Pork Saltimbocca

4.4
(25)

In Italy, 'saltimbocca' means 'jumps in the mouth.' This tender, juicy and delicious pork tenderloin is finished with a rich meaty sauce and will certainly please your palate.

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Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr 45 mins
Additional Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 35 mins
Servings:
2
Yield:
2 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 (1 1/4 pound) pork tenderloin

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  • 12 fresh sage leaves, or as needed

  • 4 large, thin slices prosciutto

  • 2 teaspoons all purpose flour for dusting

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • cup dry white wine

Stock:

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • chopped pork trimmings (optional)

  • 1 cup homemade or low-sodium chicken broth

  • ½ cup water, or as needed

  • 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

Directions

  1. Remove silvery membrane from surface of the tenderloin with a sharp knife. Reserve the trimmings. Trim off the small "head" pieces of the tenderloin where there is a natural separation; this is optional. Reserve.

  2. Cut tenderloin in half crosswise to make 2 equal portions. Cut each half lengthwise in half to make 4 pieces. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate while you start the sauce.

  3. Chop the reserved trimmings very fine. Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat until caramelized and nicely browned, 4 or 5 minutes. Stir in broth and gelatin. Stir in water. Cook and stir over medium or medium-low heat at a low simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 1 1/2 hours. Add more water if it reduces too quickly.

  4. Place pork sections between to pieces of plastic wrap. Pound to a thickness of about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Turn each piece over. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Dust very lightly with about 2 teaspoons flour. Flip back over; sprinkle with black pepper only. Press 3 sage leaves onto surface of each piece of pork. Cover completely with prosciutto, cutting or tearing strips to fit. A bit of overlap is okay.

  5. Place sheet of plastic wrap back over the pork and pound very lightly to make sure the prosciutto sticks to the pork. Transfer to a plate; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

  6. Strain pork broth into a bowl.

  7. Place skillet over high heat; add olive oil. When olive oil is hot and shimmering, place pork pieces in the oil prosciutto side down. Cook about 3 minutes. Carefully turn pieces and cook another minute. Remove skillet from heat. Transfer pork to warm serving plates.

  8. Blot excess oil from skillet with paper towels. Add wine and pork broth. Cook over high heat until mixture thickens and reduces by about half, 4 to 5 minutes.

  9. Spoon hot sauce over pork sections.

    close up view of Pork Saltimbocca on a white plate
    Chef John

Chef's Notes

You can use chicken breasts or veal instead of pork. For a slightly sweet finishing sauce, you can substitute Marsala wine for the dry white wine.

If you don't want to mess around making the fake pork stock with the chopped-up trimmings, you can still use the gelatin trick: simply dissolve 1 teaspoon of gelatin in a cup of chicken broth, then reduce it by half. However, the browned scraps do add extra meatiness, and this way you won't have to feel guilty about trimming off too much meat.

34 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

552 Calories
30g Fat
5g Carbs
49g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 2
Calories 552
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 30g 38%
Saturated Fat 9g 47%
Cholesterol 149mg 50%
Sodium 487mg 21%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 49g 98%
Calcium 40mg 3%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 780mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.