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As the days get longer and the weather warms up, there is no better reason to fire up the grill and bring family and friends together. Cooking over a live fire has a way of turning a standard meal into an event, and this recipe for Bourbon Glazed Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin on the Big Green Egg is designed to be the ultimate centerpiece for your next gathering.
At the heart of this dish is the pork loin, a lean and incredibly versatile cut that serves as a perfect canvas for bold flavors. To elevate it, we are wrapping the entire loin in a woven blanket of bacon and finishing it with a rich, sticky Bourbon BBQ Sauce. The bacon acts as a self-basting layer, keeping the lean pork succulent while the Big Green Egg infuses it with a deep, smoky aroma.
The best part? This entire cook takes less than two hours, giving you more time to spend with your guests and less time hovering over the vents. So, find a shady spot, grab an ice-cold Arnold Palmer, and let’s get to work on this Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin.
Table of Contents
- Step 1: The Prep — Trimming for Perfection
- Step 2: The Architecture — Making the Bacon Weave
- Step 3: The Smoke — Setting Up the Big Green Egg
- Step 4: The Glaze — Color, Crunch, and Bourbon Flavor
- Step 5: The Final Rest — Locking in the Flavor
- Bourbon Glazed Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin on the Big Green Egg Recipe
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Step 1: The Prep — Trimming for Perfection
The pork loin is a muscle-dense cut, and while it is naturally lean, it often comes with a layer of silver skin and a thin fat cap. Before we start building our bacon weave, we need to clean up the exterior of the meat.
Why Trimming Matters
Silver skin is a tough, connective tissue that does not break down during the cooking process. If you leave it on, it can act as a barrier, preventing your BBQ rub from penetrating the meat and causing the bacon to slide off rather than adhere.
The Technique
- The Silver Skin: Using a sharp boning knife or a utility knife, slide the tip just under the silver skin. Tilt the blade slightly upward and run it along the length of the loin. Try to take off as little of the actual meat as possible.
- The Fat Cap: While a little fat is usually good for flavor, we are about to wrap this entire roast in bacon (which is mostly fat). You can safely trim away any thick, hard fat deposits from the surface. This ensures that the bacon fat renders directly into the muscle fibers of the loin.
Once your pork loin is trimmed and smooth, it is ready to be seasoned.
Step 2: The Architecture — Making the Bacon Weave
This is where the magic happens. A bacon weave isn’t just for social media photos; it creates a consistent, interlocking layer of fat that basts the pork loin as it smokes. You will need a full package of bacon, usually 14 slices, to get the job done for a standard loin.
Constructing the Weave
- The Foundation: Lay a piece of parchment paper on your counter. Place 7 slices of bacon vertically, side-by-side, so they are touching.
- The Over-Under: Fold back every other vertical slice (slices 1, 3, 5, and 7) about halfway up.
- The First Cross: Lay one horizontal slice of bacon across the vertical ones that are still lying flat.
- The Lock: Unfold the vertical slices back over that horizontal piece. Now, fold back the vertical slices that were underneath (2, 4, and 6).
- Repeat: Place another horizontal slice down and unfold the vertical pieces. Continue this alternating pattern until you have used all 14 slices and created a beautiful, square bacon mat.
Wrapping the Loin
Now that your weave is complete, it is time to encase the pork:
- Season the Loin: Before wrapping, apply your BBQ rub generously to all sides of the trimmed pork loin.
- The Roll: Place the seasoned loin in the center of your bacon weave.
- The Enclosure: Use the parchment paper to help you lift the sides of the weave and pull them snugly around the pork. The goal is to have the “seam” of the bacon on the bottom so it stays secure during the cook.
Step 3: The Smoke — Setting Up the Big Green Egg
Now that the roast is prepped, it is time to transform your Big Green Egg into a world-class smokehouse. For a bacon-wrapped loin, we want a steady, low-and-slow environment to ensure the pork stays tender while the bacon begins to render its flavor into the meat.
The Indirect Configuration
- The Setup: Install your ConvEGGtor (legs up) to create an indirect heat environment. This protects the lean pork from the direct fire below, acting more like a convection oven.
- The Temperature: Light your lump charcoal and stabilize the dome temperature at 250°F. This lower temperature is key for the first half of the cook, as it allows the smoke to deeply penetrate the bacon and the pork before the exterior sets.
