Since the weather hasn’t cooled like I had hoped (as well as the rest of you had hoped), I normally would be posting some soups by now. I kinda jump the gun on soup-making by whipping up a bowl often in August. Since I don’t like pumpkin spice anything, it’s my only connection to fall. But alas, no soup. Instead I have a recipe that has bacon (yay) and sugar (double yay), so you know this is delicious.

Bacon-Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin

INGREDIENTS

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 TB. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. smoked or regular paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 – 6 slices bacon
1 TB. canola oil (or other neutral high-heat oil)
1/4 cup Major Grey’s Chutney
2 TB. whole grain or Dijon mustard

DIRECTIONS

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Using a sharp knife, remove the silverskin (the silvery-white connective tissue running along the top) from the pork tenderloin. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels and set aside.
Combine the brown sugar, salt, paprika, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub all of the mixture into the pork tenderloin. Wrap the tenderloin with the strips of bacon, securing along the sides with toothpicks.
Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet, or other oven-proof skillet, over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the bacon-wrapped tenderloin and sear undisturbed until deep caramel brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip the tenderloin and sear until the other side is browned.
Mix the chutney and mustard in a small bowl and brush generously over the top of the tenderloin. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook the tenderloin until the center registers 140°F, 10 to 14 minutes.
Remove from the oven, loosely tent with aluminum foil, and set aside to rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the tenderloin to finish cooking and for the juices to redistribute into the meat. Remove the toothpicks and cut crosswise into 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick slices. Serve with any leftover chutney on the side.