Beef, Bacon Wrapped Recipe

Trim and bring to room temperature

Trim excess fat and silver skin from the beef roast, leaving a uniform shape for even cooking. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Let sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes before cooking (this helps it cook evenly).

Season the beef

In a small bowl combine kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and brown sugar (if using). Rub the olive oil evenly over the beef, then massage the dry seasoning all over the surface so the roast is evenly coated.

Wrap with bacon

Lay 5–6 bacon slices on a cutting board slightly overlapping to create a band long enough to wrap around the roast's circumference. If needed, slightly overlap additional slices to cover the roast. Place the roast at one edge of the bacon band and roll to wrap bacon around the roast. Secure ends tucked under the roast or use 2–3 toothpicks (metal skewers are better) to hold bacon in place. If bacon is shorter than roast length, lay strips lengthwise along roast and wrap so bacon covers top and sides evenly.

Preheat oven and sear

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Heat an oven-safe skillet (cast-iron preferred) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil is shimmering and just beginning to smoke, place bacon-wrapped roast seam-side down in skillet and sear 1–2 minutes until bacon begins to crisp and brown. Turn and sear on remaining sides for 1–2 minutes each to get an even golden color. Use tongs to keep bacon in place.

Add aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter, thyme sprigs, and smashed garlic to the skillet. Spoon some melted butter and aromatics over the roast for 30 seconds to flavor the bacon and beef before roasting.

Roast to temperature

Transfer the skillet with the roast to the preheated oven. Roast until internal temperature reaches your desired doneness: 50–52°C (122–125°F) for rare, 55–57°C (131–135°F) for medium-rare, 60–63°C (140–145°F) for medium. For a 1 kg tenderloin expect approximately 18–28 minutes depending on thickness and target temperature. Start checking with an instant-read thermometer at 15 minutes to avoid overcooking.

Rest the roast

Remove skillet from oven and transfer roast to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and rest for 10–15 minutes. Resting lets juices redistribute and raises carryover temperature by a few degrees.

Slice and finish

Remove any toothpicks if used. Slice the roast into 1–1.5 cm (3/8–1/2 inch) slices. Spoon any pan juices and melted butter and herbs over slices when plating. Serve immediately with your choice of sides.