This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is one of those miracle recipes that just happens to only require 4 ingredients: pork, bacon, honey and olive oil. Just sear the pork, then roll up in bacon, drizzle with honey and bake. It’s easy as one-two-three (four)!
Four magic words: Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin: It’s one of those gem recipes that is so good and yet so easy that you almost don’t need a recipe. You literally just sear the pork, wrap in bacon, brush with honey and then roast.
(I wish more recipes were this quick and easy to write out! 😂)
Besides the tiny number of ingredients, the other big thing this has going for it is that the bacon keeps the pork really juicy. Pork tenderloin is extremely lean – in fact it’s slightly leaner than chicken breast even. Did you know that? There’s a bit of food trivia for you!
So by wrapping it with bacon, the pork is protected which helps keep it extra moist when roasting. Plus, the fat from the bacon bastes the pork as it roasts which also adds to the juiciness.
What you need for Bacon-Wrapped Pork
Here’s the only things you need!
(OK, ok … So salt and pepper make six ingredients in total. Free pass, I say! 😂)
Pork tenderloin – Also called pork fillet, this is a lean and tender cut of meat. When cooked properly, it’s juicy and succulent. Tenderloins range in size from small ones around 300g (10oz) to very large ones weighing up to 700g (1.4lb). (Not found in Australia, but I’ve seen ones this large overseas!) An average size is around 450 – 500g (16oz – 1 lb) each.
Bacon – Use streaky bacon strips that are long enough to wrap around the pork. You’ll need anywhere between 7 to 10 pieces, enough for a slight overlap between each strip. The exact number depends on the width of the bacon and the size of your pork tenderloin.
Honey – For the glaze. Combined with the bacon fat and salt, it transforms into a savoury, sticky and delicious coating that requires no other additions!
Oil, salt and pepper – For seasoning and searing the pork.
How to make Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
I said you pretty much don’t even need a recipe. But here are the steps anyway. I would never leave you hanging out to dry! 🙂
Season and tuck – Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, then tuck the thin tail end of the fillet under so the pork is more even thickness and fits into a skillet.
Brown pork – Sear the pork over high heat in a little oil until browned all over, around 5 minutes. This is to give the pork a head start before we finish it in the oven. If we don’t do this, we end up with a thick band of overcooked pork surrounding the just-done centre. Pre-searing gives us an evenly cooked finish.
Wrap in bacon – Lay bacon strips vertically on a work surface, with each piece overlapping slightly. Take the pork from pan (let it cool a little so you can handle). Place the pork on top of the bacon, at the end closest to you. Use a long knife to fold the bacon over the pork and roll the pork so it’s wrapped in the bacon.
Seam side down – Roll the fillet over so it’s sitting seam side down. This helps the bacon stays in place. Now slide the knife under the pork, lift it and transfer back to the skillet (heat off, it’s now our baking dish).
Drizzle with honey – To be honest, I don’t measure! I just eye ball it and squeeze it straight from the bottle onto the pork. Then roughly spread it with a spoon or brush – no need for completely coverage here because it mostly melts off during the baking. The glossy, deeply bronzed glaze is from brushing the bacon with the pan juices later.
Bake for 20 minutes at 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).
Baste – Remove from the oven and baste the bacon using the juices in the pan. There will be a decent amount of syrupy glaze pooled in the pan. Basting with it will make the bacon a beautiful deep bronze colour.
Bake further 5 minutes (total bake time for 25 minutes) or until the internal temperature is 65°C (149°F). This yields medium doneness, which will have the faintest blush of pink inside with beautifully juicy flesh. To cook fully with no pink at all, just take it to 68°C (155°F) or so – around 3 more minutes baking time.
Rest for 5 minutes, then baste one last time before slicing. Serve with remaining pan juices!
What to serve with Bacon-Wrapped Pork
A starchy sidekick is called for here, to scoop up the residual bacon juices. Think: mashed potato, or creamy mashed cauliflower for the carb-conscious. Otherwise any standard plate-mopping companions from the bread family: crusty bread, hot flatbreads (this no-yeast one is a great easy one, otherwise, hot naan would be lip smackingly good too).
As for a salad, the plate above features a modest effort involving just a handful of leafy mixed greens tossed with my everyday simple Salad Dressing. If you wanted to make more of an effort and to try something a little different, here are a few suggestions:
– Nagi x
PS I just realised this is pork-on-pork. Is that a faux pas, like denim on denim?? 😉
Watch how to make it
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Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 slices of streaky bacon , long enough to wrap around the pork 1 1/2 times.
- 1 lb / 500g pork tenderloin , at room temperature
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup (honey works better, it's thicker)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).
- Lay out bacon: Lay the bacon strips vertically on a board, slightly overlapping (see photo in post). There should be enough bacon so when rolled will wrap the length of the pork.
- Season the pork with salt and pepper. Tuck the thin end of the fillet under so the pork is roughly the same thickness from end to end.
- Brown pork: Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over high heat. Sear the pork on all sides until nicely browned. (Don't worry about cooking through, it will go in the oven.) Turn off heat, remove pork and allow to cool enough to handle.
- Wrap pork in bacon: Place pork on the arranged bacon at the end closest to you. Use a long knife to lift the bacon under the pork and roll the pork so the bacon wraps around the fillet. Finish with the bacon seam side down.
- Honey: Use the knife to transfer back into the skillet. Drizzle over honey and brush all over.
- Bake 25 minutes: Transfer skillet to oven for 25 minutes and roast pork until the internal temperature is 65°C / 149°F. (Note 1) Baste with pan juices at the 20 minute mark, mopping up plenty of the honey and juices pooled in the pan (this will make bacon deep golden).
