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! 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! 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.
How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
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. 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.
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
Copy Cat Costco Mac and CheesePotato RollsScalloped PotatoesDeviled Egg Potato SaladCottage Cheese Jello SaladRice Pilaf with Orzo PastaBaked BeansFried Yellow SquashFresh Green Bean Casserole
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