Juicy pork tenderloin wrapped in smoky bacon – now that’s how you upgrade dinner. These grilled bacon-wrapped pork medallions cook fast, taste rich, and look restaurant-worthy.
The trick? Bacon that stays put. Step-by-step wrapping photos show you exactly how to do it. Then grill for smoky char or finish in the oven — dinner in under 30 minutes.
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- ❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- 🐖 Ingredients
- 🔪 How to Wrap Bacon Around Pork Tenderloin and Make Medallions
- 👨🍳 How to Cook Bacon Wrapped Pork Medalions
- ⏱️ How Long to Cook Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions
- 🥣 Seasoning
- 👍 Pro Tips – Cooking
- 📅 Make-Ahead Tips
- 🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- ❓ FAQs
- 🔗 Related Recipes
- 📖The Recipe Card
Featured Comment by Clancy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Better than any restaurant bacon wrapped pork I’ve ever eaten. I followed you steps exactly as written and the rub truly elevated the tenderloin taste."
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- Bacon stays put – step-by-step wrapping method means no unraveling or half-cooked edges.
- Juicy, smoky flavor – grilling locks in tenderness while crisping the bacon.
- Oven option included – same medallions, just sear and bake when grilling isn’t possible.
- Quick & reliable – from fridge to table in under 30 minutes.
- Perfect portions – pork tenderloin medallions are naturally sized for two, or scale up for guests.
🐖 Ingredients
- Pork tenderloin – the right cut for making medallions. Long, lean, and tender. Do not swap in pork loin – it’s a completely different cut and won’t work here.
- Bacon – regular-cut slices are key. Thick-cut bacon won’t crisp fully and can unravel before the pork is done.
- Seasoning – simple salt and pepper are enough, and your choice is fine. I highly suggest my dry rub with brown sugar, kosher salt, chili powder, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder for extra flavor.
🔪 How to Wrap Bacon Around Pork Tenderloin and Make Medallions
This method makes the job easy – no fighting with individual pieces of bacon.
1. Trim the tenderloin – remove the silverskin and loose fat so it wraps cleanly.
2. Lay out the bacon – arrange 4 slices side by side with small gaps, wide enough to cover the tenderloin after removing the thin tail.
3. Even out the thickness – cut off the skinny tail end and place it alongside the thin end of the tenderloin to even out the medallions.
4. Roll and slice – roll the bacon around the tenderloin, then cut between each strip to create medallions. Move the bacon – not the tenderloin.
5. Flatten and secure – press each medallion slightly so it sits flush inside the bacon. Pin with a toothpick to hold it in place.
👨🍳 How to Cook Bacon Wrapped Pork Medalions
🔥 Grill Method
- Preheat grill to a surface temperature of 450°F (medium-high).
- Place medallions over direct heat; grill each flat side 4–5 minutes.
- Use tongs to stand them on the bacon edges; grill until crisp.
- Finish on the flat sides until the pork reaches 145°–150°F internal temp.
- Rest 5–10 minutes before serving..
🔥 Oven Method (Sear and Bake)
- Sear all sides, including the bacon, in a hot oven-safe skillet with a little oil – 3–4 minutes on the flat sides and 1–2 minutes on the edges.
- Transfer skillet to a 400°F oven and bake until the pork reaches 145°–150°F.
- Rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
⏱️ How Long to Cook Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions
- Grill (450°F surface temp):
- 4–5 minutes per flat side
- 2–4 minutes rolling on the bacon edges until crisp
- Total: 10–14 minutes, depending on bacon thickness
- Oven (400°F, after searing):
- Sear all sides, including the bacon, in a hot oven-safe skillet for 3–4 minutes on the flat sides and 1–2 minutes on the edges to get the bacon started.
- Transfer skillet to the oven and bake 8–12 minutes, until pork reaches 145°–150°F.
👉 Always rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
🥣 Seasoning
Simple salt and pepper are enough, and your choice is fine. But if you want more flavor, I highly suggest my dry rub with brown sugar, kosher salt, chili powder, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. For best results, season shortly before cooking — not ahead of time.
Other good options:
- Memphis Dry Rub for a classic grilled pork flavor.
- BBQ rub for smoky sweetness and adjustable to your taste.
- Southwest Chipotle Seasoning for a touch of heat.
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👍 Pro Tips – Cooking
- Grill type: Gas or charcoal both work. Keep the surface temperature between 450°–500°F (medium to medium-high).
- Use a thermometer: Don’t guess – pull the pork at 145°–150°F and let it rest 5–10 minutes.
- Bacon thickness matters: Regular-cut bacon cooks through cleanly. Thick-cut can stay chewy unless you precook it a little.
- Sear and bake method: Any oven-safe skillet will work, but cast iron is best. It holds heat evenly and gives you a great sear.
