Grilled Pork Tenderloin is a summer must-have! So juicy and delicious, you need this on your weekly menu plan! Serve with some Corn on the Cob (or Mexican Street Corn Salad) + some Grilled Broccoli for the perfect meal.
Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin
This is going to be your new favorite pork tenderloin recipe! You know we are always grilling up something yummy over here at The Wooden Skillet and we are so excited to FINALLY bring you a pork tenderloin recipe! And it was worth the wait!
Why You Will Love this Recipe
- Grilling Season: who doesn’t love grilling season! Seriously, grilled meals are a go-to in our house. We grill it all – the protein, the veggie and the potato!
- Flavor: pork tenderloin isn’t naturally super flavorful so we are using both a marinade and dry rub to spice things up! That being said, feel free to use just use salt and pepper if you want to keep things simple.
- Easy: Grilling seems intimidating sometimes, but it is really super easy!
What is Pork Tenderloin
- Pork Tenderloin: pork tenderloin is the muscle that runs underneath the backbone of a pig.
- Pork Tenderloin vs. Pork Loin: The pork loin, on the other hand, is the piece of meat that runs along both sides the backbone and is bigger and looks more like a roast almost. Here is a great article about the difference between the two and here is a nice visual of the different cuts of pork!
How to Season Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin is very low in fat which means it does not have a lot of flavor built into it. By using dry rubs and marinades you can really amp up the flavor of your grilled pork tenderloin!
- Pork Tenderloin Dry Rub: we loooove this pork tenderloin dry rub and have included it in the recipe card below!
- Pork Tenderloin Marinade: this marinade would be good on pretty much anything!
How Long Does it Take to Grill Pork Tenderloin
It takes approximately 25 minutes to grill a pork tenderloin on medium-high heat, but the ultimate time will depend on exact grill temp and thickness of pork tenderloin.
- 2 pork tenderloins: whether you are cooking one pork tenderloin or two on the grill, the total time will be the same!
- Should Pork Tenderloin be Cooked Fast or Slow: this grilled pork tenderloin recipe is fast and high which works great with pork tenderloin since the fat content is low, but this smoked pork tenderloin is more slow an low and it also turns out great!
What Goes Good With Pork Tenderloin
- Grilled Potato Wedges
- Grilled Sweet Corn
- Grilled Asparagus
- Grilled Broccolini
- Deviled Egg Potato Salad
- Spinach Strawberry Salad
How to Grill Pork Tenderloin
Get your pork tenderloin out of the package.
Pat it dry with a clean paper towel.
Season with either salt and pepper OR our dry rub!
If you are using the dry rub, combine the ingredients and rub all over the pork tenderloin – ever nook and cranny!
Then make up the marinade and make sure the pork tenderloin is fully coated – we love using Stasher Bags when marinating!
Remove from the storage bag and prep your grill (clean grates and bring up to temp).
Grill over direct heat, rotating as you go.
Remove from grill and let rest at least 5 minutes.
How do You Know when Pork Tenderloin is Done
Pork tenderloin is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F at it’s thickest point. We recommend using an internal meat thermometer to know the precise temperature.
- Is it okay for pork tenderloin to be a little pink: Yes, as long as the final internal temperature reaches 145 degrees, it is fine if there is little pink in the middle.
- Can you overcook pork tenderloin: Definitely! Since there is little fat content in a pork tenderloin (which would otherwise help keep it moist) make sure you are taking it off of the smoker when it reaches 140-145 degrees F internally. It will continue to raise a few degrees as it rests.
Enjoy!
Below is a pic of what it looks like if you decide to make more of a BBQ Grilled Pork Loin – see recipe card notes!
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- BBQ Pork Tenderloin: if you want to make a BBQ Pork Tenderloin then simply follow the instructions above BUT only season with salt and pepper (after patting dry with clean paper towel) and then grill as instructed and then once the pork tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of about 135-140 brush on barbecue sauce – close the grill and let it finish cooking and then barbecue sauce will get tacky and thick. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes. That’s it!
- Marinades: feel free to switch up your marinade if you want – there are tons of store-bought ones out there!
- Dry Rub: feel free to mix up what dry rub you use, we love using about 1/4 cup white, yellow or red miso for a Miso-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin!
Other Recipes You Might Like
Smoked Pork Shoulder
Smoked Turkey Breast
Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Smoked Baked Beans
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Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe (dry rub + marinade)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Description
Grilled Pork Tenderloin (dry rub + marinade) – the most delicious and juicy grilled pork tenderloin! Options to use BOTH a dry rub + marinade (but you can definitely keep it simple if you want and do one or the other or just stick to salt and pepper!).
Ingredients
Pork Tenderloin:
(2) 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloins
Dry Rub:
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons lemon pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Marinade:
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Instructions
- Dry Rub: Place pork tenderloin on a plate and pat dry. Combine your Dry Rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub all over pork tenderloin ensuring you get into every nook and cranny. If you have extra dry rub simply save for another use.
- Marinade: Combine your Marinade ingredients in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Place pork tenderloin in a glass container or a gallon-sized silicone bag. Pour marinade over top and coat the pork tenderloin all over. Pressing out as much air as possible, seal the bag and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (You can also prep this ahead of time and marinate overnight in the refrigerator).
- Grill: Ensure grill grates are clean and bring grill to medium-high heat (350-450 degrees F). Remove pork tenderloin from marinade and reserve about 1/4 cup of the marinade (put it in a little bowl) to be used to baste the pork tenderloin as it grills.
- Direct Heat: Place pork tenderloin on grill over direct heat. Close the lid and let the pork tenderloin sear for 3 minutes.
- Rotate: Open the grill and turn the pork tenderloin 90 degrees and then brush the seared side with a little marinade. Close the lid and let it sear for another 3-4 minutes. Then open and turn it 90 degrees again and brush with the marinade. Continue to do this every 3-4 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 140-145 degrees F at the thickest point.
- Indirect Heat: If the marinade browns too much you can turn down the heat a bit or move the pork tenderloin so it is on the outside edge of the fire.
- Rest: Once the internal temperature reaches 140-145 degrees F, remove the pork tenderloin from the grill and place on a plate. Let rest until the internal temp rises to 145 degrees F, but as least 5 minutes.
- Serve: Slice and serve – we love this grilled broccoli and grilled corn in the husk!
Notes
- BBQ Pork Tenderloin: if you want to make a BBQ Pork Tenderloin then simply follow the instructions above BUT only season with salt and pepper (after patting dry with clean paper towel) and then grill as instructed and then once the pork tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of about 135-140 brush on barbecue sauce – close the grill and let it finish cooking and then barbecue sauce will get tacky and thick. Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes. That’s it!
- Marinades: feel free to switch up your marinade if you want – there are tons of store-bought ones out there!
- Dry Rub: feel free to mix up what dry rub you use, we love using about 1/4 cup white, yellow or red miso for a Miso-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin!
Keywords: grilled pork tenderloin, how to grill pork tenderloin
Anna says
This was delicious! We made it for the first time tonight and everyone loved it. We will certainly be making it again soon!
★★★★★
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Anna!