With a yummy paprika dry rub, crispy bacon, and caramelized maple syrup, this bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is a show-stopping protein that is incredibly easy to whip up!
Table of Contents
- This recipe is…
- Ingredients Needed
- How to Cook
- Oven Method
- Air Fryer Method
- What temperature should pork tenderloin be cooked to?
- How long do you cook pork tenderloin?
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- How to Serve
- How to Store and Reheat
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Favorite Pork Recipes
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin (Air Fryer & Oven Methods!) Recipe
This recipe is…
Welcome to our ultimate guide for preparing a DELICIOUS bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin! We’re walking you through two fantastic cooking methods to achieve flavorful pork tenderloin perfection: the air fryer and the oven. This variation is seasoned with paprika and salt, wrapped in savory bacon, and drizzled with luscious maple syrup …YUM! Let’s get started!
Ingredients Needed
This list is super short! You may even have several of the ingredients on hand already. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 1 pork tenderloin
- 8 slices of bacon
Flavor Variations
The simple paprika + salt combination is really delicious, but if you’re looking to change things up, these are a few of our favorite variations!
- Garlic Lovers – grate or mince 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, mix with olive oil and salt, then rub the mixture onto the pork tenderloin before wrapping it in bacon.
- Taco – use your favorite store-bought taco seasoning (or our homemade taco seasoning) in place of the paprika and salt.
- Italian – grab your favorite classic Italian seasoning to use in place of the paprika and salt.
How to Cook
Below, you’ll find a step-by-step guide for cooking bacon wrapped pork tenderloin in both the oven and the air fryer. Pick which method suits you best, and get to cooking!
Oven Method
- Preheat – preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Dry rub – rub the pork tenderloin with paprika and salt.
- Wrap in bacon – lay the slices of bacon on a surface (a cutting board or piece of parchment paper are both great options), lay the pork tenderloin over top, then fold each slice of bacon towards the middle of the tenderloin, allowing the ends to overlap.
- Drizzle – drizzle the maple syrup over the top of the bacon.
- Air fry – bake the tenderloin for 35 minutes.
- Rest – let the pork rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Air Fryer Method
Cooking pork tenderloin in the air fryer is easy peasy (and not all that different than the oven)! Simply preheat your air fryer to 400°F, follow the directions above, and then air fry for 25 minutes!
What temperature should pork tenderloin be cooked to?
Pork tenderloin should be cooked to 145°F. The easiest way to ensure that your pork is cooked to this temperature is to use an in-oven thermometer.
How long do you cook pork tenderloin?
This pork tenderloin cooks in the air fryer for 25 minutes and in the oven for 35 minutes. We highly recommend using an in-oven thermometer whether you’re cooking in the air fryer or oven!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Use thinly sliced bacon – use regular bacon (vs. thick-cut) for this recipe! It’ll get nice and crispy during the cooking process!
Wrap the bacon in a criss-cross pattern – to secure the bacon around the pork tenderloin, be sure to wrap the pieces in a criss-cross pattern (see the photos for reference). Bacon tends to shrink as it cooks, so making sure that it’s tightly secured on the pork tenderloin will keep it from falling off.
Use any spice rub – feel free to swap the paprika and sea salt for any spice blend that you love! A BBQ rub would be really delicious here.
How to Serve
Serve your bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin alongside a starch (roasted veggie orzo, oven roasted potatoes, sweet potato fries, and simple white rice would all be delicious) and a veggie (oven-roasted asparagus, oven-roasted broccoli, and spinach salad are all great options).
How to Store and Reheat
Store your leftover bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin in an airtight container in the refrigerator; stored this way, it’ll stay good for up to 5 days!
Reheat individual servings of your bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin either in the microwave or in the air fryer. For an air fryer reheat, start with 3 minutes at 400°F and add on a minute or two at a time after that, if needed. For the microwave, start with a minute and add on in 30-second increments until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best way to keep from overcooking (and drying out) your pork is to rely on an in-oven thermometer (vs. time) to determine doneness.
If you’re enjoying a pork tenderloin as the main component of a meal (vs. the mixed into pork chili verde), it’s a good rule of thumb to plan for a half pound (8 ounces) of pork tenderloin per person. Because this pork tenderloin is wrapped in bacon, though, it can definitely feed 3-4 adults.
