Grilled Pork Wrapped in Bacon Tacos

There is no time for howdy’s today, I am toooooooo excited to share with you my odd, off the wall dinner, that has me spinning.  First let me paint a picture for you.  Picture this, Northern California, 2013, 5:00pm, 90 degrees, sun beating down on you and there is a smell in the air, a familiar smell.  You look around to make sure you are a lone, as you take that smell, oh that wonderful smell.  What is it?  Is someone making breakfast?  Is it eggs, toast and ahhhh yes bacon!!  BACON!!  As I wallowed in the smell, I looked around and what did I see?  Thankfully no neighborhood cats, but two bad dogs with their nose in the air.  Ahhh yes bacon, why does it smell so good?  Why do we all want it?  I’m not even a bacon person, and I had to have some!!

I did not make this dinner for me, it was requested by my Husband.  After a lot of thought, I figured, why not?  So I took my pork tenderloin and wrapped it in Trader Joe’s Smoked Applewood Bacon and smothered it in Trader Joe’s Steak Sauce.  I wanted to use barbecue sauce, but my Husband didn’t want it that way.  Fine!  We actually tried the pork with the steak sauce last week and we loved it, so I figured I would do it on pork again.  It turned out perfect!!

There are two main things to bacon wrapped pork.  The first thing I did was heat the whole grill, then turn off the burner where I was putting my pork.  If your cooking  bacon on the grill, don’t put it directly over the flame, it will flare up and burn your meat and not cook the inside.  If you’re using coals, once the coals are hot move them to one side of the grill.  Second thing is to put toothpicks in the bacon to keep it secure.  I didn’t do that at first and the bacon started to unravel.  For making the pork, I only used two slices of the bacon.  I spiral wrapped it around the tenderloin.  You could always use more bacon, and I am sure my Husband would have loved for me to do that, but I didn’t want to add 800 additional calories to the dish.  Funny wrapping pork with pork!  Just thought of that.  Anyway, here is what the pork looked like when I took it straight off the grill.  Not a pretty picture, but it is what it is.

I have to tell you I was pretty impressed with the meat.  It was tender and not chewy at all.  Made for easy biting.  I didn’t need to force any cutting with the knife, it cut like a dream.  Plus the best part is because I cooked it wrapped in bacon, the whole tenderloin tasted of bacon, even if you didn’t get a piece of bacon.   I think???  That’s better for my waistline??

I made tacos for myself, but my Husband ate his plain, he’s boring!!  I made a fabulous sweet, slightly spicy mango and cabbage slaw to go over the top of my pork tacos.  The cabbage added a wonderful crunch.  But because I am so dramatic when it comes to tacos, I also added some barbecue sauce, hot sauce and an avocado.  I was in heaven.  My Husband wasn’t home, but I sent him a text and told him “OMG”, this is one of the best dinners ever!  He said he was rushing home to get his dinner.  I wasn’t kidding when I told him that too.  I was amazed that the combination of pork, bacon, cabbage, mango and BBQ sauce went together so well.  This was the first time I ever had a pork taco and it sure won’t be my last!!!

Grilled Pork Wrapped in Bacon Tacos

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 8 tacos

• Serving size: 2 tacos

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  30 mins

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A tender, juicy pork tenderloin, covered in crispy bacon placed on top of a tortilla with a sweet and spicy mango cabbage slaw.

Ingredients

• 8 corn tortilla shells or flour (I used Mission 50 calories white corn tortilla)
• For Grilled Pork
• 1 lbs. pork tenderloin
• 2 sliced apple wood smoked bacon
• 1 tbsp. Trader Joe's Steak Sauce or BBQ Sauce
• Cabbage Slaw:
• 2 cups cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup mango, diced
• ¼ cup cilantro, sliced thin
• ½ jalapeno, seeded, diced small
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• pinch of sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• Optional toppings: BBQ sauce, hot sauce, Cojita Cheese and avocado.

Instructions

1. Grease olive oil over grill grates and turn on all the burners to medium heat. Once your ready to put the pork on the grill, turn off the burner that would be directly under the pork. You don't want the all your burners on, other wise the bacon will flare up and burn your meat. If using charcoal, when ready to cook your pork, push all the coals to one side.
2. Spiral wrap bacon around the tenderloin and spread steak sauce over pork. This holds the bacon in place, plus gives great flavor. Also you can secure the ends of the bacon with a toothpick.
3. Place pork on the grill on side without the flame. Cook rotating every five minutes until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. About 15-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile to make the cabbage slaw, add all cabbage slaw ingredients in a bowl; mix until incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Place tenderloin on a plate and cover with foil for about 5 - 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, if you chose, you can lightly heat up your tortilla shells by placing them on the grill for about 30 seconds or so and then flip. Just don't burn them.
7. Place 2 oz of pork on to each taco shell and top with Cabbage Slaw.

Notes

Calories for two tacos: 316, Fat: 9.7, Saturated Fat: 2.8, Cholesterol: 82, Sodium: 223, Potassium: 124, Carbs: 29, Fiber: 4.2, Sugar: 7.2, Protein: 29.1

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I am not kidding you, I LOVED these tacos!!  It’s amazing to what flavor combinations really go well together.  I always pictured pork and apples, but never pork, mango and cabbage.  Simply amazing!  I made myself happy and I made my Husband happy too!  This dinner was a win, win!!

I have to tell you, I am also soooooo excited for tomorrows recipe!  I think you will be surprised to what Fun Saturday has in store!

Have a wonderful weekend!  Now get out there and grill some BACON!!

Toodles,

Jennifer

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