Sweet and savory bacon wrapped pork is flavored with brown sugar and honey. This recipe is simple, yet impressive, making it a great choice for holidays, special occasions, or just a weeknight family meal.
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I once heard a celebrity chef say that there is nothing quite like pork on pork. I decided that I needed to see if this statement was true for myself. What better way to do pork on pork than to wrap pork tenderloin in bacon.
To give the recipe a nice balance of sweet and savory, honey and brown sugar is added both before and after wrapping the tenderloin in bacon.
Since I first made this recipe years ago, I’ve come to the conclusion that anything wrapped in bacon is going to be delicious. Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts is the chicken version of this same recipe.
Why This Recipe Works
- The recipe is the best of both worlds, savory and sweet!
- It’s very easy to make and equally as great for special occasions as it is for a weeknight family meal.
- You can make this recipe in the oven or on the grill.
How to Make a Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Brown Sugar and Honey
Prep!
Preheat your oven to 350ºF OR set your grill to medium-high.
Pat the pork tenderloin dry with a paper towel.
Note: Pork tenderloin usually comes in two pieces. One package of regular cut bacon will most likely be enough to fully wrap both.
Create!
Lay half of the bacon out on a broiler pan (for oven-roasting) or a flat surface and place one piece of the pork tenderloin on top of it. Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and drizzle on 2 tablespoons of the honey.
Wrap the bacon around the tenderloin until it’s completely covered, tucking the ends under as best as possible.
Tip: If the bacon doesn’t quite make it all the way around, you may want to use toothpicks to hold it in place.
Sprinkle another 2 tablespoons of each the brown sugar and the honey onto the top. Repeat with the second half of the bacon and remaining tenderloin.
Tip: When oven-roasting, if you want the bottom pieces of the bacon to be crisp, you will need to brown just the bottom of the wrapped tenderloin in a pan before cooking in the oven. I have done it this way, and I’ve also skipped this part and think it’s just as delicious either way.
Place the prepared pork tenderloin in the oven and cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.
Once the pork tenderloin is fully cooked, I turn the broiler on for about 5 minutes to crisp up the bacon. This is easier than attempting to brown the entire bacon-wrapped tenderloin in a pan before putting it in the oven. If you don’t mind a little soft bacon on the bottom of your pork, this is definitely the way to go!
For grilling: place the pork tenderloin on the grill. Rotate about 1/4 turn every 5 minutes or so, until the internal temperature reaches 150°F and all of the bacon is fully cooked, about 20-25 minutes.
Present!
Allow the pork to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing so that the juices don’t run out all over. Set the slices out on a plate or pretty serving tray and serve!
Tips and Techniques for the Best Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- When wrapping the pork tenderloin, you may need to use toothpicks to hold the ends of the bacon in place.
- If you prefer that the bottom pieces of the bacon be crisp, you will need to brown just the bottom of the wrapped tenderloin in a skillet on the stove top before cooking in the oven.
- Store any leftover pork tenderloin in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
FAQ’s
- How do you know when pork tenderloin is done cooking? Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork. Once it has reached 150°F, it is done cooking. Be sure to let it rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the juices to disperse before slicing.
- Is Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin Keto? If the bacon wrapped pork recipe is simply bacon and pork tenderloin, then yes it would be keto. To make this Brown Sugar and Honey Bacon Wrapped Pork keto-friendly, you would need to swap out the brown sugar for a brown sugar substitute like Swerve, and omit the honey.
Other Recipes to Try
- Bacon Wrapped Barbecue Beef Bites
- Bacon Wrapped Buffalo Chicken Poppers
- Maple Bacon Sweet Potato Hash Recipe
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Brown Sugar and Honey Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 2.5lb boneless pork tenderloin (usually in 2 pieces) * trimmed of excess fat,
- 1/2 cup honey * divided
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 16 oz package bacon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF OR set your grill to medium-high.
- Pat each piece of the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels, then brush two tablespoons of honey and sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of brown sugar onto each one.
- Wrap half of the bacon around each tenderloin, using toothpicks to pin into place, if necessary.
- Transfer the pork to a broiler or roasting pan.
- Brush another 2 tablespoons of honey onto the top of each tenderloin and sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
- Roast for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.
- At this point you can turn on your broiler for about 5 minutes to brown and crisp the bacon, keeping a close eye on it the entire time to prevent burning.
- Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
Tips and Techniques for the Best Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- When wrapping the pork tenderloin, you may need to use toothpicks to hold the ends of the bacon in place.
- If you prefer that the bottom pieces of the bacon be crisp, you will need to brown just the bottom of the wrapped tenderloin in a skillet on the stove top before cooking in the oven.
- Store any leftover pork tenderloin in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-4 days.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on January 3, 2016. It was updated with new images, more thorough instructions, tips, techniques, and FAQ’s in August 2019.