- Rest 5 minutes: Remove from oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Baste once more just before serving. To serve, cut into thick slices. Serve with remaining pan juices.
Recipe Notes:
- 300g (10oz): 20 minutes
- 400g (14oz): 25 minutes
- 500g (1lb): 28 minutes
Nutrition Information:
Originally published May 2015. Updated with much needed new photos and recipe video. But most important, a Life of Dozer section added! ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Anything Bacon Wrapped is a GOOD THING!
And more Pork tenderloin recipes
Life of Dozer
Latest attempt to keep him out of the kitchen…..
I have a 5.87 pound pork loin. What would you recommend for cook time? I want to use your recipe, but this will be my first pork loin and I am unsure how to adjust the recipe and cook time. Thank you!
Hi Bianca! Unfortunately I don’t recommend this recipe for a pork loin that big!! The roasting time is about 30 to 40 minutes per 2 lb so yours would take around 1 1/2 hours. But the bacon would be burnt to a crispy by then! Sorry to disappoint. 🙂 I don’t want to recommend that you cut it into smaller pieces either because that would be a waste of a loin!
I assume it is a rolled loin?
This looks absolutely delicious. I was planning on making pork loin for dinner tonight anyways but I will definitely be using this recipe! My man just saw the picture and said “That looks incredible” he is very excited to have this tonight. Your pictures look great. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Thanks Nikki!! It really is delicious – and crazy easy. Bacon! It’s a secret weapon for many things! Hope you and your man enjoy it! 🙂
Who comes up with this type of yummy food OMG, looking at the pictures already makes me super hungry.
can’t wait for Saturday <3 . Thanks for the recipe Nagi
I can’t wait until Saturday either!!! 😉 So glad you like the look of this, it was really yum!! Bacon is the “secret”…it just adds so much flavour!! N x
The glaze on this loin looks absolutely scrumptious. And Pork on pork is definitely no Faux pa! More like a revelation. 🙂
Ha! So glad you approve!!! I have a theory that bacon can wrap pretty much ANYTHING and make it even more scrumptious!!! 🙂
Well how do you make pork better? Wrap it in more pork! Absolutely love this! 😉
Pig on pig!! 🙂
Now this is some sexy pig on pig action! 😉
I literally snorted with laughter! “Pig on pig” – I love it!!! 🙂
I have no words! That dripping shiny bacon covered piece of meat has my mouthwatering! My husband would LOVE this!
Aww, thanks Jessica, you’re so sweet! 🙂
Looks glorious Nagi! I do a very similar recipe, but use prosciutto instead of bacon and don’t bother with searing etc. Just wrap and bake in the oven. I love the addition of honey! Yours looks far sexier than mine.
Only because bacon is fattier!! Prosciutto would have the same flavour 🙂
What a gorgeous glaze on that! Love bacon, and I love pork tenderloin. So of course I like the two of them together. 😉
What a great recipe, it sounds and looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing.
No worries Cecilia! I hope you try it and LOVE IT!! N x
My favorite ingredient, BACON!! Pork, bacon, life is good, eh? going to have to make this for my husband, though I’m afraid he’d eat it in one sitting as a mere snack. I’m drooling here, myself!
Pork ON Pork Jo. Life doesn’t get much better than that!! 🙂
Beautiful post and photos, as usual. Also, another great example of a mantra that I frequently use in the kitchen, “Simple IS best!” Lovely job here!!
EXACTLY! If you use the right ingredients, you don’t need many!! 🙂
I have hearts in my eyes! This tenderloin is gorgeous and sounds incredible!! Pork on pork is no faux-pas around here (:
Awww, thanks Connie!! And I’m so glad you don’t think it’s a faux-pas!!! 🙂
Great simple way to use a tenderloin that really isn’t the best cut as it always dries out. Now it is interesting and very beautiful
Thanks Tania!! I totally agree, tenderloin is generally not my favourite cut, needs to be majorly dressed up like this! I don’t get why people love it so much. It’s expensive and so easy to overcook!! Like chicken breast. 🙂
This pork tenderloin is gorgeous, Nagi! Love that it’s only 4 ingredients! Your photos are just stunning too!
Thank you Kelly!! Some things you really can get away with so few ingredients. Bacon…it’s a magic ingredient!!!
Beautiful and my boys would love it! I also have a recipe for pork tenderloin stuffed with pork sausage and wrapped in bacon. I know it is a little bit of a guilty pleasure but you can post a recipe for veggie or salad later this week. LOL
You’re just showing off! A sausage stuffed bacon wrapped tenderloin? WOW!! Popping over to check it out!!
Uh-oh, temptress alert!!! Nagi, we are so drooling right now, swear!!!
Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx
Thanks so much guys!! 🙂
I can assure you that your recipe will yield TWO servings in my house. :-p
Adding this to the list of “must cook”!
Sounds like in MY household. 🙂
Looks delicious Nagi! I’ve always had issues with anything bacon wrapped, but you make it look so easy! need to try it ! Love your dark pictures, beautiful!
Hi Mira! I found this really easy! I think this is easy because pork tenderloin is such a neat shape, if that makes sense? It makes it really easy to roll up. 🙂
My hubs would love me (even more!) for serving this to him. I’m sometimes a meany wife who tries to feed him far too many veggie or ‘safe’ chicken meals!
LOVE that this is so so so easy and no, of course it doesn’t matter that it’s pork on pork. I think you’re going to have some happy friends at your dinner party!
Ha! So glad you validated this!! I was worried it was too much pork!! 🙂