Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (2024)

FAQs

Is there a difference between pork loin and pork tenderloin? ›

While pork loin offers a larger size, robust flavor, and versatility in cooking methods, pork tenderloin boasts tenderness, lean meat, and a milder taste.

Pork will be slightly pink in the center. Oven: Heat oven to 425°F. Place pork on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast 25 to 30 minutes per pound.

The fat will render and help keep the meat moist throughout the smoking process. If you smoke the pork loin with the fat side down, the meat will have less flavor and may dry out. So, keep the fat side up, and let the pork loin absorb all the smoky goodness.

The process of smoking pork loin is pretty simple. Put it on a grill set at 180 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 3 to 4 hours. Then, turn the heat up to 350 degrees, and smoke for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or when the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees.

Once the pork loin roast reaches 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, remove it from the oven, and let it rest on a cutting board for 20 minutes. This gives the meat time to reabsorb all its juices. You can also brine the pork before you cook it, which ensures the meat stays tender, juicy, and well-seasoned.

Pork tenderloin may be the trimmest of them all, but the loin cuts, including pork chops and roasts, are the next leanest with 147 calories and a smidge over 5 grams of fat per 3-ounce serving.

Sear + Roast

This cooking method is a surefire way to make moist and juicy pork tenderloin without much fuss. Searing the meat first gives it that golden-brown crust before a quick roast in the oven finishes it off. It's an easy, crowd-pleasing meal for any night of the week.

Remove pork from package and place on a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, until the thickest portion of the pork reaches 155°–160°F (medium), approximately 45 minutes. Let pork rest for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Remove outer packaging before cooking. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roast for 30 – 35 minutes UNCOVERED until internal temperature reaches 145°F (thickest part) or juices run clear. Remove from oven/pan and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing.

Cooking over indirect heat, marinating, using a high ratio of smoking chunks to charcoal, wrapping in aluminum foil, and allowing your meat to sit for three to five minutes will help to keep it moist.

Do you need to flip a pork loin when smoking? ›

So you don't need to get dirty; just check the meat from time to time! 👍 I love my Traeger Pellet Smoker because it's so versatile. Note: Don't flip the meat! You don't have to flip your pork loin with this smoker because the indirect heat cooks it evenly.

Make time to brine before smoking.

It's a much leaner cut than shoulder, and doesn't have as much fat to protect it during the cooking stages. But there's an easy step you can take which will not only help keep your pork super moist, but also introduces awesome flavor to the delicate loin: brining.

A big part of making sure smoked pork loin does not end up dry is in cooking it to the right temperature however, wrapping it in bacon also helps a lot to keep it juicy and it's so easy to do!

Smoke your pork loin at about 225–250°F (107–121°C). The lower, slower temps at play in a smoker make hitting your target of 145°F (53°C) easy—the meat temperature isn't racing up as fast as it can go, so it's easier to hit the sweet spot.

Pre-heat oven to 325F (165C). Bake pork tenderloin in the oven UNCOVERED for approximately 20-25 MINUTES *PER POUND* (44-55 MINUTES PER KILOGRAM) Or until internal temperature reaches 155F (68C), rested to a final 160F (71C).

No, due to significant differences in size and structure, pork loin and tenderloin can't be used interchangeably in recipes. If you want to make a swap or use both in the same dish, portion the loin into chops or the tenderloin into medallions, ideally of equal thickness.

You can shred pork loin to make a massive batch of pulled pork great for cook-outs, potlucks, parties for a sizable group, or for lunches and dinners — with plenty of extras to freeze and reheat. This dish can be served by itself or "sloppy joe" style on hamburger buns.

But the old method of cooking pork to the well-done stage, offered an excessive margin of safety. And since overcooking shrinks meat fibers and squeezes our juices, overcooked pork is tough and dry. It's well worth investing in a meat thermometer or slender multi-use digital thermometer, to take away the guesswork .

Loin: The area between the shoulder and back legs is the leanest, most tender part of the animal. Rib and loin chops are cut from this area, as are pork loin roasts and tenderloin roasts. These cuts will be dry if overcooked.