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Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

This Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin makes an impressive, delicious centerpiece for the holidays and special occasions that everyone will want seconds of!  The pork is extremely juicy, slathered in a sweet and tangy chili Dijon glaze, all wrapped in tantalizing, crispy, caramelized bacon.  This recipe may look impressive, but is deceptively easy to make AND it’s entirely prep ahead friendly! Serve this Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with a side of Pear Salad and Million Dollar Macaroni and Cheese for a satisfying meal the whole family will gobble up!
Course Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

PORK BRINE

SPICE MIX

  • 1/2 TBS EACH chili powder, garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp EACH salt, onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp EACH paprika, pepper

CHILI DIJON SAUCE

  • 1/4 cup Asian sweet red chili sauce (like Mae Ploy)
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey

BACON

  • 7 to 10 slices traditional bacon (NOT thick!)

Instructions

  • Brine: In a gallon-size freezer bag (I prop it up in a larger bowl to make it easier to work with), mix kosher salt with warm water until dissolved. Whisk in vinegar, brown sugar and ice, then add the pork (make sure pork is submerged). Brine for exactly 20 minutes (meanwhile see steps below). Remove pork from brine, RINSE thoroughly and pat very dry. The pork can become mealy if left in the brine any longer than 20 minutes.
  • Spice Mix and Sauce: While the pork is brining, whisk together all of the Spice Mix ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. In a separate small bowl, whisk together all of the Chili Dijon Sauce ingredients. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Spice Rub: Evenly rub the dried pork all over with the Spice Mix. Tuck the thin end of the fillet under so the pork is roughly the same thickness from end to end, and so it fits in a cast iron skillet (see photos in post or watch video if needed).
  • Sear Pork: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot and just smoking, add pork. Sear each side until golden, then transfer to a plate. Once the skillet is cool enough to handle, wipe clean. Meanwhile…
  • Prep bacon: Lay the bacon strips vertically on a cutting board, slightly overlapping (see photo in post). There should be enough bacon so when rolled, it will wrap the length of the pork.
  • Wrap pork in bacon: When the pork is cool enough to handle, place it at the end of the arranged bacon, closest to you. At this point, double check you have the correct width of bacon, and adjust as needed. Slip a long knife under the bacon and pork tenderloin and use it to help you lift the bacon and roll the pork so the bacon wraps around the fillet.
  • Optional - Trim bacon if desired: Only the bacon on the outside of the pork tenderloin will become crispy, not the bacon that is overlapped. So, I suggest trimming the length of the bacon after wrapping so it only overlaps by 1 ½ inches or so. The bacon will shrink while it cooks, and you’ll be left with only crispy bacon!
  • Glaze: Transfer tenderloin back to the wiped-out skillet seam side DOWN. Separate out 2 tablespoons Chili Dijon Sauce and brush it evenly over the bacon wrapped pork.
  • Bake: Bake at 400 degrees F until the pork registers about 138 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, about 20 minutes depending on thickness. (Note: this recipe takes much longer to cook than traditional pork tenderloin due to the bacon).
  • Baste: Remove from the oven and baste/brush the bacon with the pooled pan juices, as well as some additional reserved Chili Dijon Sauce that never touched the raw pork (this is what will make the bacon deeply golden).
  • Broil: Return to the oven and turn the broiler on high and broil until bacon is crispy, taking care that the bacon doesn’t burn. Check to see that internal temperature is about 145-150 degrees F before removing from the oven. This means the pork will be juicy and slightly pink in the middle.
  • Rest: Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Brush with sauce once more before slicing into thick slices. Serve with remaining Chili Dijon Sauce on the side.

Video

Notes

  • Pork tenderloin: Do NOT confuse pork tenderloin with regular pork loin. They’re two separate cuts of meat.   Pork tenderloin is almost always sold with two tenderloins per package. Each tenderloin weighs roughly 1-1 ½ pounds, for a total of 2-3 pounds per package. You will only use one of the two pork tenderloins sold in one package for this recipe.  
  • Asian sweet chili sauce:  This sauce is a sweet and spicy explosion of flavor!  Please don’t confuse it for “chili sauce/paste” without the “sweet” or your mouth will be on fire! Asian sweet chili sauce can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store.  It is sometimes labeled “Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.”  I use Mae Ploy brand.
  • Kosher salt: Do not use regular table salt in place of the kosher salt. Table salt is more finely milled and therefore tastes saltier.   If you only have table salt, use half the amount.
  • Use a thermometer: The only accurate way to check your pork tenderloin temperature is with an instant read thermometer. There are many variables when it comes to cooking pork tenderloin such as size, thickness, actual oven temperature, searing level and your desired level of doneness. To eliminate the guesswork and guarantee perfectly cooked, juicy pork tenderloin every time, invest in an instant read meat thermometer. This is the exact one I use as seen in the video.
  • Storage: Leftover pork tenderloin should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze beyond that.

Prep ahead

This Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin is easy to prepare ahead of time so all you have do to is pop it in the oven and bake or you can prep it up to different stages:
  • Prep Everything!   Follow the recipe up to wrapping the pork in bacon, but do not add the glaze.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; store the glaze separately.  When ready to bake, transfer the pork to the cast iron skillet and let come to room temperature for 1 hour.  Brush with glaze and bake. 
  • Brine: Brine the pork, rinse and dry, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 24 hours ahead of time. Bring to room temperature before searing.
  • Rub: Brine, rinse, dry and coat with spice rub. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
  • Sear: Brine, rinse, dry, spice rub and sear. Let cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let sit at room temperature for 60 minutes before baking.
  • Sauce: Can be whisked together and stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.