flavors. A lot of them were a success, but now and there I would make a couple of mistakes.