Wood Choice and Clean Smoke
- Selection: Add 3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the lit coals. For this recipe, I highly recommend Apple or Pecan. Apple provides a sweet, mellow finish that complements the bourbon glaze, while Pecan adds a rich, nutty depth that stands up well to the bacon.
- The Wait: Before you put the meat on, wait for the smoke to “run clean.” You are looking for a thin, wispy blue smoke rather than thick, billowing white clouds. Clean smoke provides a pleasant aroma without the bitter aftertaste of creosote.
The Initial Cook
Once the smoke is dialed in, place the bacon-wrapped pork loin on the center of the grate. Close the lid and let the Big Green Egg work its magic.
Step 4: The Glaze — Color, Crunch, and Bourbon Flavor
After the pork loin has spent its first hour in the smoke, it is time to shift from “infusing” to “finishing.” This two-stage temperature approach is the secret to getting that bacon perfectly rendered and the glaze tacky and sweet.
Stage 1: The Undisturbed Smoke
Let the pork loin cook for one hour at 250°F undisturbed. During this time, the bacon will begin to tighten around the loin, and the smoke will work its way through the weave. Resist the urge to open the lid; keeping the heat steady is vital for an even start.
Stage 2: The Bump and Glaze
At the 1-hour mark, it is time to dial up the intensity:
- The Temperature Bump: Open your vents slightly to bring the Big Green Egg up to 325°F. This increase in heat is what transforms the bacon from soft to rendered and slightly crisp.
- The Glaze: Once the temperature rises, generously brush the entire exterior of the bacon weave with my Bourbon BBQ Sauce. The sugars in the sauce will begin to caramelize against the saltiness of the bacon, creating a deep mahogany crust.
The Finish Line
Let the loin cook for another 30 minutes (or until finished). You are looking for a final internal temperature of 145°F in the thickest part of the meat.
Expert Tip: Start checking with your ThermoPop about 15 minutes after you glaze. Pork loin can cook quickly once the temp hits 325°F, and we want to pull it exactly at 145°F to ensure it stays juicy.
Step 5: The Final Rest — Locking in the Flavor
As tempting as it is to slice into that glazed, crispy masterpiece the moment it leaves the Big Green Egg, patience is your best friend here.
The Science of the Rest
Let the bacon wrapped pork loin rest for 10 minutes before you even think about picking up a knife. During the cook, the heat pushes the juices toward the center of the roast. Resting allows those juices to redistribute throughout the meat. If you slice it too soon, all that moisture (and the flavor from the bourbon glaze) will run out onto your cutting board, leaving you with a dry loin.
How to Slice
To keep your hard work looking professional, use a long, sharp carving knife.
- The Technique: Slice the loin into thick rounds, about 1 inch each.
- The Result: By using a sharp blade and a steady hand, you will cut right through the bacon weave without it pulling away from the meat. Each guest should get a perfect “pinwheel” of juicy pork encircled by a ring of smoky, bourbon-glazed bacon.
Serving Suggestions
This roast is a complete flavor powerhouse on its own, but it pairs beautifully with grilled seasonal vegetables or a classic mashed potato. The sweetness of the bourbon and the saltiness of the bacon create a profile that is both sophisticated and incredibly satisfying.
Whether it is a holiday meal or a weekend gathering, this is a dish that proves how versatile and delicious pork can be when cooked over live fire.
Bourbon Glazed Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin on the Big Green Egg
Ingredients
- 4 lbs Pork Loin
- 1 package bacon, 14 slices
- 4 tbsp BBQ rub
- 1/2 cup of Bourbon BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Prep: Trim the silver skin and extra fat from the pork loin and apply a generous coating of BBQ rub to all sides.
- Weave: Using 14 slices of bacon, create an interlocking bacon weave on parchment paper and wrap it snugly around the seasoned loin.
- Setup: Set up your Big Green Egg for indirect cooking, preheat to 250°F, and add 3 chunks of smoking wood to the lit coals.
- Smoke: Place the loin inside and cook undisturbed for one hour at 250°F while the smoke runs clean.
- Glaze: Bump the temperature to 325°F, apply the Bourbon BBQ Sauce to the exterior, and cook for 30 minutes until the internal temperature hits 145°F.
- Rest: Let the bacon wrapped pork loin rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thick rounds and serving.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
