If you’re looking for a showstopping meal that comes together in an hour, you have to try my Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin. This recipe uses petite pork tenderloins, which give you the best tenderloin flavor in half the time as their larger cousins. The juicy tenderloin is wrapped in crisp bacon, and the entrée is seasoned with a decadent blend of pecan, honey, and chipotle notes. The bacon helps lock in the moisture, keeping your meal decadent and dripping with juice.
The Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin is glazed with my signature Pineapple Habanero Glaze, giving it a tropical twist everyone will adore. Whether you want to add elegance to a family dinner or surprise someone on a special occasion, this recipe fits the bill. It tastes gourmet but is simple enough that anyone can make it!
Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin | Heath Riles BBQ
Pork tenderloin is a lean option that’s the perfect vehicle for dramatic flavor combinations. In this recipe, the fat from the bacon seeps into the tenderloin, creating a built-in baste for the meat and cementing the flavors of the seasonings. When smoked on the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 36, the bacon takes on a smoky depth that ties the entire dish together. Feel free to experiment with the different glazes you put on this recipe. I have a hunch that any of my BBQ sauces or glazes would be delicious!
The Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make a mouthwatering platter of Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin.
-
Thin-cut bacon. Thin-cut bacon is flexible enough to wrap around the pork tenderloin and adhere to its surface. I used cheap bacon, and it worked like a charm!
-
Petite pork tenderloins. These pork tenderloins are among the most frugal meat cuts that cook in a snap. My tenderloins were from Prairie Fresh, a brand you can trust at home or on the competition circuit.
-
Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle BBQ Rub. This tasty rub is perfect for those who love the bold balance of sweet and spicy. Use it on chicken wings, ribs, tenderloins, or roasts.
-
Heath Riles BBQ Pecan Rub. My Pecan Rub is ideal for those with nut allergies as it doesn’t contain the real deal. It tastes fantastic on beef, pork, seafood, roasted chicken, and more!
-
Heath Riles BBQ Pineapple Habanero BBQ Glaze. This silky glaze adds a gorgeous finish to roasts and ribs, but you can also use it to glaze hams and tenderloin! It is mild enough to enjoy and adds the perfect kick of heat on the back end.
The Smoker Setup
Here’s the main equipment I used for this recipe. The Equipment and Tools section contains more of my grilling favorites.
-
Pellet grill/smoker. I smoked the Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin on the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 36. This spacious grill allows you to cook pork tenderloin and baked beans simultaneously. My favorite feature is the smoke box, which you can fill with charcoal, wood, or hardwood pellets to customize the flavor of your recipe.
-
Charcoal. I stoked the grill with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets to give the tenderloin a good, pure smoke. This brand is my favorite because it doesn’t use fillers. You can find them at your local home improvement or tractor supply store.
The Process for Making Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
If you’re interested in a visual tutorial, check out the video. Here’s the Cliffs Notes version of how this irresistible Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin came to be.
-
Fire up the grill. I stoked the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 36 with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and fired it up to 325℉.
-
Prep the pork tenderloins. I removed the petite tenderloins from their packaging and patted them dry. Then, I removed the silver skin and trimmed a little off the end to make them square.
-
Add seasoning. I laid the bacon on my workspace, then seasoned the inside and the pork tenderloins (on all sides) with Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle BBQ Rub and Heath Riles BBQ Pecan Rub.
-
Wrap the tenderloin. I laid the petite pork tenderloin on the bacon slices and slowly rolled it up jellyroll style. I dusted the meat with a little more Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle BBQ Rub and transferred the Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin to a baking tray.
-
Start smoking. I set the Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin directly on the top shelf of the Camp Chef Wood Wind Pro 36 and let it go for 45 minutes before basting.
-
Glaze the meat. At the 45-minute mark, I liberally basted the meat with Heath Riles BBQ Pineapple Habanero BBQ Glaze and let it cook for 15 more minutes to allow the glaze to tack up. At this point, the tenderloin was 145℉. I removed the meat from the pit and let it rest for a few minutes before digging in!
The Results
My Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin came off the pit with a beautiful golden color. The savory notes of pecan perfectly accented the crisp bacon. The cherry on top was a kiss of smoke and a hint of habanero heat!
Serving Suggestions for Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Serve this recipe alongside freshly grilled corn, crudités and dip, and some savory pit-style baked beans.
Storing Leftovers
You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to four days or freeze them for up to four months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator, then pop on the grill to smoke until warm. You can also prep this recipe ahead of time for an easy freezer meal; the methodology is the same, but eliminate the cooking step for now.
Equipment and Tools
Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 36, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets, ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, Heath Riles BBQ Heat-Resistant Gloves, disposable cutting board.
