There is nothing quite as easy or delicious as Grilled Pork Tenderloin. 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. You’ll end up with 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.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin Ingredients
How to make Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Start by trimming the silver skin off your pork tenderloin if it has not already been done. Then, combine the paprika, brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large Ziploc bag. Shake the bag well to combine all the ingredients. Dry the pork tenderloin with a paper towel. Using your hands, rub the mixture all over the pork tenderloin. Place the pork tenderloin into 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. 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 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 that have been driven to the center by the grill’s heat.
- Garnish the cooked tenderloin with fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary, or thyme.
What to Serve with Grilled Pork Tenderloin
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
This is a quick and easy recipe for dry-rubbed grilled pork tenderloin with helpful grilling tips for making it flavorful and juicy.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: main meal pork
- Method: grill
- Cuisine: American
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 for its silvery-white appearance. Silver skin doesn’t dissolve when the tenderloin is cooked, so it needs to be trimmed away.
- 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. 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 it is a valuable asset in the kitchen.
- You can check the temperature of the meat with a quick read instant meat thermometer.
- After grilling the pork tenderloin, cover it loosely with an aluminum foil tent and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. As this allows the meat to redistribute juices that have been driven to the center from the heat on the grill.
- Garnish the cooked tenderloin with fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary, or thyme.
- 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.
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Catalina
I am drooling over this pork tenderloin! It’s so juicy inside and crispy outside!
Rhian Westbury
I don’t remember the last time we cooked a pork tenderloin at home. But this one looks juicy and succulent, so definitely something to try x
Sandra
Everyone at my house enjoyed this!! I will definitely make it again soon!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sandra!
So glad that you liked it!
Beti
WOW! This was perfect! It cooked up juicy and tender. I served it with pan-fried potatoes and grilled asparagus!
katerina
Yes, please! This was so tender and juicy!! I can’t wait to make it again. My new favorite way to cook pork tenderloin.
Allyson Zea
Making this on the grill gives it such a nice flavor! We really enjoyed it!
Erin | Dinners, Dishes and Dessert
Looks incredibly delicious! Adding on our must make list!
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.
Alita Pacio
Such a moist, tasty, hearty pork tenderloin Ive ever made! It was quite impressive.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much, Alita!
Alita Pacio
I cannot wait for more recipes!
Stephanie
The rub is definitely what makes this one so good! I love a pork tenderloin but don’t think about grilling it most of the time. The sauce mixture was delicious, too. Thanks!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Stephanie!
Lesa
This is so good, five stars!!
Kimberley
This recipe looks absolutely delicious. I will have to add it to my meal plan of next week and try it out. I can’t wait!
Brittney
I’ve never grilled pork tenderloin and will need to try this recipe asap. I love how easy your recipe is to follow, too.
Ivana
What a great recipe, the mixture of spices is amazing, cumin works so well with paprika and chili, just lovely.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ivana! So glad that you liked it!
Stephanie
There is not much better than sitting down to grilled pork tenderloin for dinner. We enjoyed this recipe and hope to make again soon. The ingredients in the rub really make this a special dish.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Stephanie! So glad that you liked it!
Brian
This is a fabulous recipe…of the three I’ve tried so far on the outside grill it’s the hands
down winner!! I did boost the pepper in the rub a bit (hey, we live in Texas! 😁) and I tripled the Dijon mustard but this is probably because of the base BBQ sauce I used….taste yours as you add mustard until you like it): Finaly I recommend drybrining for a few to several hours after you trim away the fat and silver skin. Bon apetit!!
Beth Pierce
Glad that you liked it Brian and thanks for the tips!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
I love using pork tenderloin but have never used a dry rub like this. Fantastic flavours, I can’t wait to try it!
Tammy
I used a 1 1/2 lb pork loin for the recipe (I didn’t have a tenderloin).
There was no pink showing but I was afraid that it wasn’t cooked enough because it was so moist. When I cook pork it’s usually really dry. The meat was tender, juicy and delicious.
This is a great recipe!
Thanks
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it. Pork really only needs to be cooked to 145 degrees and then a short rest. I think most of us have been overcooking our pork for years…myself included.
