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.
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.
Ingredient Notes and Substitution
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Pork Tenderloin: Look for a 1½ lb pork tenderloin. Make sure the silver skin is removed, or remove it yourself.
- Brown Sugar: If preferred, you can use all honey.
- Seasonings: Cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and ground cayenne pepper.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite brand.
- Mustard: Dijon or prepared yellow mustard.
How to Make Grilled Pork Tenderloin
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Trim the silver skin off the pork tenderloin. 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 in the bag and store in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
- Preheat half the grill to medium-high heat. Add the pork tenderloin to the grill and cover. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Roll the tenderloin over and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Move the tenderloin to the nonlit side and baste with the sauce mixture every couple of minutes.
- Remove from the grill, plate it, and cover loosely with an aluminum foil tent. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Preparation Tips
- 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
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Baked Mac and Cheese
- Glazed Carrots
- Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Asparagus Pasta
- Cauliflower Casserole
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.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 248kcal
Ingredients
- 1¼-1½ lb pork tenderloin trimmed
Rub
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1½ teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ⅔ 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 for 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
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 872mg | Potassium: 487mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 773IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg
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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!