Roasted Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin

This is part 3 of the Post Project Food Blog - What's Next? Series. Other posts in this series: Why Boston Rescue Mission, Boston Rescue Mission: Sunday Community Dinner

This bacon wrapped oven roasted pork loin is the home version of a dish that I make (with lots of help, of course!) for > 100 people at the Boston Rescue Mission during their Sunday Community Dinner.

The nice thing about making just a single serving at home (as opposed to making 10 times the amount in commercial ovens), is that I can actually cook the pork a lot less (compared to at the shelter, where we essentially have to cook everything well done). Here, I decided to cook it to a perfect medium, just slightly pink in the middle.

It was juicy, tender, and absolutely fantastic.

Why, if given the choice, would anyone cook pork any more than this?

First, rub minced garlic, salt, and pepper all over the pork loin.
Wrap bacon around the loin so that every inch is covered. You may want to experiment and use different kinds of bacon if you wish (e.g., maple bacon, or black forest?).
Sprinkle with crushed fresh (if possible) rosemary leaves.
Bake in the oven at high heat (450 °F) for 15 minutes to crisp up the bacon. Then reduce heat to 375 °F and cook for another hour or so (until internal temperature reaches something with which you are comfortable. I was pretty risky and I think I took it out even before it reached 150°F internal temperature).

Let rest for about 10-15 minutes.

Slice and enjoy! Bryan loves slightly undercooked meat, so he was thrilled with the results. This pork loin is juicy, tender, yet flavorful especially due to the bacon, garlic, and rosemary.


Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin
Adapted from The Hungry Mouse
Serves 6-8

1 pork loin, about 4 lbs.
7 cloves garlic, mashed
7-8 slices bacon
kosher salt
optional freshly cracked black pepper
2 tsp. rosemary

1. Rub the pork loin all over with minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

2. Wrap bacon slices around the pork loin until completely covered.

3. Sprinkle the loin with crushed fresh (if possible) rosemary leaves.

4. Bake in the oven at high heat (450 °F) for 15 minutes to crisp up the bacon. Then reduce heat to 375 °F and cook for another hour or so (until internal temperature reaches 150°C.

5. Tent with foil and let rest for about 10-15 minutes.

6. Slice and enjoy!