Pork Tenderloin in Sourdough Rye Bread Crust

A successful experiment: Pork tenderloin baked in a rye and wheat sourdough bread crust with garlic and rosemary. It tastes great when served fresh and warm, but it is also a very nice addition to a platter of cold cuts, just let cool and cut into thin slices!

About two weeks ago I tried the same idea with a rack of lamb, it tasted great but didn't look so good because it was impossible to find the right places to cut.

Ingredients

For the Bread Dough

• 2 oz / 60 g sourdough starter
• 5 oz / 150 g rye flour
• 7 oz / 200 g bread flour (wheat)
• 1 tsp / about 7 g salt
• ¼ cup / 60 ml olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• ½ cup + 1 tbsp / 140 ml water

Tenderloin and Sauce

• 1 pork tenderloin
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• about ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ⅓ cup / 80 ml port
• ⅔ cup / 160 ml water
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Bread Dough

1. With mortar and pestle, grind together garlic and rosemary.
2. Combine all dough ingredients in a mixing bowl.
3. Knead until you have a smooth and elastic dough.
4. Form a ball, coat with a thin layer of olive oil, place in a bowl and cover.
5. At room temperature, let ferment until the volume has approximately doubled. Depending on the starter, this can take a long time (8-12 hours).

Tenderloin and Sauce

1. Roll out dough so that the sheet is large enough to wrap the tenderloin. Cover with a damp cloth or food wrap and let rise for another 15-20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C.
3. Season the pork tenderloin with freshly ground pepper.
4. Set pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Brown the tenderloin on all sides and remove from the pan. Keep pan for later.
5. Season tenderloin with salt and coat with breadcrumbs.
6. Wrap tenderloin in the bread dough sheet. Pinch well to seal.
7. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, seam down. Slash the top with diagonal cuts.
8. Place in the preheated oven and bake until the core temperature has reached about 130°F / 55°C. This should take about 35 minutes.
9. Brush the top with olive oil. Continue baking until the core temperature has reached 145°F / 63°C. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes.
10. While the tenderloin in the bread crust is baking, add onions and 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan. Cook the chopped onion over medium heat until golden brown.
11. Add tomato paste and cook until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
12. Add port and water and reduce for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Strain.
13. Carefully slice the tenderloin, keeping the bread crust intact. Serve with the sauce and some vegetables like peas, green beans or bell peppers.

Notes

• If you have leftover dough, you can make one or two small rolls or crescents.
• In the photo, I served the tenderloin with sautéed peas and sautéed bell peppers.
• Also tastes great cold: Let cool down, then cut into about ¼ in / 5 mm slices.

Yields 4-6 servings