Tender juicy pork wrapped in smoky bacon and earthy garlic, my mouth is watering just writing this down! You can’t go wrong with this simple grilled pork tenderloin for your weekend cookouts or during busy weeknights when you want something simple and super tasty! I love the simplicity of this dish and the savory amazing flavor from just three ingredients!

One of the best parts about this amazing dish is how simple and quick it is to make, yet it tastes like you spent all afternoon working on it! The key to this juicy and succulent pork tenderloin is to let it rest after it’s finished cooking, I know it’s hard to wait, but trust me, it’s worth every minute. Allowing these savory juices time to redistribute throughout the pork will give you the most fork-tender bite you’ve ever had. I know you will love this dish as much as we do!

Why Pasture Raised vs. Conventional Pork

What does it mean to source humanely raised animal products verses conventional ones?   Humanely raised animals such as pigs, chickens, and cows, are raised on pastures where they are able to forage and eat a diet that is natural and healthy for them.  Healthy animals yield healthy products, increasing the nutrients themselves and the nutrient density of what you are eating.  Conventional sources of animal products are from animals that are raised in harsh conditions, often in warehouses where the animals are locked in, confined without sunlight, and unable to eat their natural diets yielding products that are less nutritious and potentially inflammatory.

Pasture raised pork is higher in nutrients and is better for the environment.  Let’s talk about nutrition first. 

• Antioxidants:  Pasture raised pork is higher in antioxidants, specifically vitamin E.  This essential fat-soluble vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that plays a role in reducing oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals that may result in illness or disease.  Vitamin E is essential in vision health, skin health, and reproductive health [1].
  
• Vitamins and Minerals: Pasture raised pork is higher in vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a role in bone health, calcium absorption, immune function, and more.  A majority of Americans are deficient in vitamin D and the most bioavailable form is not from supplements, but from real food like pasture raised pork.  Selenium is a mineral that is essential in thyroid health, detoxification and helps to make DNA [2] and pasture raised pork has higher levels than conventional.
  
• Omega-3s: With the Standard American Diet (SAD) being full of omega-6 fatty acids, most Americans are consuming an unbalanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3.  Due to the way the food industry raises animals, most of the animal proteins that we consume no longer have the omega-3s like pasture raised animals do, the way nature intended. Omega-3s are essential in reducing inflammation, cellular health, and vessel health.
  

Essential Amino Acids

The nine essential amino acids found in pork and their roles are [3]:

• Histidine: necessary for the production of histamine and also plays a role in nervous system health
  
• Valine: necessary in energy production as well as muscle growth and repair
  
• Phenylalanine: building block for neurotransmitters like dopamine and epinephrine (adrenaline), and in the production of other amino acids.
  
• Leucine: necessary in stimulating wound healing, muscle repair, and blood sugar regulation.
  
• Isoleucine:  necessary in immune function and energy regulation.
  
• Tryptophan: necessary building block for serotonin.
  
• Methionine: necessary in detoxification, metabolism, and in your body’s ability to absorb selenium (supports thyroid health) and zinc (necessary in production of HCl in your stomach).
  
• Threonine: necessary in skin and connective tissue health.
  
• Lysine: necessary in hormone production and your body’s ability to absorb calcium (bone, heart, muscle and nerve health.)
  

Vitamins and Minerals

• Vitamins: Pasture raised pork is rich in B vitamins: B1 (thaimine), B3 (niacin), B6, and B12.
  
• Minerals: Pasture raised pork is rich in iron, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc.
  

So grab some pasture raised pork and bacon and let’s get cooking!

Grilled Bacon Pork Tenderloin Ingredients

Serves 4-6

2 one-lb Pork Tenderloins or 1 two-two and a half lb tenderloin

4-5 Slices No Sugar Bacon

2-3 Cloves Garlic, finely minced

2-3 Tbsp Coarse Grain Mustard

1 tsp Fine Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup or Pure Raw Honey (opt)

How to Make Grilled Bacon Pork Tenderloin

1.  Preheat the grill to 400 degrees and set and oven safe skillet (I prefer cast iron) on to preheat.

2.  Prep the tenderloin(s) by removing the silverskin and mince the garlic.

3.   Season the tenderloin(s) with salt and pepper on all sides and if you have two smaller tenderloins,  pair them tenderloins together so that the larger ends are matched with the smaller ends.

4.   Rub the tenderloin(s) with the garlic and then wrap them with the bacon, attaching with toothpicks to hold in place.

5.  Grill the tenderloin(s) 5-7 mins per side on all four sides until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

6.  Remove from heat and allow to rest 10-15 minutes before slicing into medallions.

Enjoy!

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FAQs

Q: My tenderloin was very well done for some reason, any tips?

A: Make sure you are not using small single tenderloin alone, wrap two of them together to make a “bigger” tenderloin, and use a meat thermometer, I swear by them!

Q: Can I grill this on the grill grates without the pan?

A: Yes, but, keep in mind that the bacon is very fatty and will cause flares from the flames below.  Additionally, I love to make sure all of the bacon is nice a crisp and you get a more evenly cooked bacon wrap when you use the pan.

Q: Is the middle of the tenderloin supposed to be pink? 

A: Yes! Totally normal and as long as the 145 degree internal temp was reached it’s fully cooked! 

What to serve with Grilled Bacon Pork Tenderloin

Smoked Baked Beans: Delicious, creamy, loaded with bacon, aromatics, and spices, these baked beans will be the star of your next barbecue!

Bacon Potato Salad: The perfect traditional potato salad jazzed up with smoky bacon and briny olives!

Buttermilk Sourdough Biscuits: Buttery, flaky, and fluffy mouthwatering buttermilk biscuits that are so easy and perfect for Sunday morning brunch, or as a quick accompaniment to a bowl of chili or a weeknight meal! 

The Best Homemade Applesauce: This is hands down the best homemade applesauce ever!  Chunky sweet apples perfectly balanced with warm cinnamon and sweet maple syrup.  You may never go back to store bought again!

I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. – Amy

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