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This Smokey Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with a Cherry BBQ Sauce is the recipe you didn't know you needed in your life.
This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It's made with a few simple ingredients, wrapped in its blanket of bacon and smothered with the best Cherry BBQ Sauce to bring it home!
Why You Will Love this Smokey Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Cherry BBQ Sauce
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- It's easy to make!
- Perfect for the family or feeding a crowd!
- It is drizzled with the easiest Cherry BBQ Sauce you'll ever make that will have everyone impressed with your kitchen skills.
- Bacon, does it need any more explaining?
In our house, we take BBQ seriously. I am actually the grill master in our home, and there isn't much I like off the grill. However, I am a little known for being the sauce queen. You will rarely find me dressing anything with a bottle of sauce straight from the store. There is something extra special a homemade sauce can add to a meal. I probably have like ten different recipes depending on what I'm making when it comes to BBQ sauce. I mean, can you have too much BBQ sauce?
What is the difference between pork loin and pork tenderloin?
These two cuts of meat are not cut from the same part of the pig. They do not look the same. Pork tenderloins are much smaller and thinner in size, while a pork loin is much broader and thicker. This recipe is using a pork tenderloin.
What do you need to make this winner of a dinner?
The tenderloin itself is fairly simple, but don't let that food you because it's full of flavor.
- Pork Tenderloin
- Bacon
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion Powder
- Garlic
The magic comes in with the Cherry BBQ Sauce. It really makes the pork tenderloin sing.
- Cherries - Fresh or Frozen
- Sriracha Sauce - I use Steve's Paleo Goods.
- Tomato Paste
- Brown Sugar
- Molasses
- Dijon Mustard
- Coconut Aminios
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Water
- Onion Powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Paprika
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Tips and Tricks
Start with a good quality pork tenderloin and make sure that it's entirely at room temperature before you start cooking.
I like to season the pork before and after I wrap it with the bacon to make sure it's seasoned well.
Want your bacon really crispy?
If you want crispier bacon on your pork tenderloin par-bake, your bacon weave for about 5-7 minutes in the preheated 375-degree oven, the bacon will not be fully cooked, but it will help it become more crispy than if you were to start the bacon on the tenderloin. This also lets you see if your bacon weave yields any shrinkage.
How to Wrap the Bacon
Wrapping the bacon can be as simple as just wrapping the pieces around, but I like to make a patchwork, bacon weave before I wrap my pork tenderloin. I find the bacon stays put better during cooking and when it's being cut and served.
Do NOT Overcook the Pork
Do NOT overcook the pork tenderloin. You should pull it out when it reads about 145 degrees on an instant-read meat thermometer.
Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Prepping Ahead
You can prep the pork tenderloin and then bake it off at a later time. If you are doing this, make sure you have brought your pork tenderloin to room temperature before baking it.
You can make the Cherry BBQ Sauce ahead of time. Just refrigerate it until you are ready to use it.
Can you make this on the grill?
Yes, you can! I like to grill this on the grill over medium direct heat for about 5-7 minutes per side or until a thermometer reads 140-145 degrees and the bacon is crispy.
More Bacon Recipes
Skillet Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts
Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Smokey Apple Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops
Smokey Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Cherry BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin
- 10 Slices Bacon
- 2 lb Pork Tenderloin
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Garlic
Cherry BBQ Sauce
- 1 ½ C Pitted Cherries fresh or frozen
- ½ C Sriracha Sauce I use Steve's Paleo Goods
- ½ C Tomato Paste
- ¼ C Brown Sugar
- 1 TBS Dijon Mustard
- ¼ C Molasses
- 2 TBS Coconut Aminos
- ¼ C Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ C Water Skip if you are using frozen.
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ TSP Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Instructions
For the Tenderloin
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Set a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper aside.
- Remove the pork tenderloin from the packaging and pat it dry, set it aside.
- Combine the spices into a small bowl and then take about half of it and rub it over the pork tenderloin.
- Wrap the bacon around the pork tenderloin. You can either do a simple wrap or make a basket weave and then wrap it around the pork loin, depending on preference.
- Sprinkle the remaining spices over the bacon-wrapped tenderloin and transfer it to the baking sheet.
- Bake the pork tenderloin in the preheated 375-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Check the temperature. Once the pork tenderloin is reading about 115-120 degrees, start basting it with the finished Cherry BBQ Sauce.
- Continue to cook the tenderloin until the internal temperature reaches about 140-145 degrees.
- Remove the pork tenderloin from the oven and allow it to sit about 10 minutes.
- Serve with more Cherry BBQ Sauce and enjoy!
For the Cherry BBQ Sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Allow the mixture to come to a low simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low and let it go until the cherries start to fall apart.
- Using an immersion blender to blend the sauce or transfer the sauce to a blender and puree.
- If you removed the sauce from the pan, return it to the pan and stove and allow it to simmer on low until it thickens about 5-10 minutes.
Notes
- Start with a good quality pork tenderloin, and make sure that it’s entirely room temperature before you start cooking.
- Make sure you season the pork before and after you add the bacon.
- Wrapping the bacon can be as simple as just wrapping the pieces around, but I like to make a patchwork, bacon weave before I wrap my pork tenderloin. I find the bacon stays put better during cooking and when it’s being cut and served.
- If you want crispier bacon on your pork tenderloin par-bake, your bacon weave for about 5-7 minutes in the preheated 375-degree oven, the bacon will not be fully cooked, but it will help it become more crispy than if you were to start the bacon on the tenderloin. This also lets you see if your bacon weave yields any shrinkage.
- Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
- You can prep the pork tenderloin and then bake it off at a later time. If you are doing this, make sure you have brought your pork tenderloin to room temperature before baking it.
- You can make the Cherry BBQ Sauce ahead of time. Just refrigerate it until you are ready to use it.
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