Garlic and Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

I commend those whom have the willpower to be vegan.  I do try to have my meatless days, but I love meat too much to totally give it up.  I'll be moving back to Kentucky soon, and one of the things I'm going to miss is the Farmer's Market.  In addition to the various produce, baked goods, and plants there are also a few vendors that sell meat.  We managed to snag a couple of amazing looking pork tenderloins for a really nice price, so I had to come up with something good.  Luckily I had bookmarked this recipe from a site that's devoted to recipes for pork tenderloins.

This recipe may seem like a bit of a piggy overload for some people, but it doesn't come across as such in the taste.  The meat was super tender, juicy, and the flavor was so good.

Garlic and Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 1 Pork Tenderloin - I used a one pound tenderloin, but you can use a two pounder
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 tsp ground thyme
• 1 tsp Greek Herb Blend seasoning
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 4 to 8 slices of bacon (enough to completely wrap the tenderloin)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Place pork tenderloin in a roasting pan and set to the side.
2. Combine garlic, thyme, herb blend, sugar, pepper, and liquid smoke in a small bowl.
3. Mix the honey and vinegar in a separate bowl and set aside.
4. Rub the mixed seasonings all over the pork tenderloin coating it well.
5. Wrap the tenderloin completely in bacon.  I laid one slice of bacon down the length of the tenderloin, and then wrapped the others around it in a slightly diagonal wrap.
6. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and brush the surface with the honey vinegar mixture.  Continue roasting another 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
7. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes.  Slice and serve.

Servings vary according to tenderloin size and weight.