RecipeTeacher

  • Home
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About
    • Welcome
    • Contact
  • Resources
    • RecipeTeacher101
    • Instant Pot and Pressure Cooker Quick Guide
    • Air Fryer Recipes for Beginners
    • Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners
    • Kitchen Essentials
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbook
  • About
  • RecipeTeacher 101
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • Cookbook
    • About
    • RecipeTeacher 101
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • ×
    You are here: Home » Grilling Recipes » Best Damn Grilled Pork Tenderloin

    Best Damn Grilled Pork Tenderloin

    Last Modified: October 8, 2022

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 4.9 from 12 reviews

    One of the best recipes I’ve ever made or enjoyed, this grilled pork tenderloin is remarkably tender, juicy and mouthwateringly divine.  With the perfect combination of simple ingredients to make a dry rub, it grills to perfection in only about 10-12 minutes. It will have everyone in awe at your grilling skills.

    Grilled pork tenderloin recipe

    Pork tenderloin is one of the most delicious cuts of meat available. It’s lean, tender, and can be prepared with any number of flavor combinations. For this recipe, we’ll use a simple BBQ rub that’s both sweet and savory, which accentuates the natural flavors of the pork. You won’t be disappointed!

    Make Sure it’s Pork Tenderloin, not Pork Loin

    Pork tenderloin and pork loin are two different cuts of meat. Pork tenderloin is very lean cut of meat, long and narrow – usually about 1.25 – 1.75lbs each. Pork loin is shorter, has a larger diameter and is from a different part of the pig, it also requires different cooking times. So for this recipe, make sure the package clearls says pork tenderloin.

    Recipe for grilled pork tenderloin

    Simple BBQ Seasoning Rub

    Don’t you just love recipes where you have the ingredients already on hand? For this recipe, you likely already have the ingredients in your pantry and spice rack. They are:

    • Brown Sugar
    • Smoked Paprika
    • Ground Mustard
    • Onion Powder
    • Garlic Powder
    • Salt and Pepper
    • Cayenne (optional, but highly suggested!)
    • Vegetable Oil

    The preparation is as simple as mixing all the dry ingredients, coating the pork with vegetable oil, the rubbing in all the seasoning mix.

    You can season the pork and go directly to the grill. Or use the seasoning as a simple marinade and apply to the pork, place in a zip-top bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours.

    Recipe for grilled pork tenderloin

    Prep Your Grill

    A seasoned grill is a happy grill. Whether you’re using a charcoal grill or a gas grill, scrape the grates clean and apply a generous coating of vegetable oil. Wipe away any excess with a paper towel. This is called seasoning the grill. It will make for a much better grill experience and prevent a recipe such as this from sticking to the grill. With the grill cleaned and seasoned, fire it up to high heat with the lid closed for 5 minutes. You want those grate to be good and hot so we get a nice sear on the meat.

    Grill Times and Grill Marks

    When grilling, nothing is quite as satisfying as getting those classic crosshatch grill marks on the meat. To achieve this, use medium-high heat and place the pork tenderloins on a hot, preheated grill and leave them alone for about 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the meat will begin to release from the grill. This is exactly what we want. Then use tongs and give the meat a ¼ turn and continue grilling another 3-4 minutes. Then it’s time to flip the meat and grill an additional 3 minutes. We’re real close to being done, but since the meat is round, give the sides a quick sear by holding it with the tongs on the remaining sides for about 1 minute each. Check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. We want to an internal temp of 145°(F).

    Grilled pork tenderloin recipe

    Let Rest Before Serving

    After removing the meat from the grill, let it rest for 3-5 minutes before cutting in. This allows the natural juices to redistribute and keep the meat tender and juicy. When it’s ready to be served, use a sharp knife and slice away. You can do thin slices or thick medallions – both are awesome.

    Recipe for grilled pork tenderloin

    How to Serve Grilled Pork Tenderloin

    Quite honestly, this grilled pork tenderloin is so amazingly good, you’ll want to just pick up the slices and eat them like candy. They will be loaded with juices, and the outside with the brown sugar and seasonings will be nicely caramelized, creating a BBQ crust that is to die for. This is the caveman approach and is perfectly acceptable. You can, however, plate the slices and serve with your favorite side-dish. You can also add some of your favorite BBQ sauce if desired.

