Keep tenderloin tender

Savory stuffing gives pork roast zip, helps keep the meat juicy,

When it comes to pork, I’ll happily eat the ears. I’ll linger over the liver, fricassee the feet, chomp on the chops. I’d even figure out how to cook the oink if I could get my hands on it.

The only cut that has ever left me cold is the tenderloin.

A thin, lean muscle that runs along the central spine of the pig, its name reflects its reputation as one of the most tender cuts of the animal.

But that’s only if you don’t overcook it.

The cut contains very little fat, so overcooking can happen in the mere seconds it takes to dig your meat thermometer out of the drawer, turning a potentially juicy piece of pork into something dry and tough.

For years I avoided the tenderloin, choosing the fattier options.

But at a friend’s suggestion, I recently gave it another go. After all, pork tenderloin is easy to find and fast to cook, making it extremely weeknight friendly. My goal was to come up with a surefire recipe that helps preserve the moisture of the meat.

One solution is to stuff the meat with something that will keep its moisture and zip up its inherently mild character. A pungent mix of shallots, capers and herbs accomplishes both.

The best way to stuff a pork tenderloin is to butterfly it — that is, cut it in half lengthwise, but not quite all the way through, keeping the two pieces attached so you can open the cut like a book. This gives you maximum space for stuffing. Then all you have to do is close it up, tying it with some kitchen twine to so the filling doesn’t escape in the pan.

A bonus of tying up the meat is that you can form it into an evenly shaped cylinder. Untied, the tenderloin tapers at one end, which means either the thinner side or the thicker side — but not both — can be cooked to pink perfection. Tying it solves this problem; simply fold the thinner end up over itself to make the roast thicker, and secure it.

And about the word “pink”: You should take your pork off the heat while it’s still a little pink on the inside. An internal temperature of 145 degrees will give you succulent meat that lives up to its name, a tender loin that is flavorful, too.

ANDREW SCRIVANI/THE NEW YORK TIMES Stuffing a butterflied tenderloin with shallots, herbs and capers keeps the dryness-prone meat juicy and adds zip to its inherently mild character.