Bacon-Wrapped Cranberry Walnut Pork – Fancy, Not Fancy

It’s getting close to that time of the year when we spoil our guests by making them extra-fancy, labor-intensive, time-consuming meals. Or, we can make them something like this bacon-wrapped cranberry walnut pork tenderloin instead, which just seems like it would be all those things. Yes, the hardest thing about this gorgeous recipe is not spilling the beans about just how simple it was to do.

This is really more of a technique video, than a specific recipe, since you can fill it with whatever strikes your fancy, but as far as seasonally appropriate ingredients go, I loved how this came out. Beyond being able to adapt this to your tastes, another advantage is that we can prep it ahead of time, and just pop it into the oven when we’re ready to rock, and by “rock,” I mean impress our guests.  

One thing to be aware of is that pork tenderloins do vary a bit in size. The one shown here was on the smaller side, and weighed in at just about one pound. They’re generally closer to 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds, and if that’s the case for yours, be sure to add a little more roasting time, and double check things with a thermometer.

Also, if you’re going to be doing more than one, make sure you’re buying tenderloins that are all about the same weight. The butcher will be more than happy to weigh a few, and get you what you need. Other than that, not much can go wrong, except of course, after a few glasses of wine you admit how simple and easy this really was. Either way, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 smaller portions:

1 trimmed pork tenderloin (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)

salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne to taste

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 or 2 teaspoons freshly minced rosemary

 1 or 2 teaspoons finely sliced fresh sage leaves

1 tablespoon bread crumbs, or enough to lightly coat surface

1/4 cup chopped, lightly toasted walnuts, or as much as you like

1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries, or as much as you like

4 strips thinly sliced bacon, or enough to wrap the pork

- Roast at 450 F. for 25-30 minutes or until the bacon is browned, and you’ve reached an internal temp of at least 145 F.

For the pan sauce:

2/3 cup white wine

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons cold butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

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