Shredded pork tenderloin tacos? Smoked bacon pork Alfredo? Sounds like a good way to "Shake It Up" at dinnertime, doesn't it? That's what we decided to try, using Smithfield marinated fresh pork, instead of chicken or beef, in some tried and true family favorite recipes. And I have to tell you, we were surprised at just how delicious and tender it turned out! And if you decide to try it, you could win $5000 in Smithfield's "Shake It Up" contest. Read on for details.
Last Sunday, I cooked dinner for some friends to taste test Smithfield marinated fresh pork in a traditional chicken recipe. I chose to make smoked bacon pork Alfredo with a side of Caesar salad. The meal, along with a yummy batch of sangria (Thanks Victoria!), made for the perfect mom's night in! And with the pork tenderloin already pre-seasoned, I saved some time and didn't have to remember to prep and marinate in the morning.
 Getting dinner ready for friends! |  The scrumptious finished dish. |
Pork tenderloin is already a family favorite for us. But I always cook it the same old tired way, roasted in the oven. Don't get me wrong, it is delicious that way, and SUPER easy. But when I decided to try the smoked bacon pork Alfredo recipe, and it called for slicing the pork and sauteing it, I was worried. Would it really come out tender enough to eat in a pasta dish? Well, It did! Everyone was excited to dig in when it was finished, and as the hostess and cook, there were lots of warm fuzzies for me! Alfredo is a favorite with my kids, and this dish was no different (except that there was pork, instead of chicken). They gobbled it up, and it was not too hard to chew, for my picky, sensory sensitive guy. Our two kid guests gobbled it up too.
 Mom's night in dinner for these ladies! |
 The kiddos gobbling up some Smoked Bacon Pork Alfredo. |
Where to Find Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork
I found lots of Smithfield Products in the pork section of refrigerated meats, in both our local Publix and Walmart Neighborhood Market. Smithfield's assortment of delectable flavors, like Roasted Garlic and Herb, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Sweet Teriyaki and Slow Smoked Mesquite are available in a wide variety of cuts including pork roasts, chops, ribs, tenderloins and more. Made with 100% fresh pork and no artificial ingredients, so you know it's a healthy protein for your family.
Smoked Bacon Pork Alfredo - The Recipe
Are you ready to try it? I adapted from this recipe. The original recipe (reprinted below) uses jarred Alfredo sauce. So if you need a quick, easy dinner, stick with the original. We prefer to make our own sauce, which is also very easy, and in my opinion, even tastier. We also used a Smithfield® Roasted Garlic and Herb pork tenderloin and added applewood smoked bacon, since my grocery store didn't have the exact flavor I needed for the recipe. I'm glad Smithfield has so many options, because the roasted garlic and herb pork tenderloin fit right in.
Ingredients
- grated Parmesan cheese, optional
- 1 lb. dry penne pasta
- 1 Smithfield® Applewood Smoked Bacon Topped Pork Loin Filet
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 (8-oz) pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms
- 2 (15-oz.) jars Alfredo sauce
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Cut pork loin filet into ½-inch thick slices and then into ¼-inch wide strips. (Note: Bacon will fall off but make sure to keep it.) Working in two batches, heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over Medium-High heat. Stir-fry half the pork and bacon pieces for 7 to 8 minutes until well browned. Set aside on separate plate and repeat with another 1 tablespoon oil and remaining pork and bacon.
3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over Medium-High heat; add mushrooms and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Drain pasta and return to pot; stir in pork and bacon, mushrooms and Alfredo sauce. Stir over Medium heat about 4 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Sprinkle with green onions and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas - Another Idea
A few days earlier, my hubby requested carnitas for dinner. The recipe called for slow cooking a pork tenderloin, something I'd never tried with a pork tenderloin before. I didn't think the meat would shred, but after slowly simmering in the cooker all day, shred it did! I just popped it in a taco shell for the boys and voila! pork tacos! Even though carnitas literally means "Mexican slow cooked pork," we always make beef tacos. So for us, slow cooking the pork tenderloin was another dinner "shakeup." And mmmmm, it was so good. Best of all, there was enough left over to make BBQ pulled pork sandwiches the next day.
 The whole house was filled with delicious smells coming from my crockpot! |  Shredded pork tacos! |
Ingredients
- 1 T oregano
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 Smithfield Fresh Marinated Pork Tenderloin or 1 Smithfield Fresh Pork Tenderloin (not marinated)
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic crushed or minced
- 1 jalapeno chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 orange juiced
1. Combine oregano, cumin and oil to make dry rub. Rub all over tenderloin, then place in crockpot.
2. Add remaining ingredients to crockpot, cover, and cook on low 6-8 hours.
3. When done, shred meat with two forks, inside the crockpot, with all the juices.
4. Serve in a taco shell or tortilla with all your favorite Mexican toppings!
Smithfield is calling for family cooks to "shake it up" in the kitchen by re-imagining dinnertime, and getting creative with pork. If you do, you could win $5000! From now through April 26, visit Smithfield.com/ShakeItUp to submit a photo of your original dish along with a brief description on how you shake up your go-to recipes with Smithfield Fresh Pork instead of beef or chicken. Twenty finalists will win a $100 gift card, with one grand prize of $5000. For contest rules and more great recipe ideas to help re-imagine mealtime, visit Smithfield.com/ShakeItUp.
Disclosure: Thank You to Smithfield for sponsoring Macaroni Kid and providing us with complimentary product to facilitate the writing of this review. All opinions are my own.
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