Jalapeno Popper Pork Tenderloin

Hope you'll enjoy this jalapeno popper-inspired pork tenderloin! As written, it's not very spicy but could be kicked up a notch by leaving in a few jalapeno seeds or adding more chile powder. Recipe can be easily doubled.

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

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 pound pork tenderloin
• 1 dash ground cumin
• kitchen twine
• ½ tablespoon chile powder
• ¼ tablespoon white sugar
• 3 each fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

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.