- Don’t skip the edges: On the grill, use tongs to stand the medallions and crisp the bacon all around.
👉 Need help? See A Beginner’s Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill.
📅 Make-Ahead Tips
- Refrigerate: Wrap the medallions in bacon and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Season just before cooking.
- Freeze: Wrap tightly and freeze unseasoned for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before cooking.
- Seasoning: Add rub or seasoning shortly before grilling or baking – not before freezing or long refrigeration. Salted rubs can pull out moisture if they sit too long.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- On the grill menu: Pair with Grilled Baby Potatoes and Grilled Mixed Vegetables for a complete outdoor meal.
- For an oven dinner: Try Roasted Asparagus with Garlic and Parmesan and Parmesan Baked Potato Halves – simple but elegant.
- Something saucy: A drizzle of BBQ sauce, chipotle aioli, or garlic butter turns these medallions into a restaurant-worthy dinner.
❓ FAQs
Not if you’re using thin or regular-cut bacon – it will cook through just fine. If you’re using thick-cut bacon, precook it partway until it just starts to brown (but isn’t crispy). Drain, let it cool, then wrap the tenderloin as directed.
On the grill at 450°F: cook 4–5 minutes per flat side plus 2–4 minutes rolling on the bacon edges – about 10–14 minutes total depending on bacon thickness.
In the oven: sear the flat sides in a hot skillet for 3–4 minutes total, then stand the medallions on edge and sear the bacon for 1–2 minutes. Transfer the skillet to a 400°F oven and bake 8–12 minutes, until pork reaches 145°–150°F.
No – and it’s an important difference. This recipe uses pork tenderloin, sometimes called pork filet. It’s long, narrow, and very tender. Pork loin is much larger, firmer, and usually sliced into chops. The texture, flavor, and cook times are completely different, so don’t swap them.
Yes. Wrap the pork tenderloin in bacon and cut into medallions, but leave them unseasoned. Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking, then season just before grilling or baking for the best texture and flavor.
🔗 Related Recipes
Want a simpler version? Try my Grilled Pork Tenderloin Medallions.
Or explore more pork tenderloin favorites:
📖The Recipe Card
Grilled Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions (Wrapping Made Easy)
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin
- 4 strips bacon – thin or regular cut
- seasoning of your choice - seasoning salt and pepper, dry rub, or your favorite pork seasoning
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making the Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions
- Trim pork tenderloin of loose fat, membranes, and silverskin.
- 1) Lay out 4 bacon slices side by side with small gaps.2) Trim off the skinny tail and place it alongside the thin end of the tenderloin to even out the thickness.3) Roll the bacon around the tenderloin, then cut between each strip to create medallions. Move the bacon, not the tenderloin.4. Flatten each medallion slightly so it sits flush inside the bacon; pin with a toothpick.
Seasoning and Preheating
- Season all sides (your choice is fine; dry rub recommended).
- For grilling: clean/oil grates; preheat to a 450°F surface temp (medium-high).For oven: preheat to 400°F; heat a little oil in an oven-safe skillet.
Grilling
- Place medallions over direct heat; grill 4–5 minutes per flat side.Stand them on the bacon edges and grill 2–4 minutes until crisp.Finish on the flat sides until pork hits 145°–150°F.
Sear and Bake
- In the hot skillet, sear 3–4 minutes total on the flat sides, then stand on edge and sear the bacon 1–2 minutes.Transfer the skillet to the 400°F oven; bake 8–12 minutes, until pork hits 145°–150°F.
Rest
- Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Bacon cut: use thin or regular-cut bacon. Thick-cut stays chewy unless you precook it partway.
- Thermometer: don’t guess – pull at 145°–150°F, then rest.
- Edges matter: grill or sear the bacon edges so they crisp.
- For Two or Make-Ahead
Assemble and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months unseasoned. Thaw in the fridge; season shortly before cooking.
Optional Dry Rub (makes extra; save the rest)
You will only need a few teaspoons of this if you use it as your seasoning. Seal the remainder of the rub and save for later.- 8 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally Published June 8, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Clancy says
Better than any restaurant bacon wrapped pork I’ve ever eaten. I followed you steps exactly as written and the rub truly elevated the tenderloin taste. I very much appreciated your instructional photos on how to wrap the bacon around the pork. I had a different vision of how to wrap, that is until I got to your photos. Certainly wasn’t how I planned to wrap, but yours was much easier. Thank you. Next up is your shredded pork tenderloin recipe. Haven’t had a fail yet with your recipes.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Clancy,
Welcome to the blog and thanks for the comment. I do find the rub was that special extra touch–all my wife's idea.
Thank for the comment and hope you enjoy the rest if the blog.
Dan
PS—I just noticed all the other comment have disappeared. There was a tech issue during the rewrite and about 50 comments were lost. My apologies to those commenters.