Smoked Pork Tenderloin

A white bowl of sliced pork tenderloin that has been smoked.

5 from 2 votes

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!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade BBQ rub, smoked pork tenderloin

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 45

Servings servings

Calories 225kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

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.
3-4 Tablespoons Homemade BBQ Rub
Pat dry the pork. Remove the pork from the package and use paper towels to pat it dry on all sides.
2 ¼ pounds pork tenderloin
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.

Notes

Recipe FAQs

How long does it take to smoke pork tenderloin?

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.

Do I need to flip the pork while smoking?

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.

How do I keep the pork tenderloin from drying out?

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.

How do you know when smoked pork is done?

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.

Nutrition