This Porchetta Pork Tenderloin is a culinary delight that effortlessly bridges the gap between simple weeknight meals and impressive dinner party fare. Prepare to elevate your dinner routine with minimal effort and maximum flavor!

Effortless Elegance: The Ultimate Porchetta Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Welcome to your new favorite weeknight hero and weekend showstopper: the Porchetta Pork Tenderloin. This incredible dish offers a symphony of flavors and textures, proving that gourmet dining doesn’t have to be complicated. With its rich, aromatic seasoning and a crispy bacon crust, this pork tenderloin recipe is designed to impress, whether you’re feeding a hungry family on a busy Monday or hosting cherished guests on a Saturday evening. The best part? It’s surprisingly easy to prepare, allowing you to create a memorable meal without spending hours in the kitchen.

Why This Bacon-Wrapped Porchetta Tenderloin Will Be Your New Go-To

What makes this Porchetta Pork Tenderloin truly special? It takes the grandeur of traditional Italian porchetta and condenses it into an accessible, quick-cooking format. Imagine all the robust, savory notes of classic porchetta—garlic, rosemary, fennel—infused into a succulent pork tenderloin, then wrapped in crispy, savory bacon. The result is a dish that’s bursting with flavor, incredibly tender, and visually stunning.

The Magic of Bacon: Flavor and Moisture Amplified

Let’s be honest, everything is better with bacon! In this recipe, bacon isn’t just a garnish; it’s a vital component that transforms an ordinary pork tenderloin into something extraordinary. Pork tenderloin is a notoriously lean cut, which can sometimes lead to dry results if not cooked carefully. Wrapping it in bacon serves a dual purpose: it infuses the pork with an irresistible smoky, salty flavor, and perhaps more importantly, the bacon fat renders during roasting, basting the tenderloin and ensuring it remains incredibly moist and juicy. As the bacon crisps up, it creates a delightful crust that locks in all the wonderful juices and aromas, providing a textural contrast that elevates every bite.

Aromatic Bliss: The Perfect Herb & Spice Blend

The heart of any porchetta lies in its aromatic seasoning, and this tenderloin version is no exception. A simple yet powerful blend of fresh garlic, fragrant rosemary, and earthy fennel seeds, combined with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, creates a rub that delivers profound Italian-inspired flavors. This vibrant mixture penetrates the meat, leaving it deeply flavored from the inside out. Each ingredient plays a crucial role: garlic adds a pungent sweetness, rosemary contributes its piney, herbaceous notes, and fennel seeds provide a subtle anise-like warmth that is characteristic of authentic porchetta.

From Traditional to Timely: The Porchetta Evolution

Traditional Italian porchetta is a celebratory dish, often involving an entire de-boned pig or a substantial portion of pork belly, rolled with an intricate herb mixture and slow-roasted for hours until the skin is crackling and the meat is fork-tender. While undeniably delicious, this method is a labor of love, demanding significant time and effort. This recipe, inspired by a feature in Bon Appétit’s special Roasts magazine, offers a brilliant shortcut by utilizing the humble pork tenderloin. It captures the essence of porchetta’s flavor profile and impressive presentation in a fraction of the time, making it achievable for home cooks on any day of the week.

Expert Tips for a Flawless Porchetta Pork Tenderloin

Achieving porchetta perfection is simpler than you might think. Follow these cook’s notes to ensure your dish turns out beautifully every time:

• Preparation Ahead: One of the beauties of this recipe is its flexibility. You can prepare the aromatic garlic and herb mixture in the morning, rub it generously over the pork tenderloin, and let it marinate in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook. This allows the flavors to truly meld and deepen, resulting in an even more delicious final product. Just be sure to bring the pork to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before roasting for more even cooking.
• Secure the Bacon: When wrapping the tenderloin with bacon, ensure the ends of the strips are neatly tucked underneath the meat. This prevents them from curling up or detaching during roasting, ensuring a beautifully crisp and even bacon crust across the entire tenderloin. If you find your bacon isn’t staying put, a few toothpicks can provide extra security, just remember to remove them before serving.
• Precision Cooking with a Thermometer: The key to tender, juicy pork tenderloin is not to overcook it. Use an instant-read thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the tenderloin. Aim for an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius). The pork will continue to cook slightly after it’s removed from the oven (carryover cooking), reaching its ideal doneness during the resting period. Starting to check around the 40-minute mark is a good practice.
• The All-Important Rest: After roasting, transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This crucial step allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring every slice is incredibly moist and flavorful. Skipping the rest can lead to a drier, less satisfying result.
• Quality Ingredients Matter: While the recipe is straightforward, the quality of your ingredients makes a noticeable difference. Opt for fresh rosemary and good quality olive oil. Freshly ground black pepper also adds a more robust flavor than pre-ground pepper.

