Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin
What’s better than roasted pork? How about roasted pork wrapped in crisp bacon? I know. That’s kind of what I thought, too. (Pig x 2!).
This is so simple, but so delicious. (This is one of my favorite roast beasts, along with my Deli-Style Roast Beef.)
With most pigs bred as lean as they are these days, pork can dry out in the oven. One way around that? Why, cover it in a fattier part of the pig, so that the molten bacon fat bastes the roast as it cooks. Problem solved.
This pork roast is slathered in a handful of fresh, mashed garlic, enrobed in thick slices of bacon, sprinkled with freshly cracked pepper and rosemary, then roasted for just over an hour.
The result is mouthwateringly delicious. The bacon is crispy. The pork is juicy and fragrant with garlic. The whole thing was great and we ate entirely too much of it. And talk about a happy ending: The leftovers made killer sandwiches.
Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin: A note on meat
For the pork, note that I’m talking about a pork loin here—not a tenderloin, which is considerably smaller and thinner.
4-lb. pork loin
I also used a mix of regular bacon and Black Forest bacon that I found in the deli case at Whole Foods. Black Forest bacon is smokier, darker, and a little bit sweet. I’m in love with the stuff since I used it to make a smokey asparagus salad.
Regular bacon
Black Forest bacon from Whole Foods
Should I add any salt?
Whether you add any salt to the meat before roasting is up to you. Just keep in mind that the bacon will add quite a bit to the dish on its own.
What temperature should you cook pork to?
Good question. (And one with a few different answers.)
The USDA recommends that you cook pork to a minimum of 160 degrees. That said, some folks say that you can yank it out of the oven before then, like this maple-glazed pork roast that comes out of the oven at 135 degrees, then rests to 150 degrees.
Bottom line, cook your meat to the temperature that makes you comfortable. When in doubt, be sure you hit 160 degrees.
Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin
1 pork loin, about 4 lbs.
7 cloves garlic, mashed
7-8 slices bacon
kosher salt, optional
freshly cracked black pepper
2 tsp. rosemary
Serves 6-8
Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin: Prep the meat
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Line a sheet or roasting pan with foil and fit with a roasting rack. Set it aside.
Then mash up the garlic.
I use a garlic press to do this. You could also chop it up finely or slice it really super thin.
Set your pork roast down, fat-side up. Cover it with the mashed garlic.
With your hand, spread the garlic over the entire surface of the pork.
Sprinkle the pork with kosher salt, if you like. Then, starting at one end, lay the bacon across the top of the pork roast.
Overlap the slices slightly, as bacon shrinks as it cooks. I alternated slices of regular bacon and Black Forest bacon.
Tuck the ends of the bacon under the pork roast, so you have a neat little bacon-wrapped package.
Sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper.
Set the pork on your roasting rack, keeping the ends of the bacon tucked underneath the meat.
Sprinkle with rosemary. Dried or fresh, either will do. I used dried because that’s what I had in the house.
Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin: Roast the pork on high heat
Pop the pan into your pre-heated 450 degree oven and roast for 15 minutes.
Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin: Drop the heat to 375 and finish roasting
After 15 minutes, your roast should look about like this, with the bacon just starting to crisp up on the edges:
Drop the heat to 375 and continue to roast for another 50-60 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees on a meat thermometer. Your final roasting time will depend on the size and shape of your pork loin.
The bacon will crisp up nicely and look about like this:
Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin: Tent the roast
When your roast registers 150 degrees on a meat thermometer, yank the pan out of the oven. Tent a piece of foil over it for about 15 minutes. While the roast rests under the foil, the temperature should rise to 160 degrees.
Bacon & Garlic Encrusted Roast Pork Loin: Carve, serve & enjoy!
When your roast has rested and registers 160 degrees, transfer it to a serving platter. Carve it into thick slices and enjoy!
Related posts:
- Garlic & Ginger Encrusted Rack of Pork This post could also be titled: How to Find An...
- Garlic-Studded Sirloin Roast with Chili Pepper Crust Since prepping for Bon Appetit, I've been positively swimming in...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
25 Comments
I love pork but I use turkey bacon,would this work?
Ya know, I’ve never tried turkey bacon, if you can believe it. I’m going to pick some up, since I always hear so much about it. If it’s super low-fat, it might not do a fabulous job of keeping the roast moist. That said, let me know if you give it a shot before I do?
+Jessie
this looks awesome
I am a fan of bacon but I often use turkey bacon which tastes just as good!
Another vote for turkey bacon!
*trots off to the store*
+Jessie
Looks heavenly! I love the way you think!
Wheeee! Thanks so much!
+Jessie
Oh i am so hungry now!!! It looks beautifully crispy :O
Hehe, thanks, Chris! It was super crispy. Definitely try that Black Forest bacon if you can get your paws on it.
+Jessie
Hey Jessie! This looks great. I used up my last loin on Sunday, but my family will love me if I make this soon. Everything’s better with bacon!
Thanks, Zena, honey.
Totally agree…everything’s better with bacon. Yum.
+Jessie
OH MY GOD!
This is totally dinner on Sunday… amazing!
Ha! Thanks, Mara. Let me know how you like it!
+Jessie
Oh. Wow. WOW. Want. That looks so frigging good.
Thanks, Bob!
+Jessie
Jessie I am so impressed..tender…really splendid wowwww!
Thanks so much, Gera! It was really yummy (and so easy to make!).
+Jessie
What a great recipe! I have been roasting chicken with bacon for some time, never thought to add it to pork. Great blog in general, can’t believe I’ve never been here before. Thank you and hello from a ‘neighbor’ in NH.
Thanks so much, Chris! And thanks for stopping by! So nice to hear from somebody close by.
Mmmm, chicken + bacon = so good, too.
+Jessie
Hi!
I loved your recipe, but took it a step further and had great results.
I did a bacon weave, (so that the bacon would be tight). Did the garlic, and added a layer of sliced provalone. Then cooked it on the outdoor grill (closed at 350F) for 1 hour.
Very tasty. Thanks for the inspiration! Would never have thought of wrapping this “beast” in bacon!
Made this as my first dinner i’ve made on my own. I loved it,my dad did..but my mom stomped on my high hopes by feeding her piece to the dog..
it was very good though,and very tender!
I followed your recipe, but added a few of my own twists. Instead of useing kosher salt I used a little less of Sea Salt, and I slit the roast down the middle, about an inch length wise, opened it up as if to stuff it, pilled the slit with minced garlic, salt, pepper, and a little squirt of seseame oil. Then i spred remaining garlic on roast, wrapped with bacon, brushed a little more seseame oil over the bacon, crushed up a little more pepper corn with some oregano, sprinkled that ontop and finished it off with a light dusting of Mild Smoked Spanish Paprika. Just to bring out the smoke in the bacon. Try this variation and let me know what you think. Ty for posting this recipe I have been looking for a good Pork Loin recipe, and it was very simple too.
Hi, Jesse,
I have to cook 4- 7# pork loins for a benefit golf outing. Can you suggest a nice sauce to serve over the pork loin roasts. Also, I saw a recipe site that called for cooking at 450 for 15 mins. then lowering to 250 and continuing to back until temp reaches 150 and tenting until 160. How long should it take to finish to cook each loin at the 250 degrees suggested?
Thanks.
Hi, Jesse,
I have to cook 4- 7# pork loins for a benefit golf outing. Can you suggest a nice sauce to serve over the pork loin roasts.
I made this the other night, and it turned out grreat!!
I used a smaller size pork loin, and didn’t have any rosemary, but it still turned out delicious
I’m going to have to try to make this when I have guests over!!