Smoked Cubano-Style Rolled Pork Tenderloin
Someone once told me that if I don’t slow down, I might run out of recipe ideas. I hope that day never comes, but I like to think that my imagination can come up with countless unique and tasty recipes. I’ve recently been having the most fun with food I’ve had in a very long time while recipe testing and cooking on the Alchemy grill, which I think has spurred my imagination even further. Nothing highlights this newfound bust of inspiration than this Smoked Cubano-Style Rolled Pork Tenderloin - it is truly a unique recipe.
The Cubano sandwich is how I got started in the sandwich game and with my food truck Fidel Gastro’s, so it seemed only right for things to come full circle and for me to revisit the Cubano, but in a completely new way. A rolled pork tenderloin isn’t that uncommon, but a rolled pork tenderloin filled with Cubano ingredients and then panko-crusted and fried, well that I had never heard of and had to give it a try. I started by butterflying my pork tenderloin. I then grilled up some sliced black forest ham on the Alchemy plancha and layered it on top of the pork tenderloin, added sliced Havarti cheese, pickles, mustard, chili flakes, salt and pepper. I rolled my pork tenderloin up and secured it with metal skewers (or you can use string) and then put it into the smoker. Once that was done smoking, I coated my pork tenderloin in all-purpose flour, egg wash and panko breadcrumbs. I then fried it up on the Alchemy plancha with canola oil until the outside was a crispy golden brown. Once that was off the grill, I squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top, and then sliced it into medallions. The inside was so juicy and tender, with the melted Havarti cheese, tang from the pickles, sweetness from the ham and yellow mustard, and was so crispy and golden on the outside - it was just an insane bite.
I served my Cubano-style rolled pork tenderloin with grilled onions and chopped pickles mixed with fresh cilantro. It sounds like a strange mix, but it worked. The secret to making amazing grilled onions, is to hit them with some apple cider vinegar before they come off the plancha. If you want to find out how to make my Smoked Cubano-Style Rolled Pork Tenderloin, keep reading, or jump to the full recipe.
Set your smoker to 375F. Butterfly the pork tenderloin. Drizzle with canola oil, season with salt, pepper, chili flakes and yellow mustard.
Add your slices of black forest ham to the plancha and allow to grill on each side, 1-2 minutes. Place the ham slices in one layer on top of the seasoned pork tenderloin.
Add three slices of Havarti cheese and 3-4 pickle slices on top of the grilled ham on the pork tenderloin.
Roll the pork tenderloin.
Using metal skewers or twine, secure the roll. Season with salt and pepper and put in the smoker. Smoke for 20 minutes.
Slice your onions and put on the plancha and drizzle with canola oil. Allow to cook and char, flipping midway.
Before removing the onions from the plancha, drizzle with apple cider vinegar and allow for the vinegar to cook off, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the plancha.
Chop the fresh cilantro and dice 3-4 pickle slices, mix together and set aside.
In a shallow bowl or aluminum tray, add the flour. In a separate container, add in the panko. Beat your eggs in a shallow bowl or aluminum tray. Remove the pork tenderloin from the smoker and coat in flour, then the egg wash, then the panko.
Place on the plancha and drizzle with canola oil, allow to fry and brown, rotating as it cooks to make sure all sides turn golden brown and crisp up.
Finely chop your chives. Remove the pork tenderloin from the plancha once browned on all sides and drizzle with the juice from half a lemon.
Slice the rolled Cubano-style pork tenderloin into medallions.
To plate, place your grilled onions down first on the plate, then sprinkle with the cilantro and pickle mixture.
Place the pork tenderloin medallions on top, add a few small dollops of yellow mustard, and sprinkle with the chopped chives.
And now for the full recipe...
Cubano-Style Rolled Pork Tenderloin
Serves 2-4 people
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
1 lb pork tenderloin
10 slices black forest ham
3 slices Havarti cheese
7-8 sandwich pickles, divided
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 white onion
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup panko
½ lemon
2 tsp chopped chives
Salt
Pepper
How to Make a Smoked Cubano-Style Rolled Pork Tenderloin
Set smoker to 375F.
Butterfly the pork tenderloin. Drizzle with canola oil, season with salt, pepper, chili flakes and yellow mustard.
Add your slices of black forest ham to the plancha and allow to grill on each side, 1-2 minutes. Place the ham slices in one layer on top of the seasoned pork tenderloin. Add three slices of Havarti cheese and 3-4 pickle slices. Roll the pork tenderloin and either using metal skewers or twine, secure the roll. Season with salt and pepper and put in the smoker. Smoke for 20 minutes.
Slice your onions and put on the plancha and drizzle with canola oil. Allow to cook and char, flipping midway. Before removing the onions from the plancha, drizzle with apple cider vinegar and allow for the vinegar to cook off, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the plancha.
Chop the fresh cilantro and dice 3-4 pickle slices, mix together and set aside.
In a shallow bowl or aluminum tray, add the flour. In a separate container, add in the panko. Beat your eggs in a shallow bowl or aluminum tray. Remove the pork tenderloin from the smoker and coat in flour, then the egg wash, then the panko. Place on the plancha and drizzle with canola oil, allow to fry and brown, rotating as it cooks to make sure all sides turn golden brown and crisp up.
Chop your chives. Remove the pork tenderloin from the plancha once browned on all sides and drizzle with the juice from half a lemon. Cut into medallions.
To plate, place your grilled onions down first, then sprinkle with the cilantro and pickle mixture. Place the pork tenderloin medallions on top, add a few small dollops of yellow mustard, and sprinkle with the chopped chives.
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