Kathryn Donangelo
This dry rub is amazing!! It was so delicious and perfect with the pork, I am curious to see if it will go with chicken. I will give it a try 🙂 Thank you so much for this awesome recipe!
kim
Oh my goodness this was so good! My family’s new favorite pork recipe! I’ll definitely be making this again!
Nart at Cooking with Nart
This is such a great pork tenderloin recipe. It’s easy easily everyone’s favorite and so easy to make.
Jess
Just printed this recipe out to save to use again and again!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I love how quick and easy this is – so delicious too! Definitely making this for a weeknight meal for my family.
Pat
I am not a great cook and don’t grill that often, but it was my night to cook! This recipe is awesome. Grilled a 1.5 lb. pork loin, and let it sit in the rub for a few hours. Used a smoker box with cherry smoker very fine wood chips, and basted it with the sauce recipe using Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce until it reached 160 degrees on my meat thermometer. After searing, cooked on indirect heat guessing at approximately an hour, or after a couple of glasses of wine. It was the most succulent pork and very flavorful. I was happily shocked it was so good and tender. My husband was happy to have the night off and enjoy looking forward to leftovers!!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you and your hubby liked it! Thanks for all the great tips too!
Becky Hardin
This rub is great on pork and chicken!!! So good.
Kristyn
Wow!! This looks so juicy & mouthwatering! That rub sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Trang
I especially love the tips on how to grill it!
Tanya Schroeder
Looks like the perfect tenderloin to me!
Katherine
Super easy method- I love this recipe!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
This couldn’t look any more perfect! This looks delicious!
Melanie Bauer
Looks super delicious! This is my kind of dinner, need to make this immediately!
Shannon Graham
I needed a good dry rub recipe! Just in time for grilling season!
Jade Manning
This looks like perfection on a plate!
Katerina @ diethood .com
YUM!! This looks SO juicy and delicious!! A must try!
Catalina
My family will thank you for this recipe! It looks so inviting!
Demeter
Wow this looks so full of flavor! Love that it’s so easy to make too.
Mary
Just wanted to thank you for the pork tenderloin and German potato salad recipes. You were so right about the flavors being fantastic together. Looking forward to making them again.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much Mary! I am so glad that you enjoyed them.
Jan
Have you tried roasting it? What temp and how long for a 2# loin would you recomend?
Beth Pierce
Sorry about the delay. I had to get my taxes filed this weekend. Yes you can roast the pork tenderloin for about 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees or an internal temperature of 145 degrees. I would let rest for 15 minutes. Double the cooking time for a 2 pound loin but the same internal temp and resting time.
Bo Walker
As a Chef I cook a lot of pork tenderloin in many different ways so I’m always looking for something new. Because I have to prepare dinner ahead of time and leave it for my clients, I use a sous vide quite a bit to keep it from overcooking. I made the rub as written but added a tiny bit of cinnamon to it…1 tsp or so. I vacuum sealed the tenderloins and “rub” then set my sous vide circulator for 130 degrees and let it go for a couple of hours. I preheated my grill for a good 20 minutes on high before searing them quickly on each side being sure not to raise the internal temp above 140. (The Thermoworks Thermapen is the best I’ve ever used for instant an instant read thermometer) I let them rest for a few minutes before slicing and resealing them in the same vacuum bag (with the rub still in it). I put the bag back in the 130 degree water and left it for the staff to serve an hour or so later at dinner time. It never over cooks this way. This rub is fantastic! I will definitely make this again and maybe try it on a different protein. Great job!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Bo! I am glad that you liked it! Thanks for all the great details on how you prepare the tenderloin. Sounds like you have it down to a fine science!
Niki
I’d love to try this recipe for my baby shower this weekend. I’ve got 2 (7.5 lb) pork loins! Can you help with grill times? Anything else you’d change or suggest? Thank you!!
Beth Pierce
I am right in the middle of a recipe so I will try to respond more later but I wanted you to read this article as a pork loin and pork tenderloin are two different cuts. https://www.pegshomecooking.com/pork-loin-vs-pork-tenderloin-differences/
I have always baked my pork loin which makes it nice and tender.