This Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin is juicy, tender, and wrapped in crisp thick-cut bacon with a tangy mustard, garlic, and herb coating. Cooked in the air fryer in about 30 minutes, it's an easy weeknight dinner that's special enough for Sunday.
Making bacon wrapped pork tenderloin in the air fryer is faster than the oven, and the moving hot air crisps the bacon without drying out the lean pork.
I've been making pork tenderloin for decades, and I make this one both ways. The air fryer is faster and almost foolproof, while our oven-baked bacon wrapped pork tenderloin is the one to make when you want extra-crispy bacon from a short trip under the broiler.
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin at a Glance
- 🧄 Flavor & Texture: Juicy pork, crisp thick-cut bacon, and a tangy mustard-herb coating.
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: Pork tenderloin, thick-cut bacon, mustard, garlic, scallion, and thyme.
- ⏱️ Total Time: About 50 minutes.
- 🍴 Servings: 4.
- 🔥 Air Fryer Temperature: 350°F, flipped at 15 minutes.
- 🌡️ Done At: Remove at 140°F in the thickest part. It reaches 145°F as it rests for 10 minutes.
- 🥗 Dietary Info: Gluten-free and dairy-free with suitable ingredients.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Mashed potatoes, salad, and vegetables.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Wrap up to 24 hours in advance.
- ❤️ Why You Will Love It: Quick, simple, and crisp without drying out the pork.
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Jump to:
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin at a Glance
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- How We Tested Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Ingredients
- How To Make Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Storage Directions
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- More Delicious Pork Tenderloin Recipes
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Quick Cooking: Dinner is on the table in about 50 minutes, with just 10 minutes of prep.
- Six Simple Ingredients: Bacon, tenderloin, mustard, thyme, scallion, and garlic.
- Juicy and Crisp: Crisp bacon outside, juicy lean pork inside.
How We Tested Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
- Bacon Thickness: Thick-cut bacon was perfect, crisping in the same time the pork cooked. Regular-cut was a failure, because the bacon burned before the pork was fully cooked.
- Cutting in Half: Cutting the tenderloin into a skinny half and a thick half let both pieces fit with air around them and finish more evenly.
- Spacing: Crowding the basket steamed the bacon, so leave space around each piece.
- Make-Ahead and Leftovers: Wrapping up to 24 hours ahead gave a slightly stronger flavor, and the bacon looked less neat but still crisped. Leftovers crisped better back in the air fryer than reheated covered in the oven.
Ingredients
You only need six simple ingredients for this tenderloin.
- Thick-Cut Bacon: Wraps the lean pork and crisps as it cooks. Smoked or peppered thick-cut bacon works too.
- Pork Tenderloin: One trimmed tenderloin, about 1¼ pounds.
- Mustard: Dijon, yellow, or grainy mustard (or a mix) makes a tangy coating that holds the herbs against the pork.
- Garlic, Scallion, and Thyme: Add savory, aromatic flavor. Oregano or basil can replace the thyme.
See the recipe card below for exact amounts and instructions.
How To Make Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
These four steps are all it takes for juicy pork and cooked, crisp bacon.
Step 1: Prep and Coat the Tenderloin. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Stir together the mustard, garlic, scallion, and thyme. Arrange the bacon in rows, touching, the length of the tenderloin. Place the tenderloin on the bacon and brush it with all of the mustard mixture, rolling it a little so the underside is coated too.
Step 2: Wrap and Cut. Wrap the bacon tightly around the tenderloin, being careful not to tear it so the coating stays in, and secure it with toothpicks or kitchen string. Cut the tenderloin in half.
Step 3: Air Fry and Flip. Place both halves in a single layer with space between them and air fry at 350°F for about 30 minutes. At 15 minutes, carefully flip each half with tongs. The thinner half finishes first, so remove it as soon as the thickest part reaches 140°F and the bacon is cooked, then keep cooking the thicker half until it reaches 140°F. Time varies with the size of the tenderloin and your air fryer, so go by temperature and check the thickest part of each half with an instant-read thermometer, without touching the bacon.
Step 4: Rest and Serve. Rest 10 minutes on a cutting board, then slice across the grain. The temperature rises to 145°F as it rests.
Storage Directions
Refrigerator: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze tightly wrapped portions for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Return halves or slices to the air fryer for a few minutes to re-crisp the bacon.
Make Ahead: Wrap up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate. Pat the bacon dry and let it stand about 20 minutes at room temperature before air frying.
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin FAQs
About 30 minutes at 350°F for a 1¼-pound tenderloin cut in half, flipping carefully with tongs at 15 minutes. The time varies with the tenderloin's size and your air fryer, so go by temperature instead of the clock.
Remove each half when the thickest part reaches 140°F. It rises to 145°F, the USDA's safe minimum for pork, as it rests for 10 minutes.
Thick-cut. In our tests, thick-cut crisped in the same time the pork cooked, while regular-cut burned before the pork was fully cooked. In the oven, regular-cut works better, as in our oven-baked bacon wrapped pork tenderloin.
Yes. If your tenderloin has a tough, silvery membrane, trim it away before coating. It doesn't soften during cooking and can make the pork chewy.
Serving Suggestions
Complete your dinner with simple sides.
- Mashed Potatoes: Our supreme mashed potato casserole is a rich, comforting match for the smoky bacon.
- Green Beans: Serve with our crockpot green beans for an easy vegetable side.
- Vegetables and Salad: Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or a simple garden salad all work well.
More Delicious Pork Tenderloin Recipes
For more pork tenderloin dinners, try these next.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 7-8 slices thick cut bacon
- 1 pork tenderloin trimmed, about 1 ¼ pounds
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard yellow, grainy or a combination
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves oregano or basil
- 1 scallion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Instructions
- Prep and Coat the Tenderloin. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Stir together the mustard, garlic, scallion, and thyme. Arrange the bacon in rows, touching, the length of the tenderloin. Place the tenderloin on the bacon and brush it with all of the mustard mixture, rolling it a little so the underside is coated too.
- Wrap and Cut. Wrap the bacon tightly around the tenderloin, being careful not to tear it so the coating stays in, and secure it with toothpicks or kitchen string. Cut the tenderloin in half.
- Air Fry and Flip. Place both halves in a single layer with space between them and air fry at 350°F for about 30 minutes. At 15 minutes, carefully flip each half with tongs. The thinner half finishes first, so remove it as soon as the thickest part reaches 140°F and the bacon is cooked, then keep cooking the thicker half until it reaches 140°F. Time varies with the size of the tenderloin and your air fryer, so go by temperature and check the thickest part of each half with an instant-read thermometer, without touching the bacon.
- Rest and Serve. Rest 10 minutes on a cutting board, then slice across the grain. The temperature rises to 145°F as it rests.
Video
Notes
- Bacon: Use thick-cut only. Regular-cut burns before the pork cooks.
- Timing: Flip carefully with tongs at 15 minutes.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze 2-3 months.
- Maple Garlic Variation: Mix 1½ tablespoons maple syrup, 1½ teaspoons thyme, and 1½ teaspoons garlic in place of the mustard mixture, and wrap each half in 2-3 slices of bacon. Air fry at 350°F for 30 minutes, flipping halfway, and pull at 140-145°F. Brush with maple only in the last 2-3 minutes.
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