We had the traditional turkey, but for fun, I also decided to make a bacon wrapped pork tenderloin. It was super easy and very delicious. The key to a great pork tenderloin is to buy one that is minimally processed. I'm only aware of one brand and one store near where I live. All of the other brands are injected with some kind of solution, or pre-marinated.
The ingredients are:
- Minimally processed pork tenderloin, any size (mine was 1.36 lbs)
- 2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly toasted
- 2 tsp course salt (I used Kosher)
- Generous pinch of black pepper
- Uncooked bacon (I used six slices of uncured pepper bacon)
- 3 garlic cloves made into a paste
- 1 tsp dried rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried sage, finely chopped
- Pinch of crushed red pepper
Except for the bacon and tenderloin, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Rub the tenderloin with the mixture. Lightly cover the tenderloin with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least six hours.
Take the tenderloin out of the refrigerator one hour before you plan on cooking it. Just before putting the tenderloin in the oven, wrap it with the bacon. The bacon should slightly overlap. Put the tenderloin in a preheated 350 degree with the fat side up. I used a roasting rack.
Bake until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. My roast took about an hour, but my mother-in-law kept opening the oven door. Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for 10 - 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Right out of the oven:
I added an apple garnish before serving:
