Bacon makes everything better – especially this Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin! Prepare the tenderloin ahead of time to let it marinate for the best results. This pork dinner takes very little on-hand time and is a crowd pleaser!

I think pork tenderloin is one of the most under-appreciated cuts! Tender and flavorful, it’s also super easy to cook. Once you’ve tried this Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, try this Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes and Mustard Sauce or this Cuban Mojo Pork Tenderloin.

I feel like I’m always talking about how much I love quick, easy meals. As much as I love cooking, it’s just not feasible to spend hours in the kitchen every night making dinner.

And as much as I love a 30 minute meal, I may love meals like this even more.

A few minutes of prep in the morning, and when it’s time to bake it up, all you have to do is put it in the oven. Super hands off. Super easy.

And definitely super delicious.

Serve it with some Sauteed Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes, Roasted Asparagus, or Glazed Carrots alongside some Cheesy Crescent Rolls, and dinner is served!

Ingredients

Pork Tenderloin – The pork tenderloin is the star of the show! You can find it at most grocery stores. Just don’t get the pre-marinated ones.
Bacon – I like to use a high quality bacon that isn’t completely fat.
Soy Sauce – I always use low-sodium soy sauce.
Brown Sugar – I use light brown sugar in this recipe.
Onion – You don’t use a lot of onion, but it brings in a lot of flavor. I like to really mince it small for this recipe.
Garlic Powder – You can also use fresh, minced garlic. I would use one large clove.
Balsamic Vinegar – I love the flavor of balsamic vinegar, and it really comes out in this recipe. If you don’t have balsamic, or if you don’t care for balsamic, you can use another vinegar, like apple cider vinegar. I would not use regular white vinegar, but any flavored vinegar would most likely work.
Salt

How To Make Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Take your pork tenderloin and cut it into 6-inch pieces.
Wrap each piece of pork in the bacon in a criss cross pattern to make sure it is completely covered.
Use a fork to poke holes through the bacon and pork. This will help the marinade to get a little deeper.
Mix up the marinade by combining the soy sauce, brown sugar, onion, garlic powder, balsamic vinegar, and salt.
Pour the marinade over the pork. Refrigerate.
While marinating, try to spoon the sauce over the pork every hour or so.
To bake the pork, heat the oven to 300ºF. Bake the pork until it reaches 145ºF, about 2 hours.
During the last few minutes of baking time, turn the oven to broil and cook until the bacon has crisped. (Watch it though, as it will start to burn if left under the broiler for too long.)

Tips and Tricks

Pork tenderloin will usually come in a package with 2 tenderloins, and both together usually weigh between 2 and 3 pounds. I use a whole package for this recipe, and cut each tenderloin in half.
The recipe calls for thick cut bacon, but you could also use regular cut bacon.
I highly suggest the step of broiling at the end to crisp up the bacon. While it is not required, the bacon will not crisp up if you skip that step.
The leftovers for this pork tenderloin recipe will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to refrigerate leftovers with the leftover sauce/marinade that the pork was cooked in. Some of the fat from the bacon will set up as it cools, but should liquify back into the sauce as it is reheated.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a pork tenderloin and a pork loin?

The pork tenderloin is a thin, long cut that comes from the muscle alongside the backbone of a pig. It is always boneless. A pork loin is wider and flatter, and much larger. It comes both bone in and boneless. Pork chops are cut from the pork loin.

While they are both pork, I would not suggest substituting the tenderloin for a loin. The timing and temperature would be different, so I would stick with the tenderloin.

How do I know when the pork is done?

For recipes like this one, I always suggest having and using an instant read thermometer. There is just not another way to see if the pork is done except for cutting into the meat, and you don’t want to lose any juices. My thermometer is actually one of my most used tools in my kitchen.

How long can you marinate the pork tenderloin?

While you can technically safely marinate the pork in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, I would suggest keeping to the recipe and marinating this recipe for 3 to 24 hours. If you marinate it too long, the meat will start to break down. If needed, you could probably marinate this successfully for 48 hours, but I would try to time it to keep it under the 24 hour mark.

More Pork Recipes

Instant Pot Ribs
Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
Breaded Pork Chops with Cream Gravy
Pork Carnitas Recipe
Braised Country Style Ribs Recipe

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