Pesto Pork Recipes

PESTO PORK WITH POLENTA

Steps:

• Place a rimmed baking sheet in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 450 degrees F. Make the pesto: Pulse the parsley, basil, scallions, whole garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest and the juice of 1 lemon in a food processor. With the motor running, add 1/4 cup olive oil. Refrigerate 3/4 cup of the pesto for Risotto with Pesto and Peas. Coat the pork with 1/4 cup of the remaining pesto. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup pesto in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon hot water and the remaining lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and brown all over, about 4 minutes. Transfer to the hot baking sheet and roast until a thermometer registers 145 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the polenta as the label directs. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the spinach, 3 tablespoons of the pesto mixture and 1/4 cup water; cook, stirring, until wilted, 3 minutes. Slice the pork; serve with the polenta, spinach and remaining pesto mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
• Per serving:
• Calories 464
• Fat 18 g (Saturated 4 g)
• Cholesterol 111 mg
• Sodium 628 mg
• Carbohydrate 34 g
• Fiber 8 g
• Protein 41 g

JKL PESTO PORK AND VEGGIE ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a mortar and pestle, combine the garlic, 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, cayenne, rosemary, and sugar and pound together until a thick paste forms. Rub evenly over the pork roast.
• Remove the V-rack from a large roasting pan and fill the pan with the prepared vegetables. Add in the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper, pesto, oil, wine, and chicken stock. Toss together with your hands to combine evenly.
• Return the V-rack to the roasting pan, centered over the vegetables, place the pork roast on top, and place in the oven.
• Cook for 30 minutes at 425 degrees F, and then lower to 325 degrees F for 1 hour, turning the pork roast over after 30 minutes to brown the other side. Baste with the juices from the roasting pan 2 to 3 times throughout the hour. Remove from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Place on a cutting board, tent lightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the vegetables to a large serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium-high heat and bring the pan juices to a boil, whisking. Add more wine and chicken stock, if needed, and reduce until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter and adjust seasoning, to taste.
• Slice the pork thinly on a slight bias and serve with the jus and vegetables.

BACON-WRAPPED PESTO PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Arrange bacon strips lengthwise in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. pan, overlapping slightly., Cut tenderloin lengthwise through the center to within 1/2 in. of bottom. Open tenderloin flat; pound with a meat mallet to 1/2-in. thickness. Place tenderloin on center of bacon, perpendicular to strips., Sprinkle pepper over pork. Spread with pesto; layer with cheese and spinach. Close tenderloin; wrap with bacon, overlapping ends. Tie with kitchen string at 3-in. intervals. Secure ends with toothpicks., In a 12-in. skillet, brown roast on all sides, about 8 minutes. Return to baking pan; roast in oven until a thermometer inserted in pork reads 145°, 17-20 minutes. Remove string and toothpicks; let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

PESTO AND CHEESE STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking dish.
• Mix cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions, pesto sauce, garlic, and parsley together in a bowl. Lay pork tenderloin on a flat work surface and spread cheese mixture on one side of the meat. Roll tenderloin around the filling like a jellyroll. Season meat with salt and black pepper.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place rolled pork tenderloin in hot butter and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer tenderloin to the prepared baking dish, reserving drippings in skillet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pork is no longer pink in the center, about 1 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).
• Place the skillet with reserved drippings over medium-high heat. Pour in white wine and bouillon, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and add cream; stir until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over tenderloin.

PESTO PORK

Steps:

• Cut pork loin into 1/2-inch slices.
• Place flour in a shallow dish.
• Season pork medallions with salt and pepper, then place in flour and coat evenly on both sides.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add pork and cook in batches for 2-4 minutes per side, or until golden, adding more butter as needed.
• Remove pork to a covered platter to keep warm.
• Add cream and pesto to skillet; mix well.
• Add tomatoes and cook 3-5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.
• Pour over pork medallions and serve.

PESTO PORK CHOPS

Steps:

• Put flour, salt and pepper on a plate and combine.
• Dredge both sides of pork chops in flour, and shake off any excess.
• Spray a skillet with the cooking spray and preheat on medium-high.
• Add the chops and brown on each side for two minutes.
• After they are browned, spread the pesto sauce over the chops and put lid on the skillet.
• Continue cooking for an additional two minutes or until they reach 160 degrees.
• The chops will be juicy and not dried out.
• Enjoy!