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This bacon brown sugar pork tenderloin is one of those recipes that looks impressive but comes together faster than you’d expect. Crispy bacon, a sweet-smoky spice rub, a quick sear, and the oven does the rest. My neighbor Paulette used to make something like this for her dinner parties — she called it her “company pork” — and honestly, that name still fits.
Why You’ll Love It
- Weeknight easy, Sunday dinner impressive — it takes less time than you’d think and the oven does most of the work
- That sweet-savory glaze — the brown sugar caramelizes with the smoked paprika into something I genuinely can’t explain but would eat forever
- Crispy bacon on the outside, juicy pork on the inside — every single time, if you don’t skip the sear
- Great for leftovers — reheats beautifully, and I won’t judge you for eating it cold at 11pm
- Crowd-pleaser — my husband, who is not a demonstrative man, once called it “pretty great,” which from him is basically a standing ovation
A Word About the Ingredients
The pork: I try to get a tenderloin around 1.5 to 2 pounds. Sometimes the grocery store has them in packs of two, which — honestly, just make both. You’ll thank yourself later.
The bacon: I use regular-cut most of the time, whatever’s on sale, but if you can get thick-cut hickory-smoked bacon, something shifts. It gets even crispier at the edges and stays chewier in the middle, and the smoke flavor plays so nicely with the paprika. I’ve used turkey bacon exactly once and we don’t need to talk about it.
Brown sugar: I use light brown, though I’ve made it with dark and it’s richer, almost molasses-y. Both work. I’ve also made it when I was out of brown sugar and used a mix of white sugar and a little maple syrup — that was actually really good, though I’ve never quite replicated it since.
Dijon mustard: Don’t skip it. I know it sounds like it would make everything taste like mustard but it doesn’t — it just gives the crust this depth, this little bite. My daughter still doesn’t know it’s in there. I’m not going to tell her.
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin, roughly 1.5 to 2 lbs (trim off the silver skin if there is any — there usually is)
- 8 to 10 slices of bacon
- ¼ cup brown sugar (I probably use a little more, if I’m honest)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper — I season pretty generously
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Let’s Make It
Start by preheating your oven to 375°F. While it’s heating up, take care of the tenderloin — trim any visible fat and definitely get that silver skin off if it’s there. It’s that shiny, tough membrane along one side. If you leave it on, it’ll make the whole thing curl up and cook unevenly. Use a sharp knife and just work it off. It takes maybe two minutes.
Mix your brown sugar, mustard, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. It’ll be a thick, dark paste — kind of glossy. Rub it all over the tenderloin. Really get it in there. I usually do this with my hands and my hands are always a mess afterward and it’s always worth it.
Now wrap the bacon. I start at one end and spiral my way down, overlapping each slice a little. Some people are very neat about this. I am not one of those people. Tuck the ends under or just let them sit — they’ll crisp up regardless. If the bacon is sliding around, a toothpick or two will hold things in place.
Heat your olive oil in an oven-safe skillet — cast iron is ideal, but I’ve used stainless too — over medium heat. When it’s hot (a drop of water should sizzle), add the tenderloin and sear it. This part matters. You want the bacon to start getting golden and a little crispy before it ever sees the oven. Turn it carefully, maybe every two minutes or so. The whole searing process takes maybe five to seven minutes, sometimes eight if the bacon is thick. Don’t rush it and don’t walk away — I’ve had the sugar drippings start to burn when I got distracted by something Dani was yelling about from upstairs.
Once it’s seared on all sides, slide the whole skillet into the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The internal temperature should hit 145°F — get a meat thermometer if you don’t have one, they’re like twelve dollars and I don’t know how I cooked meat for years without one. When it’s done, let it rest on a cutting board for about five minutes before you slice it. I know, I know — waiting is hard. But the juices redistribute and everything is better for it.
Variations
My neighbor’s daughter makes this with a chipotle pepper blended into the spice rub, which gives it this smoky heat that I love. I’ve tried adding cayenne myself — just a pinch — and that works too if someone in your house likes spice.
I’ve left out the mustard for picky eaters and the recipe still holds together. It’s slightly less complex, but nobody’s going to complain.
Once I tried adding fresh rosemary under the bacon — pressed it right against the pork before wrapping — and it was good, honestly kind of elegant, though the rosemary does crisp up a lot in the oven so be ready for some char on the leaves. I haven’t done it again mostly because I never remember to buy fresh herbs when I’m already in the middle of cooking. Thyme would probably work the same way.
Storage
Leftovers keep in the fridge for three or four days, in a container with a lid — or honestly just covered tightly with plastic wrap right in the pan. I’ve reheated slices in a skillet with a tiny splash of water, covered, over low heat. That keeps them from drying out. The microwave works fine too but the bacon loses its crisp, which is a little sad.
I’ve also eaten this cold, standing at the open refrigerator at eleven at night, and I have no regrets.
A Few Last Things
Serve this with mashed potatoes if you want to make someone feel genuinely loved. Green beans on the side, something bright and simple. Or roasted carrots — the sweetness echoes the glaze in a way that’s really nice. Crusty bread to mop up the pan drippings, which are, I’ll warn you, extremely good and a little dangerous.
I’ve brought this to potlucks, made it for just the two of us when the kids were both finally out of the house, served it at Christmas Eve once when I didn’t feel like doing a whole roast. It works everywhere. It always gets eaten. Someone always asks for the recipe.
Bacon Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin about 1.5-2 lbs
- 8-10 slices bacon
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Trim excess fat and silver skin from the pork tenderloin.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over the pork tenderloin.
- Wrap bacon slices around the pork tenderloin, securing them with toothpicks if needed.
- Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sear the bacon-wrapped pork on all sides until the bacon starts to crisp, about 5–7 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
- Remove the pork from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Slice and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition