I’ve been wrapping up pork tenderloin in bacon for so many years (40?) that when I see a photo where someone else has done it, I think they’ve stolen my idea. (Perhaps they have but I’m doubtful. The world is large and I’m but one small cook.) Before the bacon method, I sometimes stuck slivers of garlic into knife-made slits all over the meat, slathered Dijon on top, and covered the whole shebang with almost more salt, pepper, and rosemary than was reasonable. Occasionally, and it’s all here on the blog, I combine all those ideas, and lest you think that was somewhat over the top, it wasn’t. Try it! Pork tenderloin, a bastion of easy-cook lean meat with a plethora of ideas for second round meals, remains a stable favorite in my cooking rotation, especially when it’s BOGO or buy one; get one “free.” This time, as the tenderloins — not to be confused with pork loins (scroll down to see the difference)– were two to a pack, I came home with 4 for about $13.50. Best sous and husband Dave divvied them up and vacuum-sealed them to freeze individually. Given that each was between 1 and 1 1/2 pounds of no-fat goodness and great for just about any cooking method (stovetop, oven, grill, air fryer, or electric pressure cooker), I started looking forward to my choice of preparations for spring and summer. First off was the bacon routine because #1 I could do it in my sleep and #2 I had this sweet sweet potato recipe that I knew was a match made in heaven. Having cooked a number of pork tenderloin sheet pan meals over the years, I knew I could put the meat and sweet potatoes all in one pan in the oven and sit down to eat in a half-hour. Meanwhile, I could find music, pour wine, set the table, and make a green vegetable.
Scroll down to IF YOU LIKED THIS... for a short list of my pork tenderloin faves. Type Pork Tenderloin into the search box for more.
These nearly perfect and beautiful sweet potatoes are also great on their own or baked as a side for roast chicken, salmon, or chops. I do not remember when I first started cutting sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, brushing them lightly with olive oil, and baking them all spiced up but I saw the idea somewhere and have done it ever since. The potatoes are done in half the time it takes to bake them whole and they are tastier with your choice of seasonings. I do like the smaller, 4-5″ sweet potatoes better here as they’re easier to cut and the edible skins are so tender, but the larger ones work well, too.
Second round meal at our house, since there are only two of us, was tacos. When there’s extra meat, what better? I thawed and heated a pint of black beans as a side for the tacos (slow cook two pounds of black beans); dinner was done again. You could include some of the chopped sweet potatoes in the tacos or throw them in a lunch salad as I did. They’re happy to be scarfed up cold out of the fridge, too.
We liked the tacos so much, we might just make them first next time. But in the meantime, I hope you try this:
Sheet Pan Bacon Pork Tenderloin with Chili Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin-about one pound+, trimmed and silver skin removed, if needed, and patted dry with a paper towel
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pieces thick bacon
- 3 or 4 small sweet potatoes (4-5" each), carefully cut in half lengthwise-don’t peel; the skin on small sweet potatoes is edible. If you have the larger ones, they may need to roast a few minutes longer. This skin is edible, too, though it may be a little tougher.
- Paprika
- Chili Powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Place rack at center. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and brush lightly with oil or spray with cooking spray.
- Brush the pork evenly with olive oil. Sprinkle all over with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- If your tenderloin has a thin tail, tuck it under so the pork cooks evenly. Wrap or wind the meat evenly with two pieces of bacon, one at a time, securing at center and end (including the tucked under tail if you’ve done that) with toothpicks. Count your toothpicks so when you serve the meat, you’ll know you removed them all. Place the pork on one side of the lined baking sheet.
- Score the halved sweet potatoes using a paring knife (cut a crosshatch pattern about 1/8-inch into the flesh). Brush the cut side with a little olive oil and sprinkle each generously with salt, pepper, paprika, and chili powder. Place potatoes cut side down, an inch or so apart from one another, on the other side of the baking sheet.
