This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is life-changing. The bacon adds flavor and fat to the lean pork, making it juicy and flavorful.
It's such an easy recipe to make, yet it looks so impressive! The leftovers are excellent, so you can make a couple of them to ensure tasty leftovers.
Bacon really does make everything better! This roasted pork tenderloin is delicious, but adding bacon takes it to the next level.
Pork tenderloin is lean and can dry easily. Wrapping the pork in bacon doesn't just enhance its flavor. It also ensures that the pork remains juicy.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Oil spray: Used to grease the roasting rack.
- Honey: You can use a sugar-free syrup instead of honey.
- Dijon mustard: It's creamier and less vinegary than yellow mustard.
- Seasonings: I keep it simple and use kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Pork tenderloin: I usually get a piece that weighs around 1.25 pounds.
- Bacon strips: Pick medium bacon slices - not thick or thin.
Variations
- The best way to vary this recipe is by adding more spices. You can add ½ teaspoon of any of the following: onion powder, paprika, or dried thyme.
- If you like spicy food, add a tablespoon of sriracha or any other hot sauce to the honey-mustard mixture. You can also use hot mustard.
Instructions
Despite the impressive presentation, making bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Start by mixing the honey-mustard glaze. Divide it into two portions. You want to separate the portion you'll spread on the cooked meat from the portion you'll spread on the raw meat.
Next, season the pork.
Wrap the pork in bacon.
Brush the top and sides of the pork with half the glaze.
Roast the pork to medium doneness, for about 40 minutes in a 450°F oven. Loosely cover it with foil after the first 15 minutes. Otherwise, the bacon will burn. Let the pork rest, then brush it with the remaining glaze.
Slice and serve.
Expert Tips
- You'll see in the recipe card below that I cook the pork to 145°F, which is medium doneness. A few years ago, the USDA lowered its safe temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160°F to 145°F, with a 3-minute rest period. So, thankfully, we can now cook whole cuts of pork to a wonderfully juicy, slightly pink medium temperature. There's no need to dry them out completely!
- I typically use a 1.25-pound pork tenderloin in this recipe. If yours is bigger - they can sometimes be as big as 1.5 pounds - roast it for 5-10 minutes longer.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! As explained above, it is now considered acceptable to cook whole cuts of pork to an internal temperature of 145°F, which means the meat will be slightly pink. Ground pork, however, should be cooked to 160ºF.
Since I cook it in a hot oven (450ºF), I find it best to loosely cover the pork with foil after the first 15-20 minutes to protect the top and prevent it from burning.
It's best to cook it in a hot oven for a relatively short time rather than use a moderate oven and cook it for longer. And another great way to keep it juicy is to wrap it in bacon!
Serving Suggestions
Since I cook it in a 450ºF oven, I like to serve this main course with a side dish that I can cook in the same oven, such as:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power.
If you'd like to crisp up the bacon, reheat the leftovers in a 300°F oven until heated through.
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Recipe Card
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- Oil spray for the pan
- 2 tablespoons honey or sugar-free syrup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 pork tenderloin (1¼ pounds)
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 bacon strips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. Line a roasting pan with foil. Fit it with a roasting rack and spray the rack with oil.
- In a small bowl, mix together the honey and Dijon mustard. Divide the mixture into two equal portions. Set aside.
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the kosher salt, black pepper, and garlic powder all over the pork.
- Wrap the tenderloin with the bacon strips, wrapping each bacon slice crosswise around a section of the pork and securing the end by tucking it underneath. It will feel a bit loose at this point but will meld together while roasting.
- Place the wrapped pork on the prepared roasting rack. Brush the top and sides with half of the honey-Dijon sauce.
- Place the pork in the hot oven and roast it until an instant-read thermometer registers 145°F (medium), about 40 minutes. Loosely cover it with foil after the first 15-20 minutes to prevent the bacon from burning.
- Remove the tenderloin from the oven. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Brush it with the remaining honey-Dijon sauce, slice, and serve.
Video
Notes
- A few years ago, the USDA lowered its safe temperature for whole cuts of pork from 160°F to 145°F, with a 3-minute rest period. So we can now cook whole cuts of pork to a wonderfully juicy, slightly pink medium temperature.
- I typically use a 1.25-pound pork tenderloin in this recipe. If yours is bigger - they can sometimes be as big as 1.5 pounds - roast it for 5-10 minutes longer.
- Oven temperatures and pork tenderloin sizes vary. The only way to know for sure when the tenderloin is done is by using an instant-read thermometer. This will ensure you don't undercook or overcook the pork.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. If you'd like to crisp up the bacon, reheat the leftovers in a 300°F oven until heated through.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition per Serving
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Cindy D
I made this for dinner last night. My spouse said it was the best pork tenderloin I had ever cooked. I did not change the recipe ingredients; however, I did use a meat thermometer. The total cook time was not 40 minutes. It was 20 minutes, plus the 15 minute rest.
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you and your spouse enjoyed this recipe, Cindy! Thank you for the feedback about the cooking time. Ovens vary, and the size of the pork tenderloin also plays a role. The best way to know when the pork is done is to do what you did and use an instant-read thermometer.