Four ingredients and 10 minutes of prep turn a plain pork tenderloin into the kind of dinner that looks like you fussed! Brown sugar and mustard caramelize under a crisp bacon wrap while the drippings keep the meat juicy. It’s easy enough for a Tuesday, and pretty enough for a holiday table!
More pork tenderloin dinners:
Before You Get Started
Pork tenderloin is lean, so keep these three things in mind to keep it nice and juicy:
- Cook to 145°F, not by the clock. Tenderloins vary in size, so a thermometer is the only reliable way to know when it’s done. Past about 150°F the meat starts to dry out.
- Use regular bacon, not thick-cut. Regular slices crisp in the same 30 minutes the pork needs. Thick-cut is still limp when the meat is done.
- Reserve sauce before you baste. Set aside 3 tablespoons for serving before the brush ever touches raw pork.
⇢ One tenderloin feeds two to three: For a family of four or more, bake two side by side and add about 5 minutes to the cook time.
How to Cook Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Here is what is happening at each step, and what to look for along the way:
Step 1: Heat the Oven and Prep the Pork
Preheat to 400°F. That temperature matters: it is hot enough to crisp the bacon in the same window the pork needs to cook through, without scorching the sugar in the glaze.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup, then pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels. If you see a shimmery silver membrane running along one side, slide a thin knife under it and trim it off. It will not soften as it cooks.
⇢ Tenderloin and pork loin are different cuts: Pork tenderloin is the small, lean one, usually about a pound. The larger pork loin is a thicker roast that needs slower cooking. If that is what is in your fridge, my 4-Ingredient Pork Loin Roast is the recipe you want.
Step 2: Stir Together the Mustard Glaze
Whisk the yellow mustard, brown sugar, salt, and pepper until the sugar dissolves into the mustard and the mixture looks glossy rather than grainy.
Keep stirring past the point where you think it is done. Undissolved sugar makes a gritty sauce.
Now set aside about 3 tablespoons in a separate small bowl and cover it. That reserved portion is what you will spoon over the sliced pork at the table, and it needs to stay away from the raw meat.
Step 3: Baste and Wrap the Bacon
Brush 2 to 3 tablespoons of glaze over all sides of the tenderloin. Then lay the bacon strips across the pork, overlapping each slice slightly so there are no bare spots, and tuck the ends underneath. The weight of the tenderloin holds them in place, so you don’t need any toothpicks.
→ There is no need to pre-cook the bacon first. It renders and crisps in the oven while the pork cooks. The one exception is thick-cut bacon: if that is all you have, give it about 10 to 15 minutes on a sheet pan first so it is partway there before it goes around the pork.
More bacon-wrapped favorites:
Step 4: Bake Uncovered for 20 Minutes, Then Baste
Leave the pan uncovered the whole time. Foil or a lid traps steam, and steamed bacon never crisps. You also do not need to worry about the pork drying out, because the bacon drippings are basting it continuously.
At the 20-minute mark, pull the pan out and spoon some of the pan juices over the top. The tenderloin should read around 135°F at this point.
⇢ Pro Tip: Put potatoes underneath. Set the tenderloin on a small rack over a bed of cut potatoes and onions, and the bacon fat drips straight down onto them. You just use one pan, and there’s no extra work!
Step 5: Finish, Then Check the Temperature
Return the pan to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the thickest part of the tenderloin reads 145°F on a meat thermometer. Larger tenderloins can take a few minutes longer, so start checking early rather than trusting the clock.
If the pork is at temperature but the bacon is still pale and soft, slide the pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Stay right there and watch it, because the sugar in the glaze goes from caramelized to burnt quickly.
Step 6: Rest, Then Slice
Tent the pan loosely with foil and let the pork rest for at least 5 minutes, ideally closer to 10. The temperature climbs a few more degrees as it sits and the juices redistribute, so you don’t want to slice it too early.
Then cut the tenderloin crosswise into medallions and serve with the reserved mustard sauce alongside.
Grill It Instead
The grill works well here, with one change: tie the bacon on with kitchen twine before it goes near the grates, or the strips will unwrap the first time you turn it.
Grill over medium-high heat for 35 to 45 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the pork hits that same 145°F. For a lighter, herb-forward version on the grill, my Dry Rub for Pork Tenderloin is the one we come back to in the summer.
What to Serve Alongside
The tenderloin is rich and a little sweet, so the sides that work best are either starchy enough to soak up the reserved mustard sauce or green enough to cut through it. Mashed potatoes are the pairing we come back to most, and if you are already roasting potatoes under the pan, half the work is done.
Storage and Reheating
To store: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Save any leftover mustard sauce in its own container, since it is what makes the leftovers worth eating.
To freeze: wrap sliced pork tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
To reheat: lay the slices on a sheet pan and warm in a 325°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, just until heated through. Longer than that and the tenderloin dries out. Individual portions reheat in the microwave in 1 to 2 minutes.
Cold sliced tenderloin makes a genuinely good sandwich the next day, especially with a smear of that reserved mustard sauce. If you have enough left for a second dinner, my Dump-and-Bake Leftover Pork Tenderloin Casserole puts it to work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay if the pork is still slightly pink in the middle?
Yes. Cooked to 145°F, pork tenderloin will have a faint blush of pink at the center and that is exactly where you want it. The USDA lowered the recommended temperature for whole cuts of pork to 145°F with a 3-minute rest years ago. Pork cooked all the way to gray is overcooked pork.