- Roast about 20 minutes or until pork registers 140 F on an instant read thermometer. Remove the pork to a cutting board to rest and return the pan with the potatoes back to the oven for another 10 minutes or until they're tender. A small sharp knife should go in and out of them easily when they're done. Slice the meat thinly (count the toothpicks!) and serve with the hot sweet potatoes. (If you like your pork well-done, leave it in the oven to continue cooking for the last 10 minutes with the potatoes.)Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to three days. While the meat will freeze well for up to two months, don’t freeze the sweet potatoes.
Notes
PINK PORK? I like my pork cooked medium to medium rare–on the rosy side and definitely juicy, which is totally delicious, tender, and safe. Current FDA temps do indicate cooking pork to 145F, resting for 3 minutes before carving. I cheat and remove my tenderloin at 140F. Totally up to you.
WINE? Pinot Noir, I’d say. Pinot is lovely with pork and also with bacon and/or any earthy vegetables. A red Côtes du Rhône — and I’ve just discovered Trader Joe’s has a decent really inexpensive one — is another tasty alternative. When our dear friend Jill came to dinner and I was testing this recipe, I broke out a Sineann Merlot, as Jill is a forever Merlot fan. There were no complaints.
What IS the difference between pork tenderloin and pork loin? One thing is price. Tenderloin, the smaller, leaner, and more tender piece, is generally the more expensive but it’s still a reasonably-priced cut of meat. The larger, fattier pork loin, which can be cut into chops, roasted, or cooked and sliced for sandwiches, is often on sale and makes an excellent buy in today’s market.
The names may be almost the same, but pork loin and pork tenderloin are different cuts of meat. A pork tenderloin is a long, narrow, boneless cut of meat that comes from the muscle that runs along the backbone. A pork loin is wider and flatter, and can be a boneless or bone-in cut of meat. Feb 10, 2021. allrecipes
A Home Cook’s Guide to All the Cuts of Pork…/THEKITCHN.COM (Contains a good photo of the cuts at the start of the post.)
SANDWICH MEAT: Should you be attempting to save money and increase health by skipping deli meat at the grocery, pork tenderloin is an excellent buy for sandwich meat. Season and roast an extra piece; cool and slice thinly. Add cheese, vegetables–I like very thinly-sliced cucumbers and tomatoes with pickled red onion — a dollop of my mustard sauce, and your less expensive, lower-fat, and much lower sodium sandwich is ready. If you’re not going to eat the meat within a few days, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in a resealable bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
HAVING COMPANY? Double this recipe for some of the easiest entertaining you can think of. Slide the readied baking pan into the oven a few minutes after you’ve served a drink and appetizers and set the timer.
SAUCE! Pork and Dijon mustard = a match made in heaven. Add horseradish, along with some whole grain mustard, and we’re talking over the top. This fast sauce (see COOK’S NOTES in recipe) — stirred together at the last second or made ahead and stored in the refrigerator — will earn its place in your repertoire as it’s not only finger-licking good, but is perfect for sandwiches, salmon, chicken tender dipping, a whisk-in for vinaigrettes…. and more. And lest you worry your sweet little head about it, no — the Dijon sauce is NOT too much after having surrounded the pork with bacon.
IF YOU LIKED THIS, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE MY:
Bacon-Dijon Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Peach and Corn Salsa Pork is cooked on the gas grill here.
Sheet Pan Rosemary Pork Tenderloin with Lemon-Parmesan Brussels Sprouts and Potatoes
One-Pan Pork Tenderloin with White Beans, Cabbage, and Tomatoes
One Pan Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Potatoes, and Red Onions
Quarter-Sheet Pan Pork Chop Dinner for Two
Should you be stocking up? (4 Foods to Stock Up On Before Tariffs Take Effect/EATING WELL)
LIFE GOES ON:
Blessings of spring showers with subsequent streams of warm light and hopeful skies. I’m happy to be home from traveling to Florida — a beautiful trip — and have been busy preparing for and teaching a class of 20: COOKING FOR TWO. I do not know how we had SO MUCH FUN in this class, but we did! When there’s time, perhaps a recap will appear here on the blog; there’s much food for thought after that class. I learned so much.
Thanks for spending time with me in my kitchen. You’re always welcome! ~Alyce
below: Easter morning sunrise at our Florida family beach house:
below: view from the dining room
In memoriam, William “Bill” P. Evans (1940-2025)
