By no means make dry pork once more. This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is juicy inside with a candy and savory bacon shell.
By Christie Vanover | Printed June 29, 2023 | Final Up to date June 29, 2023
All people will get impressed once you serve up meals made with bacon – particularly if it’s not for breakfast. This straightforward recipe is nice for a cocktail party or yard barbecue. You’ll be able to even do some steps upfront, so you’ll be able to smoke scrumptious pork tenderloins on demand.
Why ought to I wrap pork tenderloin in bacon?
Pork tenderloin is a good reduce of pork that’s typically rather less costly than different cuts of meat. It’s fairly lean, so cooking it takes a little bit of finesse.
Some recipes name for fast marinades or brines so as to add taste and moisture. My quick and juicy grilled pork tenderloin recipe will get basted with mayo and BBQ rub and cooks up in about 20 minutes. However this scrumptious bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is smoked and takes round 2 hours.
Including smoky bacon and smoking it slowly, takes pork tenderloin to a complete different degree. Because the bacon cooks, it caramelizes and bastes the tenderloin.
One key to creating scrumptious bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is to start out with thin-sliced bacon. In the event you use thick bacon, it received’t render correctly and will probably be chewy. The skinny bacon dissolves completely. Truthfully, you’ll be able to even purchase a budget, store-brand form. I realized that trick from my buddy Travis at All Up in My Grill.
Whereas this grilled pork tenderloin will begin gradual and low, we’ll crank up the warmth on the finish to assist crisp up the bacon with out overcooking the tenderloin. The easiest way to ensure it’s juicy is to make certain it’s not overcooked. The purpose temperature in your meat thermometer needs to be round 145F levels. That’s the USDA-safe temperature for pork.
Substances
- Bacon: For excellent bacon, use unique thickness or thin-cut bacon strips. Thick-cut bacon will take too lengthy to prepare dinner and received’t get as crispy.
- Pork tenderloins: Pork tenderloins are often offered in vacuum-sealed packs at your grocery retailer. Learn the label. Every bundle probably contains two pork tenderloins. This recipe calls for 2 tenderloins, which is one pack.
- Mustard: Any taste of mustard will work. Fundamental yellow mustard or Dijon mustard is ok, however you’ll be able to change up the flavors with completely different varieties.
- BBQ Rub: Use your favourite BBQ dry rub or spice combination for pork. My award-winning Pork Rub from Spiceology is a good alternative.
- Molasses: That is used to create an awesome candy, crispy end on the pork.
- Whiskey: For an added contact of taste, I like including a splash of whiskey in my glaze.
Substitutions: As an alternative of creating the whiskey molasses glaze, you should use maple syrup or your favourite BBQ sauce.
See the total recipe card under for servings and a full listing of elements.
How one can make a bacon weave
Begin by working with chilly bacon. The colder it’s, the better it’s to work with. As soon as it warms as much as room temperature, it will get actually pliable and slippery.
- STEP ONE: Lay out a sheet of foil or parchment paper on the counter, and lay about eight bacon slices subsequent to one another.
PRO TIP: Guarantee that your bacon weave is as lengthy or slightly longer than the size of your pork tenderloin.
- STEP TWO: To make the bacon weave, fold each different piece of bacon towards the again (slices 1, 3, 5 and seven). Lay a brand new piece of bacon on prime perpendicular to the opposite slices.
- STEP THREE: Fold the items of bacon that had been flipped again towards the entrance and over the strip you simply positioned.
- STEP FOUR: Now, fold the opposite strips of bacon towards the again (slices 2, 4, 6 and eight). Lay one other slice of bacon on prime perpendicular to these.
- STEP FIVE: Fold these slices of bacon again down and repeat the method till you’ve reached the top.
PRO TIP: You may make the bacon weave upfront and refrigerate it till you’re able to wrap and smoke your bacon. Simply cowl it with a bit of plastic wrap.
How one can wrap pork tenderloin with bacon
- STEP ONE: Take away the pork tenderloins from the packaging, and pat them dry with a paper towel. With a pointy knife, take away any noticeable silver pores and skin.
- STEP TWO: Rub every tenderloin with mustard and season together with your favourite BBQ rub. The measurements don’t have to be actual. Simply ensure that they’re evenly coated.
- STEP THREE: Place one tenderloin on the bacon weave. Minimize proper down the middle of the bacon weave to create two wraps. Ensure it’s huge sufficient to wrap across the full tenderloin. Pull the bacon tight and safe it with toothpicks. (Depend them so you know the way many that you must take away.) Repeat with the second tenderloin.
PRO TIP: You are able to do every thing as much as this step upfront and refrigerate for as much as 3 days. You too can freeze them at this level in an hermetic container for as much as six months. Simply allow them to absolutely thaw within the fridge earlier than smoking.
How one can smoke bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin
Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin needs to be smoked over oblique warmth, so the bacon doesn’t burn. Save the saucing for the very finish.
Warmth your grill or smoker to 250F levels with an oblique warmth zone. So as to add smokiness, think about using cherry, pecan or hickory wooden chunks, chips or pellets.
In the event you’re utilizing a fuel grill, flip one burner on to medium warmth and the remainder of the burners off. Alter your burner temp till the grill registers at 250F levels. Prepare dinner over the facet the place the burner is turned off. So as to add smoke taste, place wood chips in a foil pouch.
For a charcoal grill, push the coals to 1 facet of the grill and prepare dinner over the facet with out coals. Or for those who’re utilizing a ceramic cooker, insert the deflector to dam the warmth.
For a pellet grill, set the temperature to 250F at let it heat up.
You might also need to take into account including a sheet of foil or foil pan below the grate to gather the bacon drippings for simpler cleanup.
- STEP ONE: Place the wrapped tenderloins on the preheated grill grates with the seam facet down. Smoke for 1 hour and half-hour.
- STEP TWO: Because the pork tenderloin cooks, combine the molasses, mustard, rub and whiskey in a small bowl to make the glaze.
- STEP THREE: After 90 minutes, you’ll discover that the bacon has rendered. The interior temperature of the tenderloin needs to be round 130F levels at this level. Brush the glaze over every tenderloin, protecting the perimeters and prime of the bacon.
- STEP FOUR: Enhance the warmth to your smoker to excessive. When you’ve got a charcoal grill, open the highest vent huge open. For a fuel grill, enhance the burner to excessive. For a pellet grill, enhance the temperature to 400F levels. Proceed cooking the tenderloin for 20-25 extra minutes, till it reaches 145F levels.
PRO TIP: The bacon received’t be tremendous crispy, however it needs to be absolutely rendered with crispy bacon edges.
How one can serve bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin
Let the pork tenderloin relaxation for five to 10 minutes on a slicing board. Take away the toothpicks. Then slice and serve the medallions as a important dish on a platter or particular person plates together with your favourite facet dishes for a straightforward meal. Garnish with slightly contemporary parsley for coloration.
Storage
Leftover smoked pork tenderloin will be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3 to 5 days. You too can freeze it for as much as six months.
GCG Professional Pitmaster Ideas
- Use unique or thin-cut bacon
- Create a good bacon weave for full protection
- Take away the silvery membrane out of your tenderloin earlier than wrapping it
- Smoke the tenderloin slowly
- Save the glaze or sauce for the very finish
- Crank your smoker to the next temperature to completely render the bacon
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
No. You’ll be able to simply wrap the bacon across the pork tenderloin, however making a weave ensures that you simply get full protection on the lean reduce of meat.
The prepare dinner time varies relying on what temperature you’re smoking the tenderloin at. When smoking at 250F levels, the recipe will take round 2 hours.
Pork tenderloin is fit for human consumption when it reaches an inner temperature of 145F levels on an instant-read thermometer. At this temp, the tender reduce of meat will probably be slightly pink and it ought to have a moist shimmer to it.
Extra bacon-wrapped recipes
Smoked bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin
By no means make dry pork once more. This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is juicy inside with a candy and savory bacon shell.
Directions
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Warmth Grill: Warmth your grill to 250F levels with an oblique warmth zone.
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Bacon Weave: Weave the bacon strips right into a rectangle as huge because the pork loin is lengthy. (see particulars above)
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Season: Take away the pork tenderloins from the packaging. Pat dry. Trim, if wanted to take away the silver pores and skin. Rub with mustard and barbecue rub.
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Wrap: Place one tenderloin on the bacon weave. Minimize the bacon weave in half, guaranteeing it’s huge sufficient to wrap across the full loin. Pull the bacon tight across the loin and safe with toothpicks. Repeat with the second tenderloin.
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Smoke: With the seam down, place on a the preheated grill over oblique warmth. Smoke for 1 hour and half-hour.
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Make Glaze: In a small bowl, mix the molasses, 2 tablespoons mustard, ½ teaspoon rub and whiskey. After the tenderloin has smoked for 90 minutes, liberally brush the glaze on the tenderloins.
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Set Glaze: Enhance your grill temperature to excessive levels by opening the vents, adjusting the burners or growing the digital temp to 400F. Proceed cooking for 20-25 minutes, till the pork tenderloin reaches an inner temperature of 145F levels.
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Relaxation: Take away from the grill and let it relaxation for 5-10 minutes earlier than slicing. Remember to take away the toothpicks.
Notes
Pork tenderloins are often packaged with two tenderloins per pack, so that you solely want one bundle.
Don’t use thick-cut bacon. It received’t get as crispy.
As an alternative of creating the glaze, you should use your favourite BBQ sauce.
Diet
Energy: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 29gFats: 22gSaturated Fats: 7gPolyunsaturated Fats: 4gMonounsaturated Fats: 9gTrans Fats: 0.1gLdl cholesterol: 103mgSodium: 437mgPotassium: 705mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 53IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg
This estimate was created utilizing an internet diet calculator
