The first home Gamecock Football game is right around the corner! Don’t ruin your diet by munching on wings, chip, and burgers all day! Try this healthy tailgate recipe: pork tenderloin…guaranteed to be the star of the tailgate!

Chorizo-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Yields 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 10-oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1⁄2 cup shredded smoked or extra sharp cheddar cheese

2 oz. Spanish chorizo or hard salami, finely chopped

1⁄2 teaspoon salt, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

One 1-1 1⁄4 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed

1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450
2. Combine spinach, cheese, chorizo (or salami) and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Combine garlic, 1tablespoon oil and the remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt in another bowl; set aside.
3. To butterfly the tenderloin, lay in on a large cutting board. Holding the knife blade flat and parallel to the board, make a lengthwise cut through the center for the meat, stopping short of the opposite edge so that the tenderloin remains in one piece. Open as you would a book. Cover with plastic wrap. With a meat mallet, rolling pin or heavy pan, sound the pork into an ever 1⁄4 inch thickness.
4. Spread the spinach mixture in the center of the pork, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Starting at a long side, roll up the pork enclose the filling. To keep the stuffing from falling out during roasting, fold in about 1 inch of the two short ends as you roll. Tie kitchen string firmly lengthwise around the roast to secure the two ends, and then tie it crosswise at 2-inch intervals.
5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and lightly brown the port on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes total. Brush the top with the reserved garlic mixture; season with pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145°, 15-20 minutes.