Smoked Pork Tenderloin
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This Smoked Pork Tenderloin is an easy main course with incredible flavor that you should add to your dinner menu soon. Season the pork with the best homemade BBQ rub and smoke it low and slow!
For other delicious smoked recipes, try my Smoked Chicken Breasts with and a Smoked Spatchcock Turkey!
Smoked Tenderloin
Adding a smokey flavor to already delicious cuts of meat is 10/10. We love using our Memphis Smoker to take the flavor of pork tenderloin to new levels!
While I love making a Smoked Spatchcock Chicken, this recipe is far simpler. Trust me. Just a quick seasoning and a low and slow cook on a smoker (or a grill with some flavored wood chips). We used apple pellets on our Memphis to create an amazing flavor.
Why This Recipe Works
- Hands Off. Like I said, this one is SIMPLE. While the pork is smoking, you can whip up the sides.
- Moist. Cooking low and slow adds flavor and a delicious, tender texture.
- Smokey. Depending on the wood chips/pellets that you use, you’ll develop a super smokey flavor. So good!
- Great leftovers. We love leftover pork tenderloin! Great for meal prepping too.
Ingredients Used:
- Pork – I used about 2.5 pounds of pork tenderloin for this recipe.
- BBQ Rub – Use my homemade recipe for the best homemade BBQ rub! It’s a simple combo of brown sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper.
We used our Memphis Smoker with apple flavored pellets. If you don’t have a smoker, you could use a regular charcoal grill (at a low temp) and add some smokey wood chips.
How to make Smoked Chicken Breasts:
Step 1
Make the rub. Combine the seasonings and store it in a mason jar. You’ll use 3-4 tablespoons of the rub (or more) for this recipe.
Step 2
Pat dry the pork. Remove the pork from the package and use paper towels to pat it dry on all sides.
Step 3
Add the rub. Add a generous amount of barbecue rub to the outsides of the tenderloin (on all sides), using your hands to press it on.
I prefer to add the rub ahead of time and let it marinate in the refrigerator. but you can also add it shortly before cooking.
Step 4
Light smoker/grill. Light a smoker or grill to 225 degrees.
Step 5
Cook pork tenderloin. When the smoker is ready, place the pork on the grates to cook. This will take approximately one hour (or slightly more), depending on the thickness of the tenderloin. When the temp reaches about 148 degrees F, remove the pork and count on another few degrees of carry-over cooking.
NOTE: Pork is technically done when it reaches 145 degrees F on a digital thermometer. It will still be somewhat pink, however, so cook it to your liking.
Step 5
Rest. Let the pork tenderloin rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This will ensure that the juices stay INSIDE the pork resulting in tender, juicy pork tenderloin.
As an optional step, add a drizzle of olive oil over the finished pork to serve!
Recipe FAQs
There are many factors to consider including size of meat, temperature of grill, temperature outside). But if you smoke your pork tenderloin at 225 degrees, it should take approximately 1.5 hours (or a little more) to be done.
If you use a smoker to make the pork tenderloin, you won’t need to flip them. But if you use a grill with wood chips, you’ll need to flip them halfway through.
Watch the pork closely toward the end of the cooking time. Try to remove them at around 148 degrees and allow for a little bit of carry-over cooking.
Pork is considered to be done when it registers 145 degrees F on a digital thermometer. But I prefer to cook these to around 148 degrees for a great texture.
What to Serve with Smoked Pork Tenderloin
We love to enjoy this pork with so many different things. You can see my Potato Salad with Miracle Whip and some roasted asparagus in these pictures. But I also suggest the following:
- Cowboy Baked Beans
- Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese
- Fried Goat Cheese Salad with Strawberry Dressing
- Teriyaki Brussels Sprouts
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
We cooked this pork on our Memphis Smoker.
xoxo ~Sue
Smoked Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ pounds pork tenderloin
- 3-4 Tablespoons Homemade BBQ Rub
Instructions
- Make the rub. Combine the seasonings and store it in a mason jar. You’ll use 3-4 tablespoons of the rub (or more) for this recipe.
- Pat dry the pork. Remove the pork from the package and use paper towels to pat it dry on all sides.
- Add the rub. Add a generous amount of barbecue rub to the outsides of the tenderloin (on all sides), using your hands to press it on.
- I prefer to add the rub ahead of time and let it marinate in the refrigerator. but you can also add it shortly before cooking.
- Light smoker/grill. Light a smoker or grill to 225 degrees.
- Cook pork tenderloin. When the smoker is ready, place the pork on the grates to cook. This will take approximately 1.5 hours (or slightly more), depending on the thickness of the tenderloin. When the temp reaches about 148 degrees F, remove the pork and count on another few degrees of carry-over cooking.
- Rest. Let the pork tenderloin rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This will ensure that the juices stay INSIDE the pork resulting in tender, juicy pork tenderloin.
Love it! So simple and fun to cook!