This Grilled Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin is full of amazing flavor! The bacon helps keep the tenderloin nice and juicy while adding a slightly salty touch, and the glaze adds a sweet, umami taste! What could be better than that?
If you love pork, you need to check out these other incredible pork recipes. This Grilled Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin has flavor off the chart! These Sweet and Sour Ribs are a family favorite of ours, I know your family will love them too!
This recipe is proof that I am right about one thing! If you can add bacon to a recipe, it always makes it taste better.
Pork is a great protein to serve your family and friends. It is one of the less expensive meats available and is super versatile. You can add big flavors to any cut of pork, and pork tenderloin is so lean and tender. What’s not to love about it?
HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE GRILLED Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin?
To start with, you need the pork tenderloin and some bacon. The remainder of the ingredients you need are just common pantry items. That’s one of the things that makes the recipe so special, it’s really easy to put together!
INGREDIENTS
For the Tenderloin:
- Pork tenderloin – You will want to trim off any silver skin and excess fat on your tenderloin.
- Bacon – I like to use hickory smoked bacon, but you can use any sliced bacon you like.
- Garlic powder – You can substitute granulated garlic if you like. I would avoid garlic salt as the bacon adds salt to the dish.
- Onion powder – This helps to add a deeper taste to the pork.
- Black pepper – Always use fresh ground pepper if you can. It tastes much better than the pre-ground pepper you get from the store.
For the Glaze:
- Ketchup – Use your favorite brand of ketchup; this gives your glaze a nice tomato flavor.
- Brown sugar – Brown sugar contains molasses, so not only does it add sweetness, it also adds a depth of color to your glaze.
- Cider vinegar – This adds a tangy flavor without being overpowering.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds that mysterious umami flavor that makes this glaze super yummy!
- Smoked paprika – This adds a hint of smoky flavor to the pork.
HOW TO MAKE GRILLED bacon wrapped pork tenderloin
You want to set up your grill to cook using the indirect cooking method. Have the heat on one side of your grill and no heat under the other side of the grill. Preheat your grill to hot, about 450 degrees F.
While the grill is preheating, you can make the glaze. In a small saucepan, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika.
Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Then set the glaze aside.
Trim your pork tenderloin removing any silver skin and excess fat that might be on your tenderloin. Season the pork with garlic powder, onion powder, and fresh ground black pepper.
With one piece of bacon, start at one end and wrap the bacon around the tenderloin. Use toothpicks to secure the bacon strips at both ends. Repeat with the remaining bacon until the entire tenderloin is covered with bacon.
Place the bacon-wrapped tenderloin on the hot side of the grill and cook over high heat for 5 – 6 minutes. Turn to cook on the other side for an additional 5 – 6 minutes. You want the bacon to be slightly crispy but not burnt.
Once the bacon is crispy, move the tenderloin to the cooler side of the grill and generously baste the meat with the glaze. Close the lid and cook for about 3 minutes. Turn the tenderloin over and baste the other side with the glaze. Close the lid and cook for another 3 minutes.
Check the internal temperature of the tenderloin before removing it from the grill. You want the internal temperature to be at least 145 degrees F. I check the temperature with my Thermoworks Thermapen instant-read thermometer; it works great every time!!
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Once your tenderloin has reached 145 degrees F, remove it from the grill and transfer it to a cutting board. Loosely cover it with foil and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
SERVING IT UP!
When slicing the tenderloin, be sure to remove all the toothpicks before plating or serving it. The last thing you want is for someone to find a toothpick in their serving of meat.
Carefully slice the pork into 3/4-inch thick slices. Try to make sure that the wrapped bacon remains intact around the tenderloin.
Pro Tips:
- It is easier to wrap the bacon around the tenderloin if the bacon is very cold. Keep it in the refrigerator until just before you are ready to use it.
- Once you put the meat on the grill to cook the bacon, do not walk away from the grill. The bacon has a tendency to flare up, so be ready to move the meat around the grill so it doesn’t get burnt.
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Grilled Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
For the tenderloin:
- 1 lbs pork tenderloin
- 5 strips of bacon
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For the glaze:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to high and set it up so that you are ready to cook using the indirect heat method. (One side hot and one side with low or no heat)
- While the grill is preheating, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, combine and whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and gently simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Trim the pork tenderloin, removing any silver skin or excess fat that is on the meat.
- Season the pork with the garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper.
- Starting at one end, wrap the pork tenderloin with the bacon strips, using the toothpicks to secure the bacon strips at both ends of each strip.
- Place the bacon-wrapped tenderloin on the hot side of the grill and cook over high heat for 5 – 6 minutes. Turn and cook the other side for an additional 5 – 6. (You want the bacon crispy but not burnt)
- Once the bacon is crispy, move the tenderloin to the cooler side of the grill, OR you can reduce the heat on the grill to low if using a gas grill.
- Generously baste the tenderloin with the glaze and cook for 3 minutes with the lid closed. Turn the tenderloin, baste the other side and cook for another 3 minutes with the lid closed.
- Check the internal temperature of the tenderloin and remove it from grill once the temperature of the pork has reached 145 degrees F. using an instant-read thermometer.
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board, loosely cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
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