Hasselback Pineapple Pork Tenderloin
This Hasselback Pineapple Pork Tenderloin is spread open like a fan and filled with sweet pineapple, spicy red onions, and smoky bacon. Then that’s topped with a caramelized sauce, making this loin one flavor-packed dish!
One average pork tenderloin serves three people. Yet this is an easy and quick recipe to double, triple, or quadruple! Whether you’re having a quiet night in or serving a crowd, this is a perfect choice for a flavorful yet quick-to-fix homemade meal.
This is delicious as written, yet it’s also one of those dishes that allows you to easily make it your own! I’ve used up the last of my jalapenos in the freezer. Yet if I had them on hand, I would have put a few slices on top. I love the heat. : )
You could swap out the pineapple for apples. Then top with an apple cider-based barbecue sauce! Your imagination is the limit to the stuffing ingredients and companion sauces you can use with this recipe.
Hasselback Pineapple Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds pork tenderloin
- 3 slices bacon Applewood or cherrywood smoked - sliced into two-inch pieces (or just over the width of the tenderloin)
- 1 small red onion halved and sliced ¼ inch thick
- 6 ounces pineapple chunks canned, drained and halved if large
- 1 jalapeno sliced (substitute = pickled jalapenos) - optional
- 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tsp smoked paprika or paprika (optional)
Garnish & Sauce
- 1 scallion sliced for garnish
- Bacon bits chopped for garnish
- pineapple bourbon barbecue sauce or pineapple habanero sauce (Terrapin Ridge)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F.
- Place the pork tenderloins on a cutting board and make parallel incisions 1 inch apart widthwise along the length of the meat leaving ⅓ inch. The bottom of the tenderloins should remain intact and hold the ingredients in the seam.1 ¼ pounds pork tenderloin
- Season the tenderloin inside the pockets and around the exterior with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Place on the prepared baking sheet.1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Place a pineapple slice, bacon, and red onion slice in each pocket. If necessary, trim the slices so they stick out about 1/4 inch. Spoon six or more tablespoons of the sauce over each tenderloin and top with the jalapeno slices if using.3 slices bacon, 1 small red onion, 6 ounces pineapple chunks, pineapple bourbon barbecue sauce, 1 jalapeno
- Bake until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees F, 22 to 25 minutes.
- Turn to broil. Broil until the glaze is bubbling and the bacon ends are browned, 2-3 minutes. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice and place on a serving platter or individual plates. Garnish with scallions and bits of bacon, and serve with additional sauce.1 scallion, Bacon bits
Notes
Nutrition
De Froid Tip: Votive Holders
Sometimes, ramekins and small cups are too large for a side serving of sauce. If this is the case, votive holders might be a perfect size for you. Both Pineapple Bourbon Barbecue Sauce and Terrapin Ridge’s Pineapple Habanero Sauce fit into the spicy category. Because of this, a little goes a long way, and a smaller portion is appropriate.
Votives cost just over a dollar a piece on Amazon and can also be found in home goods stores. An added benefit? They take up very little space in the drawer yet can be that perfect vessel for a small amount of sauce.
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