Braided Honey Miso Pork Tenderloin

Braiding bacon-wrapped tenderloin is such a succulent way to prepare pork. A simple honey miso sauce adds umami, sweetness and kick, while herbs and garlic lend aromatic flavors. The garlic cloves just melt and sweeten after baking. This is actually simpler to do than it might look. Give it a try.

1 large pork Tenderloin

6 slices bacon

1 Tbsp olive oil plus 2 Tbsp butter

4-5 cloves garlic

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 sprigs fresh thyme

A few fresh sage leaves

Sauce:

1 Tbsp golden miso

1 Tbsp honey

1 tsp favorite hot sauce (to taste)

Preheat oven to 375F. Whisk sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

Slice the tenderloin in half lengthwise (cut so the two halves will be as wide as possible). Then slice each half into thirds, lengthwise, to form six long braids.

Lay three strips of bacon down on a flat surface. Top each slice with a braid of pork tenderloin. Secure one end of the three braids with kitchen twine.

Now braid the three lengths of tenderloin. Secure the other end with kitchen twine.

Heat an oven-going skillet - I used a cast iron skillet. Melt the oil in the butter in the skillet. Add the pork braids, bacon-side down. Cook for two minutes. Shake and baste often.

Flip the pork and add the herbs and garlic about the pan. Distribute sauce evenly onto the two braids.

Cook another two minutes. Cover pan (with lid or foil).

Place pork in oven and cook until pork is at least 140F. Remove from oven and allow tenderloins to rest 5-10 minutes.

Serves 4.

Cook's Notes: I use Japanese red miso, but I'm sure you could use whatever miso you might have. If you don't have miso, soy sauce would be the next best substitute after perhaps, gochujang paste.

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