Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Published Dec 7, 2019Modified Feb 5, 2022

This post may contain affiliate links

Juicy, succulent Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin is an easy but impressive main dish for serving family and friends. The smoky, rich flavor from the bacon is the perfect compliment to the perfectly cooked and tender pork tenderloin.

We love serving this bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with Scalloped Potatoes [Au Gratin Potatoes] or Easy Southern Cornbread Dressing, and you can dress it up with Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce for a fabulous holiday meal!

An image of a sliced pork tenderloin on a plate with green beans and cornbread dressing.

This post was sponsored by Iowa Pork. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

I’m so excited to be partnering with Iowa Pork again to bring you this bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin. We love cooking with pork, especially when entertaining, and I wanted to create a pork tenderloin recipe that would be suitably special for a holiday dinner party, without being difficult or time-consuming.

I can see serving bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin as an alternative holiday dinner for Christmas, Easter, or even Thanksgiving.

And during the summer, you could definitely make this on the grill. Just tie the bacon onto the pork tenderloin with kitchen string first!

An image of two pork tenderloins wrapped in bacon.

This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is a delicious and juicy way to enjoy your pork dinner.

Not only is this an easy pork tenderloin recipe to follow, but the flavors of the brown sugar, bacon, and herbs pair together to create a dish that definitely has that flair that makes it perfect for special occasions, holidays, or just Sunday dinners with the family!

Did you know that around one-third of the U.S. pork is raised in Iowa? Chances are when you buy pork at almost any grocery store in the U.S., you are supporting family farms in Iowa and the United States.

Be sure to visit Iowa Select to learn more about Iowa pork farms.

An image of a a sliced pork tenderloin on a white plate with cornbread stuffing and green beans.

How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Pat the pork dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, mix the mustard, brown sugar, salt, pepper, thyme, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Measure out 6 tablespoons of sauce into another bowl, then set the remaining sauce aside to serve with the pork later.
Use a pastry brush to brush the 6 tablespoons of sauce all over the pork tenderloins. Wrap each pork tenderloin with 8 pieces of bacon, slightly overlapping each piece and tucking the ends of the bacon under the tenderloin or securing with toothpicks if needed.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the pork reaches 140 degrees F when tested with an instant-read digital meat thermometer (affiliate link).
Turn the oven to broil, and broil 2-3 minutes, just until the bacon on the top of the wrapped tenderloins is crisp.
Remove the pork from the oven and then tent with foil. Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes, during which time the temperature will continue to rise another 5 degrees to 145 degrees F when tested with an instant-read digital meat thermometer (affiliate link).
Slice and serve with the reserved mustard sauce on the side.

Another image of a bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin on a white plate with cornbread stuffing and green beans.

How can you tell when a pork tenderloin is done?

When you can slice through the thickest portion of the meat and see mostly white with a blush of pink, your pork tenderloin is perfectly cooked.

An image of a sliced rosy pink pork tenderloin on a baking sheet.

That hint of pink means your bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is going to be super juicy and delicious rather than dry and tough, and it’s perfectly safe to consume as long as it has reached 145 degrees F.

The juices should also run mostly clear and I always test the meat with an instant-read digital meat thermometer (affiliate link). This Iowa Pork site has helpful information on safe pork temperatures.

An image of a meat thermometer in a pork tenderloin at 145 degrees F.

What is the difference between pork loin and pork tenderloin?

A pork loin is a thick and wide chunk of meat whereas a pork tenderloin is long and narrow. They are cut from two different spots on the larger loin muscles on the back of a pig and they require different methods of preparation, so be sure to look for pork tenderloin, not pork loin, when making this recipe.

You can find out lots more about the nutrition benefits of pork at Iowa Pork!

Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions

Make-Ahead: You can prepare this dish up to a day in advance by making the sauce and wrapping the pork tenderloin. I find it’s easiest to just assemble on a baking dish, then cover with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Storing: Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Just reheat individual servings in the microwave, or wrap in foil and reheat in a 350 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes until hot.

Side dishes that go great with pork tenderloin

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.