Cranberry Stuffed Pork Loin with Pecans – A Sweet and Savory Holiday Recipe

Cranberry stuffed pork loin recipe is an easy way to turn a simple cut of meat into a holiday-worthy main dish. Tender pork, tart cranberries, and crunchy pecans create a sweet and savory flavor that makes the dish feel special.

To make the recipe, you will butterfly a pork loin, fill it with a quick cranberry-pecan stuffing, and roll it tightly before baking. The process takes about 10 minutes of hands-on time, and the rest is oven work. A quick sear before roasting locks in flavor and gives the outside of the pork loin a golden crust.

Serve this dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any festive meal where you want a simple but showy main dish. Pair it with roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, or a light salad for a balanced plate. Keep reading to learn how to make this delicious stuffed pork tenderloin recipe.

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Ingredients for the cranberry-stuffed pork tenderloin recipe

To make this recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds marinated pork loin filet
• 6 ounces boxed stuffing mix
• ½ cup of water
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• ½ cup of dried cranberries
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

You’ll also need a meat tenderizer and some cooking twine.

 How to make the pork tenderloin with cranberry stuffing

Start by preheating the oven to 375°F (190°C).

The star of my recipe is a marinated fresh pork loin filet with a portobello mushroom flavor.

Cut the pork loin in half lengthwise, but don’t cut it all the way through. This is called “butterflying” the pork loin. It allows you to open the loin up into one piece after you make the cuts.

Tenderize the pork loin

Place the filet on a silicone baking mat and cover it with some plastic wrap. Use a meat tenderizer to flatten the pork loin.

Work from the center to the edges, lightly pounding the meat to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch or less throughout the meat. This allows the meat to cook more quickly in the oven and prevents it from drying out.

Set the tenderized pork loin to one side while you make the stuffing.  

Adding the cranberry pecan stuffing

Combine the stuffing mix with water and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook it for 2 minutes.

Fold in the chopped pecans and dried cranberries.

Spread this cranberry pecan stuffing evenly and thinly over the tenderized pork loin. Leave about 1 1½ inches of pork bare on one side.

This gives you an area of meat that will stick to itself when you roll it and will make moving the stuffed pork loin easier.

Roll the pork loin filet, starting from the longest side, rolling the piece with no stuffing last.

Keep the seam side of the pork loin facing downward on the silicone mat. 

Tying the pork loin

You can cook the pork without tying it, but pork wrapped in string moves more easily, is easier to sear, and holds together well in the oven. It’s also very easy to do!

To tie a stuffed pork loin, wrap butcher string around the top of the rolled pork and tie it in a knot. Loop the string around the pork diagonally until you get to the other end.

Next, rotate the meat to the other side, cross over the strings, and you’ll end up back where you started. Make another knot and you are done! 

How to sear pork loin

 Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tied and stuffed pork loin fillet in the pan and sear it for 2-3 minutes on each side.

This cuts down on the cooking time in the oven and gives a delicious, crusty browned coating to the outside of the pork loin filet.

How long to bake stuffed pork loin

Place the stuffed pork loin filet in an oven-proof pan in the preheated oven. Cook until the pork is no longer pink in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes.

A meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork loin should read 160ºF (71 ºC).

Remove the pork from the oven. Allow the stuffed pork to rest 10-15 minutes. This keeps the juices in the meat, sets the stuffing, and allows the pork to slice more easily.

Cut the string from the pork tenderloin and slice it into 1-inch slices.

The flavor of this cranberry pecan stuffed pork loin filet is full of the flavors of fall. It is savory and rich with a crunchy texture from the chopped pecans.

The recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight but equally at home for a special dinner party. And who doesn’t like the color of cranberries in any dish?

Stuffed pork loin recipes give you the benefit of the extra flavor profiles of the stuffing. They also keep the cost of the meal in check by using an inexpensive ingredient like stuffing to “plump out your meal” and add extra servings.

I love the look of the slices. There is a saying that we eat with the eyes first. This recipe does that beautifully.

Serve the cranberry pecan stuffed pork loin filet with some homemade cranberry relish and steamed vegetables for a really festive meal. Enjoy! 

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Admin note: This recipe for cranberry-stuffed pork tenderloin first appeared on the blog in August 2016. This post has been updated with new photos, a printable recipe card, and a slideshow video of fall recipes to try.

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Yield: 6 servings of cranberry stuffed pork loin

Cranberry Pecan Stuffed Pork Loin Filet

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This cranberry pecan stuffed pork filet is the perfect comfort food recipe for a cool fall evening.

It's easy to make for a busy weeknight but impressive for any special occasion.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds of marinated portobello mushroom pork loin filet
• 6 ounces of boxed stuffing mix
• ½ cups water
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• ½ cup of dried cranberries
• ¼ cup of chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoon of olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 ° F (190 ° C).
2. Place the water and butter in a saucepan.
3. Add the stuffing mix. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Set the stuffing aside.
5. Place pork loin filet on a silicone baking mat.
6. Cover it with plastic wrap and flatten evenly with a meat tenderizer to no more than ½ inch thick throughout.
7. Spread the prepared stuffing mix over the flattened pork loin filet, leaving a 1 ½ inch border free on one side to make it easier to roll.
8. Tightly roll the pork loin filet around the filling, starting with the long edge opposite the bare piece of pork. Place the pork loin seam side down on the baking mat.
9. Wrap the top edge of the rolled pork with butcher string and tie in a knot.
10. Roll the string around the pork diagonally.
11. Flip the pork and roll back across the strings, ending back where you started. Tie another knot.
12. Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
13. Place the rolled pork loin filet in the hot oil and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side until it is browned.
14. Transfer the seared pork loin filet to a casserole dish and bake for 25-30 minutes until the internal temperature reads 160º F (71 º C).
15. Remove the pork, and let it rest 10-15 minutes.
16. Cut the string from the stuffed pork tenderloin.
17. Slice the pork into 1-inch slices and serve.

Notes

I found my marinated pork tenderloin at Kroger.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Dried Cranberries Original 2 Pound (32 oz) Batch Tested Gluten & Peanut Free | Resealable Bag | High in Antioxidant | Great for Salads, Cooking and Mixes | Sweetened
• 
  KITEXPERT Meat Tenderizer Hammer with Comfortable-Grip Handle, Dual-side Mallet for Kitchen, Heavy Duty Pounder For Tenderizing Steak, Beef and Fish
• 
  Red and White Butchers Twine, 328 Feet 2mm Food Safe Cotton Cooking Twine, Ideal for Trussing Turkey, Roasting, Baking, Bacon, Pumpkin Bread, Festive Holiday Kitchen Use

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1/6th of the roast
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 299Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 165mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 4gSugar: 13gProtein: 12g

Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.

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