In case you haven’t noticed, I like the concept of the “one dish recipe” where the main course (and sometimes the entire meal) is prepared in a single pan, be that a skillet, slow cooker, Instant Pot, or casserole dish (I’d add Dutch oven to the list, but I don’t have one… yet). But, some recipes call for cooking part of it on the stovetop, then transferring it to the oven to finish. That’s not easy to do when you’re using a regular skillet or cookpot, as they’re not designed to go into the oven. The only such cookware I know of that can be used that way is made of cast iron.
I do have a pair of cast iron skillets… they’re enameled, but they still do the job. So when I came across this recipe, I thought “why not?” Plus, it’s been a while since I’ve used the iron skillets, so it was good to break them out and put them to work again.
This dish is a little different take. It seems a little strange wrapping a pork tenderloin in bacon, but it does a great job of helping to hold the brown sugar glaze on while it’s cooking. And as several of my friends have said many times, you can never have enough bacon… 🙂 And the chutney/mustard glaze adds an extra tangy zip. I did run into a small problem with part of the instructions, which I’ll note on the recipe card.
Adapted from The Kitchn
Bacon-Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Description
Pork tenderloin seasoned with a brown sugar rub and then wrapped in bacon, then cooked with a chutney glaze. Pork wrapped in pork? It works!
Adapted from The Kitchn
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove the silverskin from the tenderloin and discard.
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In a small bowl combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, and cayenne pepper and stir to mix thoroughly. Spread the brown sugar mixture (rub) on all sides of the tenderloin to make an even coating.
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Wrap the bacon strips around the tenderloin and hold in place using toothpicks pushed in along the sides.
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Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the tenderloin in the pan and sear both sides for 4-6 minutes each or until the bacon is a deep caramel brown. Adjust heat and time if necessary to prevent burning.
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In a small bowl, combine the chutney and Dijon mustard and mix thoroughly. Brush the mixture over the top of the tenderloin, then place uncovered in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140 F.
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Remove the skillet from the oven and cover with a tent of aluminum foil to retain heat. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 434kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 19.4g30%
- Saturated Fat 5.6g28%
- Cholesterol 114mg38%
- Sodium 1084mg46%
- Potassium 661mg19%
- Total Carbohydrate 20.8g7%
- Dietary Fiber 0.1g1%
- Sugars 18.7g
- Protein 40.3g81%
- Calcium 19 mg
- Iron 2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Notes
- In the original recipe, the instructions called for searing the tenderloin for 6-8 minutes per side; depending on the stove temperature and bacon thickness, this could overcook or char the bacon. I've adjusted the time slightly to reduce the chance of this, and caution to monitor closely to ensure it doesn't overcook.
- "Chutney" is a blend of fruits or vegetables, vinegar, sugar, and spices that is popular in India and the surrounding region (it is similar in many respects to fruit jams or vegetable relishes). Major Grey's is a specific type of chutney that uses mangoes, raisins, vinegar, lime juice, onion, tamarind, a sweetener (usually sugar) and mild spices. If Major Grey's is not available, any other mild mango chutney can be used.
