Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin (1.25–1.5 lb / 565–680 g), trimmed
- 8 slices center-cut bacon
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 cups 1/2-inch bread cubes (about 120 g)
- 1 medium apple, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (42 g)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage; 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock (for stuffing)
- 3/4 cup apple cider (not vinegar)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock (for gravy)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (beurre manié)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (optional)
Do This
- 1) Heat oven to 400°F (204°C). Sauté onion, celery, and apple in butter 6–7 minutes; add garlic 30 seconds. Toss with bread, sage, parsley, 1/2 cup stock; season.
- 2) Butterfly tenderloin; pound to 3/4-inch thickness. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- 3) Spread stuffing (leave 1-inch border); roll tightly and tie with twine every 1.5 inches.
- 4) Wrap with bacon, overlapping slightly. Sear in an oven-safe skillet with 1 tsp oil, 3–4 minutes per side, until bacon begins to render.
- 5) Roast 18–25 minutes to 145°F (63°C) in the center. Rest 10 minutes on a board.
- 6) Make gravy in the same pan: add cider and 1/2 cup stock; simmer and scrape. Whisk in beurre manié; cook 3–5 minutes. Stir in Dijon, vinegar, and cream (optional). Season.
- 7) Slice 1-inch rounds; spoon over cider gravy; garnish with sage or parsley.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic comfort flavors: savory sage, sweet apple, and smoky bacon in every slice.
- Show-stopping centerpiece that is surprisingly doable on a weeknight.
- Juicy pork protected by a bacon wrap so it stays tender and moist.
- A quick, glossy apple-cider pan gravy ties everything together in minutes.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 medium apple, 2 celery ribs, 1 small yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, fresh sage, fresh parsley
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, heavy cream (optional)
- Pantry: Pork tenderloin, bacon, bread (for cubes), low-sodium chicken stock, apple cider (not vinegar), Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, all-purpose flour, olive or neutral oil, kosher salt, black pepper, kitchen twine
Full Ingredients
Pork and Bacon Wrap
- 1 pork tenderloin, trimmed (1.25–1.5 lb / 565–680 g)
- 8 slices center-cut bacon (thin or regular cut)
- 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 1 tsp olive or neutral oil (for searing)
Apple–Celery–Sage Stuffing
- 2 cups 1/2-inch bread cubes (about 120 g; day-old is best)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (42 g)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 medium crisp apple (e.g., Honeycrisp), finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock (120 ml), plus 1–2 tbsp more if needed
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Quick Apple-Cider Pan Gravy
- 3/4 cup apple cider (180 ml; not vinegar)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock (120 ml)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter (14 g), softened
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (8 g)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (optional, for silkiness)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
For Serving
- Extra chopped parsley or sage
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and set up
Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) with a rack in the center. Gather an oven-safe 12-inch skillet (cast iron or stainless steel), kitchen twine, and an instant-read thermometer. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels.
Step 2: Make the aromatic stuffing
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tbsp butter. Add the onion and celery with a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5–6 minutes. Stir in the diced apple and cook 1–2 minutes more until just tender. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Off the heat, stir in the bread cubes, chopped sage, and parsley. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken stock and toss until the bread is evenly moistened but not soggy; add 1–2 tbsp more stock only if needed. Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Set aside to cool slightly while you prep the pork.
Step 3: Butterfly and season the tenderloin
Trim any silverskin from the tenderloin. Lay it on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice lengthwise down the center, stopping about 1/2 inch from cutting all the way through. Open the meat like a book. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap and gently pound to an even 3/4-inch thickness. Season both sides with about 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Step 4: Stuff, roll, tie, and wrap with bacon
Spread the stuffing evenly over the pork, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Starting from a long side, roll the meat up tightly into a log, keeping the filling inside. Tie with kitchen twine at 1.5-inch intervals to secure.
Lay the bacon slices slightly overlapping on your board to form a sheet about the length of the pork. Place the pork log seam-side down on the bacon and wrap the bacon around, tucking the ends underneath. If needed, secure the bacon with a few toothpicks (remember to remove them before slicing).
Step 5: Sear to jump-start the bacon
Heat 1 tsp oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon-wrapped pork seam-side down and sear 3–4 minutes until the bacon starts to render and take on color. Roll and sear the other sides, 6–8 minutes total, until the bacon looks lightly browned.
Step 6: Roast to juicy perfection
Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast 18–25 minutes, until the center of the pork registers 145°F (63°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Timing varies with thickness; begin checking at 18 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and rest 10 minutes.
Step 7: Make the quick apple-cider pan gravy
While the pork rests, pour off excess fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tbsp. Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the apple cider and 1/2 cup stock; bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits. In a small bowl, mash 1 tbsp softened butter with 1 tbsp flour to make a paste (beurre manié). Whisk it into the simmering liquid and cook 3–5 minutes, until glossy and thickened enough to lightly coat a spoon.
Whisk in the Dijon and cider vinegar. Stir in the heavy cream, if using. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Step 8: Slice and serve
Remove twine (and any toothpicks). Slice into 1-inch rounds. Arrange on a warm platter, spoon over the apple-cider gravy, and garnish with chopped parsley or sage. Serve hot.
Pro Tips
- Moist, not soggy stuffing: Add stock just until the bread holds together when pressed—extra liquid will squeeze out during rolling.
- Chill for clean slices: After tying and wrapping, a quick 10-minute chill in the fridge helps the roll firm up, making it easier to sear and slice.
- Use thin or center-cut bacon: It renders faster and crisps more evenly without overcooking the pork.
- Thermometer placement: Insert the probe into the thickest part through the side, aiming for the pork (not just the stuffing) for an accurate 145°F (63°C).
- Extra-crisp bacon finish: Broil for 1–2 minutes at the end, watching closely.
Variations
- Cranberry–Pecan: Add 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans and 2 tbsp dried cranberries to the stuffing. Reduce apple by 1/4 cup.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free bread and thicken the gravy with a slurry of 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water instead of flour.
- Maple-Mustard Glaze: Brush the bacon with 1 tbsp maple syrup mixed with 1 tsp Dijon during the last 5 minutes of roasting.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Stuffing can be made up to 2 days ahead; refrigerate covered. Assemble the stuffed, tied, and bacon-wrapped tenderloin up to 24 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 5 minutes if needed. Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated or up to 2 months frozen (slice before freezing for easier reheating). Reheat covered at 325°F (163°C) with a splash of stock 10–15 minutes, or microwave gently. Re-crisp bacon under the broiler for 1 minute, if desired. Reheat gravy over low heat with a splash of stock.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate per serving (1/6 of recipe): 410 calories; 32 g protein; 20 g fat; 20 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 870 mg sodium.
