Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin — also called pork filet, pork steak, or Gentleman’s Cut — is one of the most tender, lean proteins with fabulous flavor. It is a long, narrow muscle that runs along the backbone of a pig. This muscle is non-weight bearing and performs very few actions so it has little connective tissue and muscle fibers traditionally toughened by exercise. As a result, pork tenderloin lives up to its name as a tender loin.

Pork tenderloin is also extremely low in fat – about as lean as skinless chicken breasts! It is easy to cook, relatively quick to cook and the leftovers don’t dry out (if not initially overcooked). 

Pork tenderloin can be baked whole like we are in this recipe, cut into slices and pounded into cutlets (like this pork medallions recipe), cut into cubes for kebabs (like this al pastor kabob recipe), cubed for stir fries or cut into slices for satay. There are so many ways to enjoy succulent pork tenderloin!

Before you make this pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon, it’s important you purchase pork tenderloin and NOT pork loin – they are not the same.  If you use pork loin, you will have to increase the baking time. 
 
Cut of Meat:
Pork tenderloin comes from the loin of the pig which runs from the hip to the shoulder. Pork loin roast comes from the back of a pig, starting from the shoulder and running to where the animal’s leg begins. 
 
Size:
Pork tenderloin is thin and small, usually 1-2 pounds; it usually comes in a package of two tenderloins. Pork loin is long and cylindrical in shape. A whole loin weighs up to 20 pounds which is then cut down into various chops and roasts.  Pork loin roast can be cut to order anywhere from 3 to 5 pounds.
 
Texture and flavor: 
Pork tenderloin gets its name for a reason – it is one of the most tender cuts of pork because it comes from a muscle that doesn’t receives much, if any, exercise. Pork loin roast is mildly flavored and relatively lean and not naturally tender.  It must be cooked longer, low and slow, in order to become tender.
 
Cooking Method:
Pork tenderloin cooks quite quickly at higher temperatures, anywhere from 350 degrees to 425 degrees F. Pork loin should be slow-roasted in order to become tender. It should not be cooked quickly or roasted at high temperatures. 

The silverskin is part of a sinew on one side of the pork and looks like thin, silvery fat. It is best removed because it doesn’t melt like fat and can become tough and chewy once cooked. Many packages will come pre-trimmed and ready to go or it’s easy to trim yourself. 

There isn’t anything special or complicated about removing the silverskin. To remove, slip a sharp knife in between the silverskin and the meat to create a “tab.” Angle the knife so the blade is facing toward the silver skin away from the meat. Hold the tab taught while you cut the silverskin with a sawing motion until it’s cut free.

1.  Brine the pork.  If you’ve never brined your pork before, it will change your culinary life!   Brining literally changes the molecular structure of the pork and only takes 20 minutes. You will especially love that it works better than a marinade without having to plan ahead.
2. Sear the pork.  This creates a caramelized crust of flavor that can’t be beat and helps insulate the pork for optimal juiciness.  
3.  Don’t overcook the pork.  Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat and shouldn’t be cooked above 145 degrees F.
4.  Rest the pork. Let the pork rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing to allow the juices that have been forced to the center of the pork to redistribute evenly throughout the meat. 

Brining pork tenderloin literally takes 20 minutes – you actually can’t brine pork tenderloin longer than that or it will become mealy. 

The USDA guidelines state that pork can be safely consumed when cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F with a resting time of three minutes, but anywhere between 145 degrees F (medium-rare) and 160 degrees F (medium) is considered acceptable. Your tenderloin will increase in temperature anywhere from 5-10 degrees as it rests, so I remove my pork as soon as it hits 145 degrees F for juiciest pork.

The most accurate way to check the internal temperature of pork tenderloin is with an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin. Instant read thermometers eliminate all of the guesswork – you simply cannot make perfectly cooked pork tenderloin without one!

You can pick up an inexpensive instant read thermometer at the grocery store or Amazon, or I HIGHLY recommend this digital probe thermometer – you will never overcook any protein again!  Instant read thermometers can be temperamental, but this digital probe thermometer retrieves temperature precisely to within ±1.8°F (±1°C). 

Best of all, this digital thermometer comes with two probes.  You insert one probe into each of the pork tenderloins (through the foil) and you leave it in the pork while it cooks, whether on the stove, grill or oven.  Set the desired temperature and an alarm will ring as soon as it reaches the set temperature.  This works particularly well when cooking pork tenderloins of different sizes/thickness because they will be done at different times.  Now, just walk away and be rewarded with succulently juicy pork tenderloin every time.

Yes, pork tenderloin is safe to consume when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 145 degrees F which means it will be slightly pink inside.

This 145-degrees temperature is 15 degrees less than the old standards of 160 degrees F which would mean the pork would be completely cooked through without any pink.  The research shows, however, that 145 degrees F is the same safety-wise as cooking pork to 160 degrees F AND yields much more tender pork.

This is what your pork will look like with the allotted 5-minute resting time:
pork taken out at 145 F, will rise to 150 F – slices will be somewhat pink and moist
pork taken out at 150 F, will rise to 155 F – slices will be a little pink and moist
pork taken out at 160 F, will rise to 165 F – slices will not be pink but still should be relatively moist