How do I keep the bacon from falling off?
Overlap the strips as you wrap and tuck both ends under the tenderloin. The weight of the meat pins them down in the oven. On the grill, where you are turning the pork every few minutes, tie it with kitchen twine instead. Toothpicks work too, just count them going on so you can count them coming off.
Why is the bacon crisp on top but soggy underneath?
The underside sits in rendered fat and pan juices the whole time it bakes, so it steams instead of crisping. Setting the tenderloin on a small wire rack over the pan fixes it, since the drippings fall away. If it is already out of the oven, flipping it and broiling for a minute evens things out.
Can I swap Dijon for the yellow mustard?
Absolutely. Dijon gives you a sharper, more grown-up sauce, while yellow mustard keeps it mild and family-friendly. Honey in place of the brown sugar works well too, and a little minced garlic in the glaze is a nice addition if you like.
Do I have to trim the silver skin?
It is worth the 30 seconds. That thin, pearly membrane does not break down as it cooks, so leaving it on gives you one chewy strip running through otherwise tender meat. Slide a paring knife just underneath it and pull it away.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
4 Ingredient Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound total)
- 8-10 strips bacon (approximately 8-10 ounces), regular cut
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet or large baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Pat the pork dry with paper towels and trim off any silver skin. Place in the prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, brown sugar, salt, and pepper until the sugar dissolves completely and the glaze looks glossy.
- Set aside 3 tablespoons of the glaze in a separate covered bowl to serve with the cooked pork. Keep it away from the raw meat.
- Brush 2 to 3 tablespoons of the remaining glaze over all sides of the tenderloin.
- Wrap the bacon around the pork, overlapping each slice slightly and tucking the ends underneath.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the pork reaches about 135°F. Remove from the oven and baste with the pan juices.
- Return to the oven and bake another 10 minutes, or until the pork reaches 145°F (63°C). If the bacon is not crisp enough, broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
- Tent with foil and rest at least 5 minutes before slicing into medallions. Serve with the reserved mustard sauce.
Notes
- Cook to temperature, not time. Tenderloins vary in size. Pull the pork at 145°F and let it rest; it will climb a few more degrees.
- Use regular bacon, not thick-cut. Regular slices crisp in the time the pork needs. If you only have thick-cut, pre-cook it 10 to 15 minutes before wrapping.
- Leave it uncovered. Covering the pan traps steam and keeps the bacon from crisping. The drippings keep the pork moist.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of sauce before basting the raw pork so you have clean sauce for serving.
- One tenderloin serves 2 to 3 people. For a larger family, bake two side by side and add about 15% to the cook time.
- Trim the silver skin before cooking. It does not soften and turns chewy.
- For the grill: tie the bacon on with kitchen twine, then grill over medium-high heat for 35 to 45 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the pork reaches 145°F.
- Roast potatoes underneath by setting the pork on a small rack over cut potatoes and onions. The bacon drippings season them as it cooks.
- Storage: refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat on a sheet pan at 325°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Originally published in December, 2012, this post was updated in October, 2026.
This was so good! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I made it exactly as the recipe read, except I precooked my thick cut bacon for 15 minutes before wrapping it around the pork. There are seven of us, including five picky kids. For the two who don’t like mustard I made a second tenderloin with just sugar. Everyone loved it.
This was so good! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I made it exactly as the recipe read, except I precooked my thick cut bacon for 15 minutes before wrapping it around the pork. There are seven of us, including five picky kids. For the two who don’t like mustard I made a second tenderloin with just sugar. Everyone loved it.
Thank you, Judy!! I’m so glad to hear that your family enjoyed it!
Wow! This is delicious. Four of us tried it and it was a big hit!
I made it just as you suggested and it came out perfect. I am not the beat of cooks, so having another dish I can add to my short list of “great dishes,” is really helpful. Thank you!
Wonderful! I’m so glad that it worked well for you, Samantha. Thanks for taking the time to come back here and let me know!
I substituted honey for the brown sugar. 6 TBS mustard, 3 TBS honey, 1 TBS chopped garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper for the sauce. Used 2 1-1.5 lb tenderloins, 6 slices of bacon around each tenderloin. Cooked as directed, it is a forever recipe. Thank you very much!!!
Perfect! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back here and let me know, Toni-Marie! So glad that it was a hit!
Delicious! I always cut up sweet potatoes or eregular potatoes and green onions and place in the bottom of the rimmed baking sheet. I put the two tenderloins on a raised cookie rack and place on top of potatoes. The bacon fat drips down and makes the potatoes yummy!
Thanks, Tracy! I love that idea — everything is better with the drippings! 🙂
This was an easy recipe that is so delicious!
I will definitely be using this again. Thank you!
So glad that you enjoyed it, Nancy! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note!
Hi Blair,
I have made several of your dishes and all were outstanding!! Looking forward to making this bacon tenderloin recipe tonight. Thanks so much for making supper so much fun and tasty every night!!
That’s so good to hear, Denise. Thank you for taking the time to leave me a note. It totally made my day! 🙂
Thanks also for reminding me about this delicious recipe. I’m adding it to our meal plan for the week ahead. Hope you enjoy!
If I decided to double this recipe and cook two side by side like it says for a bigger family, would I double the cooking time?
It typically only takes a few minutes longer – 15% longer is the rule of thumb when baking two dishes at once. Just keep a close eye on the oven!
Hope this helps!