    Goes Well With…

    Pork tenderloin is one of the dishes that goes well with SO many different side-dishes. Since we’re going with the BBQ flavors, I love our Best Damn Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. There’s just something about the BBQ flavors and mac and cheese that go so well together. Of course, potatoes are a natural with meat dishes and our Air Fryer Garlic and Herb Potatoes are an excellent side dish. And you can never go wrong with asparagus and a pork recipe. Give our Best Damn Air Fryer Asparagus recipe a try.

    Print

    Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Recipe for grilled pork tenderloin

    Best Damn Grilled Pork Tenderloin


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    4.9 from 12 reviews

    • Author: RecipeTeacher
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Mouthwatering, tender, juicy and loaded with amazing flavor, this grilled pork tenderloin is an all-time favorite.


    Ingredients

    • 2 pork tenderloins, 1.25-1-75lbs. each
    • ¼ cup brown sugar, light or dark
    • 2 tbs smoked paprika
    • 2.5 tsp kosher or course salt
    • 2 tsp ground mustard
    • 1 tsp onion powder
    • 1 tsp ground black pepper
    • ½ tsp garlic powder
    • 1 tbs vegetable oil
    • ½ tsp cayenne (optional)

    Instructions

    1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
    2. Trim pork tenderloins of any excess fat or silver skin, coat with vegetable oil and rub in entire seasoning mixture.
    3. Fire up grill to medium-high heat. Make sure grates are well cleaned and oiled. Let grill get good and hot for 5 minutes with the lid closed.
    4. Add pork tenderloins and grill for 5 minutes with lid closed, or until pork starts to easily release from the grill. Use tongs and give the pork a ¼ turn and continue grilling for another 2-3 minutes.
    5. Flip pork tenderloins and continue to grill for 2-3 minutes. Then, use tongs and place the remaining sides on the grill for about 1 minute each, just to get them a quick sear. Pork is done when internal temperature reaches 145°(F)
    6. Remove pork from grill and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

    Notes

    Cayenne is optional but adds an awesome depth to the flavor.

    Recipe developed with Chef Gabriel Alvarez.

    Get the RecipeTeacher cookbook!

    Our new cookbook is available and on sale!

    —> Buy it here! <—

    Recipe for grilled pork tenderloin
    1.7K shares
    • Facebook244
    • Email

    Comments

      Review & Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    1. Tom says

      May 10, 2025 at 8:55 pm

      That’s the tastiest thing that’s ever came off my grill!

      Reply
      • RecipeTeacher says

        May 10, 2025 at 8:58 pm

        Awesome! Glad you liked it!!

        Reply
    2. Chris B says

      May 02, 2025 at 7:54 pm

      Really amazing recipe. We have had it three times now and eat way too much as a result. Delicious! I love garlic so I used twice the amount which I do with every recipe. I found cooking lower and slower had better results you need to try this one for sure.

      Reply
    3. Linda says

      April 17, 2025 at 6:29 am

      Wonderful recipe! I didn’t have dry mustard so I mixed dijon mustard with the oil to rub on the tenderloins before adding the rub. It turned out amazing.

      Reply
    4. Debra L. Ackerman says

      April 04, 2025 at 8:20 pm

      absolutely amazing

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    Jason of Recipeteacher.com

    Hi, I’m Jason and i’m here to help you make easy, delicious homemade recipes. My approach is to provide the easy-to-understand instructions, use simple ingredients, and have you make the best meals possible.

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • recipe for air fryer pork chops
      Best Damn Air Fryer Pork Chops
    • Best Damn Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin served with broccoli and potatoes
      Best Damn Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin
    • Instant Pot pulled pork recipe
      Best Damn Instant Pot Pulled Pork
    • Instant Pot pressure cooker pork tenderloin recipe
      Best Damn Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
    • recipe for air fryer chicken breast
      Best Damn Air Fryer Chicken Breast
    • Instant Pot pork chops recipe
      Best Damn Instant Pot Boneless Pork Chops

    Easy Recipes for Everyone!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact & Correspondence

    • Contact
    • How to Leave a Review
    • Welcome to RecipeTeacher!
    • Media Kit

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 RecipeTeacher, LLC

    • Pinterest
    • 244Facebook
    • Email
    1691 shares