Recipe: Porchetta Pork Tenderloin

This streamlined porchetta recipe brings incredible flavor to your table with minimal fuss. Perfect for impressing guests or simply treating yourself to a truly exceptional meal.

Porchetta Pork Tenderloin

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 4

This Porchetta Pork Tenderloin is easy enough for weeknight dinners, yet fancy enough for company! A perfect blend of simple ingredients and gourmet taste.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Resting Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 65 mins

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 heads garlic, halved crosswise
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbsp. fennel seeds, coarsely chopped
• 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 ½ lb. pork tenderloin
• 4 slices bacon

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius). In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, coarsely chopped rosemary, fennel seeds, kosher salt, and one tablespoon of olive oil. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. This aromatic mixture forms the heart of your porchetta flavor.
2. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels. Then, rub the prepared garlic and herb mixture thoroughly over the entire surface of the pork tenderloin, ensuring it’s evenly coated. In a large baking dish, lay the four sprigs of rosemary on the bottom, creating a fragrant bed for the pork. Place the seasoned tenderloin on top of the rosemary sprigs. Carefully wrap the four slices of bacon around the tenderloin, making sure to tuck the ends of the bacon slices firmly underneath the tenderloin to keep them secure during roasting. Arrange the halved garlic heads around the pork in the baking dish and drizzle them with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Roast the pork tenderloin in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of the meat, registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 degrees Celsius). This typically takes about 40-45 minutes. Begin checking the internal temperature around the 40-minute mark to prevent overcooking, which can dry out the tenderloin. Once cooked, transfer the porchetta pork tenderloin to a clean cutting board and let it rest undisturbed for 10 minutes. This resting period is crucial for the juices to redistribute, ensuring a tender and moist result. After resting, slice and serve immediately.

Nutrition Information (per serving)

(Approximate values based on a 4-serving yield)

• Calories: 174 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 3 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Fat: 16 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 14 mg
• Sodium: 864 mg
• Potassium: 90 mg
• Fiber: 1 g
• Vitamin A: 115 IU
• Vitamin C: 3.2 mg
• Calcium: 53 mg
• Iron: 1.2 mg

Cuisine: Italian

Course: Main Course

Perfect Pairings for Your Porchetta Pork Tenderloin

This Porchetta Pork Tenderloin is a star on its own, but it truly shines when paired with complementary side dishes. The original recipe creator suggests serving it with her delightful Roasted Smashed Potatoes and a rich, savory Creamed Spinach and Mushrooms. These pairings are fantastic choices, offering a comforting and flavorful balance to the tenderloin.

For additional serving ideas, consider:

• Roasted Root Vegetables: Carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes roasted with a hint of thyme or rosemary make a hearty and nutritious accompaniment.
• Garlic Parmesan Asparagus: Lightly blanched and then sautéed asparagus with garlic and Parmesan cheese adds a vibrant green and a fresh, slightly crisp texture.
• Simple Green Salad: A crisp mixed green salad with a light vinaigrette can cut through the richness of the pork and bacon, offering a refreshing contrast.
• Creamy Polenta: For an even more Italian-inspired meal, a bed of creamy polenta makes a wonderful base, soaking up all the delicious pan juices.

This is a deliciously easy meal that comes together in just about an hour of active time (plus resting!) and will undoubtedly wow your family or guests every time! Enjoy the simplicity and sophistication of this magnificent dish.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit Roasts Magazine.