Grilling pork tenderloin is a delicious and easy way to enjoy this lean cut of meat. Follow our step-by-step instructions to ensure perfectly juicy and flavorful pork every time.
This Grilled Pork Tenderloin recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal and fancy enough for company. Prepare the dry rub in advance and apply the rub to the pork tenderloin. Refrigerate for two hours up to overnight.
Juicy Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Learn how to grill pork tenderloin to perfection with this easy and healthy recipe. The result is juicy and flavorful meat that will satisfy your taste buds.
The pork is tender and flavorful on both a gas grill and a charcoal grill. Roasted asparagus, roasted corn on the cob, garden salad, and Southern green beans are perfect vegetables to serve with this recipe.
Ingredients Needed
- Pork tenderloin: not to be confused with pork loin
- Brown sugar
- Seasonings: cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper and ground cayenne pepper
- Honey: a little bit for the sauce
- BBQ sauce: use your favorite brand
- Mustard: Dijon or prepared yellow mustard
How to make Grilled Pork Tenderloin
This is the nutshell version. Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
If you haven’t already, trim the silver skin off your pork tenderloin. Then, combine the paprika, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large Ziploc bag.
Rub the mixture all over the pork tenderloin. Place the pork tenderloin in the bag and store it in the refrigerator for several hours, up to overnight.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat or about 425-450 degrees using half of the burners. Add the pork tenderloin to the side of the lit grill (direct heat) and cover. Cook for about 5-6 minutes undisturbed to sear it. Roll the tenderloin over and cook the other side for 4-5 minutes. Move the tenderloin to the side that is not lit (indirect heat) and baste with the barbecue sauce mixture every couple of minutes or until it reaches 145 degrees.
Remove the meat from the grill, plate it, and cover it loosely with an aluminum foil tent. Let the pork rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite cuts of meat, but you must remove the silver skin. Pork tenderloins have an area of connective tissue known as silver skin, which is silvery-white in appearance. Silver skin doesn’t dissolve when the tenderloin is cooked, so it needs to be trimmed away with a sharp knife.
- The dry rub has more flavor than any marinade I have tried. Prepare the dry rub in advance and rub it into the pork tenderloin. Cover and refrigerate for several hours up to overnight.
- Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, so don’t overcook it. Make sure you purchase pork tenderloin, not pork loin. The National Pork Board recommends cooking pork tenderloin to an internal temperature between 145° F. (medium rare) and 160° F. (medium). An instant-read thermometer is inexpensive and a valuable asset in the kitchen.
- After grilling the pork tenderloin, cover it loosely with an aluminum foil tent and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows the meat to redistribute the juices driven to the center by the grill’s heat.
What To Serve With It
Storage and Reheat
Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat, frequently turning, in the oven on low heat or in the microwave at reduced power. Cold leftover slices are delicious on a sandwich.
To freeze, first cool completely. Then, freeze in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat, frequently turning, in the oven on low heat or in the microwave at reduced power.
More Pork Tenderloin Recipes
Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 -1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin trimmed
Rub
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2/3 cup of your favorite bbq sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- In a Ziploc bag, combine paprika, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Dry the pork tenderloin with a paper towel. Rub the mixture over the pork tenderloin and refrigerate from 2 hours to overnight.
- In a small bowl, combine honey, barbecue sauce, and Dijon mustard.
- Preheat the grill to 425-450 degrees, lighting only half the burners. Add the pork tenderloin to the side of the grill that is lit and cover. Cook for about 5-6 minutes. Roll the tenderloin over and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Move the tenderloin to the side that is not lit. Baste with barbecue sauce mixture every 2-3 minutes. Continue cooking until the pork tenderloin reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Remove the meat from the grill, plate it, and cover it loosely with an aluminum foil tent. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite cuts of meat, but you must remove the silver skin. Pork tenderloins have an area of connective tissue known as silver skin, which is silvery-white in appearance. Silver skin doesn’t dissolve when the tenderloin is cooked, so it needs to be trimmed away with a sharp knife.
- The dry rub has more flavor than any marinade I have tried. Prepare the dry rub in advance and rub it into the pork tenderloin. Cover and refrigerate for several hours up to overnight.
- Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, so don’t overcook it. Make sure you purchase pork tenderloin, not pork loin. The National Pork Board recommends cooking pork tenderloin to an internal temperature between 145° F. (medium rare) and 160° F. (medium). An instant-read thermometer is inexpensive and a valuable asset in the kitchen.
- After grilling the pork tenderloin, cover it loosely with an aluminum foil tent and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This allows the meat to redistribute the juices that have been driven to the center by the grill’s heat.
Nutrition
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Jupiter Hadley
I find it so challenging to make baked pork tenderloin juicy, but your grilled pork tenderloin looks perfect! I am totally going to have to try grilling it – thank you for the recipe.
Laura
We don’t eat much red meat but when we do it is pork. Tenderloins are such great cuts and so versatile – you can do so much with it.
Steve
Your recipe for grilled pork tenderloin is a culinary masterpiece! The mouth-watering photos and detailed instructions make it easy to follow along.
Tammy
A perfect warm weather meal for the family! This looks delicious and cooked to perfection. Love the rub and sauce…great flavors!
Melissa Dixon
This was really good. I love pork and have found a lot of great reasons to eat more of it, so I was glad to find this recipe!
karen
This looks so so good!!! I can’t wait to make your recipe, it is very easy to follow, thank you so much.
Samantha Donnelly
We do love pork, and I cook it in a variety of ways, but we had not had tenderloin in a long time. This was amazing, and I will cook it this way more often!
Yeah Lifestyle
This is such a great recipe and super tasty too. We had it with some corn and rice and potatoes. The rub is delicious.
Celebrate Woman Today
This recipe is great for any get-together! Grilling presents a perfect opportunity to add flavors.
Joe
Wwwooowwww….look at that beauty of a loin! I take my pork in whatever way I find it. I must definitely try out this way of it.
Fareeha Usman
Excellent
Janine
This looks so juicy,sweet, and nicely cooked!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Janini!
Brian
Thanks for sharing. It was delicious. The whole family enjoyed it!
abzstylz
I only like cooking Pork on holiday season time, and look forward to trying this recipe! It looks so delicious!
Julie
This recipe for Grilled Pork Tenderloin with dry rub sounds absolutely amazing! It’s great to know that the dry rub can be prepared ahead of time and the pork can be marinated for several hours up to overnight for maximum flavor. The recipe notes and helpful tips are also very informative, especially the part about removing the silver skin from the pork tenderloin. I love to have pork on occasion, and this is definitely a recipe that I would like to try, with the recommended side dishes of fresh asparagus, corn on the cob, and scalloped potatoes that sound perfect to complete the meal!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Julie! I sure hope you enjoy the pork tenderloin!
Craig
Your grilled pork tenderloin recipe is simply amazing! The dry rub is the perfect blend of flavors, and it made the meat so juicy and tender. The step-by-step instructions with pictures were so helpful, and they made the cooking process a breeze.