Jalapeno Popper Pork Tenderloin

This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin stuffed with cream cheese and jalapenos is inspired by everybody's favorite appetizer, jalapeno poppers!

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 287 Calories

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound pork tenderloin
• 1 dash ground cumin
• kitchen twine
• 3 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 0.25 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 0.5 tablespoon garlic powder
• 0.5 tablespoon chile powder
• 0.25 tablespoon white sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Mix chile powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Cut a pocket lengthwise down the middle of the pork tenderloin. Apply the spice mixture all over the tenderloin.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a roasting pan.

Step 3

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook jalapenos, flipping occasionally, until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cumin. Let cool until easily handled; chop.

Step 4

Spread cream cheese inside the pork tenderloin. Add chopped jalapenos. Wrap bacon slices around the tenderloin in a spiral. Secure with kitchen twine. Make sure to tie up tightly to close the pocket.

Step 5

Transfer the tenderloin to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, rotating continuously, until golden, about 30 seconds on each side. Place the tenderloin in the prepared roasting pan.

Step 6

Roast in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C), 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove kitchen twine and slice, topping with any of the stuffing that may have overflowed in the pan.