Grilled Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions

Elegant restaurant-quality grilled pork tenderloin with that smoky bacon wrap is bound to impress and make a great easy dinner for casual special occasions.

Jump to:

• 🐖Pork Tenderloin
• ♨️The Grill
• ✔️Tips
• 📖Pork Tenderloin Recipes
• 🔪Instructions
• 📖 Recipe

Introduction and My Rating

What can be better than bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin grilled to perfection? A great change of pace from steaks for that special meal. Try it for your next casual company grilling night. It won't disappoint.

Date night, we don't do it enough, but sometimes we get out even on a weeknight. We were off to Snug Harbor, one of our local favorites that is on the river with a view of the lighthouse on Lake Michigan. I stuck with my normal nachos supreme. I needed the extra 2000 calories.

My wife decided to try something new; the bacon-wrapped pork medallions. She didn't like the curried apple chutney but loved the meat.

She started to plan my next post right then. She wanted to grill, not seared, and oven-roasted. She wanted the same rub as my ribs. I can follow directions.

My Rating:

A low 5 or high 4. But it looks fantastic, so a five it is.

🐖Pork Tenderloin

Please be sure you are using pork tenderloin for this recipe. People seem to get confused with pork loin. Slices of pork loin are really pork chops. The tenderloin will have a different texture and taste.

♨️The Grill

Almost any gas grill will do. We want a grill surface temperature of 450° to a maximum of 500°.  On most gas grills will be at about 60-75%. DO NOT look at the thermometer on the hood of your grill; it is not even close.

For help on grill surface temperature, please see my A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature on a Gas Grill.

Charcoal should be fine. Just don't crank up the heat all the way and watch the temperature.

Of course, preheat, clean and brush with vegetable oil.

✔️Tips

Seasoning

This is spice it as you like it type recipe. So season to your taste.

I used a version of my 8:3:1:1 rub at my wife's request. But the 7:2:2 would be excellent, and I think I will use it next time.

Bacon

I was afraid the bacon would not cook well since several recipes precook the bacon a bit - like 2 minutes in the microwave. While the bacon was not "crispy," it was very tasty and was fully cooked—no need for the extra step.

Technique Notes

I think the assembly technique up it the big secret to this recipe. It just makes doing it ultra simple. You can cut the pieces first then wrap, but my way is much easier. You should try to get the amount of meat about the same in all the medallions.

You should try to get the amount of meat about the same in all the medallions. So think about volume more than thickness as you cut.

Cut the tail end and bring it back around to thicken up that end piece. You can cut it completely off or 75% through and fold back.

For Two Tip

These are easy to freeze for 3-4 months. Freeze after assembly and seasoning.

📖Pork Tenderloin Recipes

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Medallions

The Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin: Memphis Style

How to Grill a Pork Tenderloin on a Gas Grill

🔪Instructions

Clean and oil your grill. Adjust to get a consistent surface temperature of about 450°. That is about medium-high on most grills.

Mix your seasoning. I'm using an 8:3:1:1 mixture (wife's request), but a simpler salt, pepper, and garlic combo (like my 7:2:2) would also be good.

Trim pork tenderloin of any lose fat, membranes, and silverskin.

1) On a cutting board lay out four strips of bacon side by side with a little gap between (about 8 inches).

2) Lay the trimmed tenderloin on the bacon and trim off the skinny tail end of the tenderloin and lay beside that end of the tenderloin to make a thicker part.

3) Roll the bacon over the tenderloin then cut between bacon.

4) Lay flat and smash the meat to make the piece about the same thickness as the bacon. Now pin the end of the bacon with a toothpick and use two in the piece with the tail end to keep it together. Spice to your taste.

Place over direct heat and flip about every 5 minutes until an internal temperature of 145°-150° (depending on your taste)—about 20 minutes.

Allow to rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

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📖 Recipe

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Pork Medallions

From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

Elegant restaurant-quality grilled pork tenderloin with that smoky bacon wrap is bound to impress and make a great easy dinner for casual special occasions.

4.6 from 30 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Servings #/Adjust if desired 4

Ingredients

US CustomaryConvert to Metric

• 1 pork tenderloin
• 4 strips bacon
• seasoning of your choice - 7:2:2, salt and pepper or rub below

Instructions

 

• Clean and oil your grill. Adjust to get a consistent surface temperature of about 450°. That is about medium-high on most grills.
• Mix your seasoning. I'm using an 8:3:1:1 mixture (wife's request) but a simpler salt, pepper, and garlic combo (like my 7:2:2) would also be good.
• Trim pork tenderloin of any lose fat, membranes, and silverskin.
• On a cutting board lay out four strips of bacon side by side with a little gap between (about 8 inches).
• Lay the trimmed tenderloin on the bacon and trim off the skinny tail end of the tenderloin and lay beside that end of the tenderloin to make a thicker part.
• Roll the bacon over the tenderloin then cut between bacon.
• Lay flat and smash the meat to make the piece about the same thickness as the bacon. Now pin the end of the bacon with a toothpick and use two in the piece with the tail end to keep it together. Spice to your taste.
• Place over direct heat and flip about every 5 minutes until an internal temperature of 145°-150° (depending on your taste). About 20 minutes.
• Allow to rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Pro Tips

1. Check the post above for a visual example of how to cut and wrap the medallions.
2. Spice to your taste. Just some salt and pepper is fine. Usually with garlic. That would be my 7:2:2 seasoning. My wife wanted my rib rub which is listed below. Only use about 2 teaspoons of the rub if you elect to use it. Seal tightly and store for later.
3. The bacon cooks well for me with this recipe but if your bacon is not cooking adequately, spend the last few minutes of grilling with the medallions on their side to cook the bacon more.
4. FOR TWO TIP; easy to freeze for 3-4 months. Freeze after assembly and seasoning.

Optional 8:3:1:1 Rub

You will only need a few teaspoons of this if you use this 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

Have More Questions?Make it Perfect First Time and Every Time. Don't miss out, check the full post above. Almost every recipe includes easy step by step photo instructions so you can visualize yourself cooking this recipe along with helpful tips and options.

TO ADJUST THE RECIPE SIZE:You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

Nutrition

Calories : 175kcalCarbohydrates : 1gProtein : 29gFat : 6gSaturated Fat : 2gCholesterol : 90mgSodium : 495mgPotassium : 543mgCalcium : 6mgIron : 1mg

Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.

Course :Main Course

Cuisine :American

Originally Published June 8, 2014.  Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.