Pancetta Wrapped Beef Tenderloin Recipes

PANCETTA-WRAPPED BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. In 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef in oil 10 minutes, turning once, until browned. Cool 5 minutes.
• On large sheet of waxed paper, arrange pancetta slices in 2 rows, overlapping to form rectangle the same length and width as tenderloin. Place beef on edge of one long side of pancetta. Sprinkle beef with garlic and rosemary. Roll up tightly, using waxed paper as a guide. Discard waxed paper. Tie beef with heavy kitchen string, securing at 1-inch intervals. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
• Bake 30 minutes or until pancetta is crispy and beef is of desired doneness. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove string before slicing.

PANCETTA-WRAPPED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• Blend the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and oil in a small food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the garlic is minced.
• Sprinkle the pork roast generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the pancetta slices on a work surface, overlapping slightly and forming a rectangle. Spread half of the garlic mixture over 1 side of the pork and between the 2 loins that meet in the center of the tied pork roast. Place the pork, garlic mixture side down, in the center of the pancetta rectangle. Spread the remaining garlic mixture over the remaining pork. Wrap the pancetta slices around the pork. Place the pork in a roasting pan. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pour 1/2 cup of broth and 1/2 cup of wine into the roasting pan. Add more broth and wine to the pan juices every 20 minutes. Roast the pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 degrees F for medium-rare, about 1 hour. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour the pan drippings into a glass measuring cup and spoon off any fat that rises to the top.
• Using a large sharp carving knife, cut the pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve with the pan juices.

BACON WRAPPED BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• For the tenderloin: Begin by placing a large sheet of plastic wrap on a clean bench top (use 2 overlapping sheets if you have to). In the center of the plastic, lay the bacon slices vertically, slightly overlapping one another, working from left to right. Sprinkle the tenderloin with the salt and pepper. Place the beef tenderloin horizontally across the strips of bacon (along the bottom of the rectangle of bacon). Roll up the plastic and bacon around the beef so it is wrapped tightly and evenly. Twist the ends of plastic to tighten and form the meat into an even log shape. Place in the refrigerator to firm up for 1 hour so the bacon sticks to the beef and the roast retains its nice even shape.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Set a large cast-iron pan (or roaster) over high heat and coat lightly with canola oil. Remove the beef from the fridge and discard the plastic. Place the roast seam-side down in the pan and brown on all four sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. When completely browned, place the whole pan in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes (an instant-read thermometer should register 135 degrees F for medium-rare). When done, remove from the oven and transfer the roast to a platter to rest before slicing into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• For the peppercorn sauce: Set the pan used for the beef over medium heat. Discard all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of fat from the pan, and then add the garlic and shallots. Season with some salt and saute until caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the green peppercorns. Mix well, and then remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the whiskey (you can flambe if you like here by igniting the alcohol in the pan). Return the pan to the heat and cook down until just about all the liquid has reduced before adding the beef stock and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook to allow flavors to meld, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cold butter cubes, swirling as they dissolve. Taste and, if needed, season with more salt. Serve with the slices of bacon wrapped tenderloin.

BACON-WRAPPED BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Trim beef tenderloin to a thickness of 2 1/2 inches.
• Combine rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub and press mixture evenly over all sides of the beef.
• Place a long sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface. Arrange bacon slices crosswise on the wrap, slightly overlapping each piece to form a rectangle. Place the seasoned tenderloin over the bacon slices. Wrap the bacon slices up around the beef and secure with toothpicks. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Remove beef from the refrigerator; remove and discard plastic wrap.
• Heat oil in a roasting pan over 2 burners set to medium heat. Place beef, seam-side down, in the roasting pan. Cook until bacon begins to brown, turning to brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven. Roast, uncovered, until firm and reddish-pink and juicy in the center, 30 to 35 minutes, or until desired doneness.
• Transfer beef, seam-side down, to a platter. Remove toothpicks and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

PANCETTA STUFFED BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F; position the oven rack in the center of the oven.
• In a large skillet, cook pancetta slices, over medium heat, in batches, for 3 minutes, remove pancetta slices to a plate, and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet on medium.
• Season tenderloins with salt and pepper, then brown the outside, all over, in skillet about 6 to 8 minutes; remove to work surface to cool.
• Meanwhile, in the same skillet, cook chopped pancetta in remaining tablespoon of oil, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes.
• Add butter and transfer chopped pancetta to a medium bowl.
• Add 1/4 cup water to skillet and continue to cook while scraping up any browned bits; add liquid to the bowl.
• To the bowl, add bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; reserve skillet.
• Slice tenderloins, lengthwise, 3/4 of the way through, then open like a book, cut side up.
• Beginning in the center, slice each side on the diagonal 3/4 of the way through and open again like a book. You are trying to get a flat piece of meat that you can roll up.
• Spread half of the stuffing mixture in center, leaving a 1 inch border, roll tenderloins up over the stuffing mixture, arrange half the pancetta slices over the top in an overlapping pattern, and tie with kitchen string at 2 inch intervals; repeat with other tenderloin.
• Roast stuffed tenderloins until they register 120 degrees F with meat thermometer, about 25 minutes.
• Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil.
• Pour the pan juices into the reserved skillet, add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium high heat until browned, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the port wine and cook an additional minute.
• To serve, slice roasts and spoon mushrooms and sauce on top.

PANCETTA-STUDDED BEEF TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Roast beef:
• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Pat beef dry and cut 1/2-inch-deep slits at 1-inch intervals all over roast, then insert 1 piece of pancetta into each slit. Sprinkle beef with kosher salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking, then brown beef on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer beef to a small roasting pan, reserving skillet.
• Roast beef in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center registers 120°F, about 25 minutes. Transfer beef to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 25 minutes. (Beef will continue to cook as it stands, reaching 130°F for medium-rare.)
• Make sauce while beef stands:
• Heat reserved skillet over moderately high heat until oil is hot but not smoking, then saut é shallot until golden, about 2 minutes. Add red wine and Marsala and deglaze skillet by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced by about one third. Add demiglace and jelly and briskly simmer, whisking, until jelly is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add butter, 1 bit at a time, whisking until incorporated, then remove from heat. Whisk in salt and pepper. Pour sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids.
• We use Demi-Glace Gold, available in specialty foods shops, some supermarkets, and by mail order from More Than Gourmet (800-860-9385) or the demiglace/brown sauce from Citarella (212-874-0383).