There is! While they may sound the same, there are some distinct differences between pork loin and pork tenderloin. Here’s a comparison of the two:
Pork loin – a larger cut of meat that is usually sold as a 3-5 pound roast. Pork loin is fattier than pork tenderloin, usually comes with a fat cap on top, and can be sold either boneless or bone-in.
Pork tenderloin – a smaller cut of meat that usually weighs about one pound. The tenderloin is from a muscle that runs along the spine of the pig and isn’t used for movement. As a result, it’s much more tender than other cuts of meat. Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat that has a very mild flavor.
Whether in the air fryer or the oven, you’ll cook your pork tenderloin uncovered. It isn’t in the oven for quite long enough to require a lid, and we really want to get that bacon nice and crispy!
More Favorite Pork Recipes
Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin (Air Fryer & Oven Methods!)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1, 1-pound pork tenderloin
- 8 slices bacon
Instructions
Oven Method:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Rub the pork tenderloin with paprika and salt.
- Lay out your slices of bacon on a surface and place the tenderloin on the middle of the bacon slices. Wrap each slice of bacon around the pork tenderloin.
- Drizzle the maple syrup over top of the bacon.
- Bake the tenderloin for 35 minutes.
- Let the pork rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Air Fryer Method:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Rub the pork tenderloin with paprika and salt.
- Lay out your slices of bacon on a surface and place the tenderloin on the middle of the bacon slices. Wrap each slice of bacon around the pork tenderloin.
- Drizzle the maple syrup over the top of the bacon.
- Air fry the tenderloin for 25 minutes.
- Let the pork rest for 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve.
Recipe Notes
- Garlic Lovers – grate or mince 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, mix with olive oil and salt, then rub onto the pork tenderloin before wrapping in bacon.
- Taco – use your favorite store-bought taco seasoning (or THIS homemade one) in place of the paprika and salt.
- Italian – grab your favorite classic Italian seasoning to use in place of the paprika and salt!
- Use thinly sliced bacon – use regular bacon (vs. thick-cut) for this recipe! It’ll get nice and crispy during the cooking process!
- Wrap the bacon in a criss-cross pattern – to secure the bacon around the pork tenderloin, be sure to wrap the pieces in a criss-cross pattern (see the photos for reference). Bacon tends to shrink as it cooks, so making sure that it’s tightly secured on the pork tenderloin will keep it from falling off.
- Use any spice rub – feel free to swap the paprika and sea salt for any spice blend that you love! A BBQ rub would be really delicious here.
Nutrition
It was very tasty and easy to do. I happened to buy presliced, pre wrapped tenderloin. So I was hoping this would still work, and it did.
I’m curious though, if I switched up the rub option, what would I do for the “glaze”. As maple syrup with a garlic rub doesn’t seem like a good pair. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Sam! Great question! I wonder how honey would taste? You are definitely right about the maple and garlic combo haha!
could i serve this sliced cold for sandwiches?
Absolutely, Hope! That sounds so yummy!
This was so figgin good
WOOHOO! We are so so happy you loved it, Mary!
My question pertains to air fryer method. do you place directly on flat surface within air fryer or on a grill plate? Do you spritz with oil first?
This recipe was very easy to make and very tasty. (How can you go wrong when you add bacon.) I used the air fryer version, very tender.Would make this again.
Hi Jill! Thanks so much for sharing this with us! We’re so glad you loved this recipe.
I have googled “bacon wrapped pork tenderloin” in 1243536 variations of recipes, just to find a recipe that was tasty, quick and easy for this ADHD brain.
I’ve already preheated the oven, pulled out the meat and bacon, folded two loads of laundry and the twelve other things until your recipe popped up!
This is perfect! Thanks for sharing!! There’s nothing in the world better than that feeling you get when folks really enjoy your food! I look forward to trying out some more recipes! Cheers!
Mandy! This makes our hearts soar. We are SO glad that you enjoyed this recipe AND found it easy enough to follow and get all the life things done. Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us. It means so much! We look forward to hearing what else you try! -Team FF