Pamplona of pork with roasted capsicum vinaigrette

A wonderful combination of flavours, with smokiness from the grill, juicy pork and the tang of the capsicum and the creaminess of the herb cheese.

Pamplona of pork with roasted capsicum vinaigrette. Credit: Project Fire

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 2 pork tenderloins, each 450-550 g (1-1¼ lb)
• Coarse salt (sea or kosher) and freshly ground black pepper
• 2½ tbsp Dijon mustard, or more as needed
• 1 roasted red capsicum (bell pepper), stemmed, peeled, seeded, and sliced into 5-6 mm (¼ in) strips (see Note)
• 85 g (3 oz) thinly sliced smoked ham, slivered
• 150 g Boursin cheese, or other soft garlic and herb cheese, crumbled
• 4 strips thin-cut bacon
• Vegetable oil, for oiling the grate
• Roasted capsicum vinaigrette, to serve, optional

You’ll also need: Butcher’s string; 1 or 2 hardwood chunks, or 1½ cups hardwood smoking chips (if using the latter, soak in water to cover for 30 minutes, then drain).

Instructions

1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and heat to medium-high (200°C/400°F).
2. Meanwhile, cut a deep pocket in the side of each pork tenderloin. Season the inside of the pocket with salt and pepper and paint with mustard. Stuff half the peppers, ham, and cheese into each pocket. Season the outside of the tenderloins with salt and pepper.
3. Lay four 25 cm (10 in) pieces of butcher’s string on and parallel to your work surface. Lay a strip of bacon on and perpendicular to the strings. Top with one of the tenderloins. Lay a second strip of bacon on top of the tenderloin. Bring up the ends of the strings and tie. Trim the ends close to the knots. Repeat with the remaining tenderloin.
4. Brush or scrape the grill grate clean and oil it well with vegetable oil. If using a charcoal grill, add the wood chunks or chips to the coals. On a gas grill, place in the smoker box or under the grate directly over the burners.
5. Indirect grill the tenderloins until nicely browned and the meat is cooked through (63-68°C /145-155°F), 40 minutes, or as needed. (At 145, the tenderloin will still be somewhat pink in the center.)
6. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes. Remove the strings, then using a sharp knife (preferably with a serrated blade), slice the tenderloin crosswise into 1-2 cm ( ½-¾ in) medallions. Transfer to a platter or plates. Serve with roasted capsicum vinaigrette, if desired.

Note

The capsicum for the stuffing can be prepared at a previous grill session: Heat the grill to high, then roast the capsicum until the skin is blackened and charred, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Alternatively, roast over an open flame on your gas stove or the side burner of your grill. Remove the burnt skin. Cover and refrigerate for up to a day if not using immediately.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.