This smoked pork tenderloin recipe couldn't be any easier, and the results are incredibly juicy and tender. Pork tenderloin is my favorite cut of pork, and I haven't found a better way to prepare it than in the smoker! One of the reasons I love to smoke pork tenderloin is because it cooks very quickly. Typically, this pork is ready in about 2 hours, which is so much faster than smoking something like a pork shoulder. The outside typically takes on a nice bark, and doesn't require a sear after smoking.
There are lots of options for how to serve this pork, discussed later in this post, but my favorite is on my Tenderloin Tonkotsu Ramen. I already loved that dish so much, and I didn't think it could get much better until I tried it out with this smoked tenderloin. The best part is that this meat reheats really well from frozen, so I can pre-pack smoked pork in the freezer to pull out later for my ramen. I have even found that the smoke flavor of the meat is actually a little bit better after freezing. I think this is because smoke flavor takes time to evenly distribute through the meat (I don't know that for sure, but that's what happens when smoked cheese is aged and it makes a huge difference).
I typically make this smoked pork tenderloin marinated in Japanese BBQ Sauce because it's my favorite option to go on the ramen, but there are lots of other delicious ways to season it! The batch pictured in this post was marinated overnight in Japanese BBQ Sauce.
FAQ
How long does it take to smoke a pork tenderloin at 225?
At 225 F most pork tenderloin should be ready in about 2 hours. Cook time will vary, and it's always best practice to use a meat thermometer and remove the pork when it reaches an internal temperature of 145 F.
How do you keep pork tenderloin moist when smoking?
Pork tenderloin is very lean, and the difference between an overcooked and perfectly cooked piece of pork tenderloin is stark. A leave-in meat thermometer is pretty cheap (around $20) and will help you make perfectly cooked pork (and other meats with a low fat content) every time!
Do you wrap a pork tenderloin when smoking?
I do not recommend wrapping pork tenderloin aluminum foil when smoking. I make mine unwrapped and it forms a great bark on the outside, while remaining juicy on the inside.
What woods are best for smoked pork tenderloin?
You'll have great results with any kind of wood pellets or wood chips, but fruit woods like cherry wood and apple wood are especially popular. I make this in my pellet smoker, but it works well in a type of smoker!
How to Make Smoked Pork Tenderloin
- Grab a sharp knife and cutting board. Pat the tenderloin down with paper towel, then remove the excess fat and silver skin.
- If you're using my JBBQ method: marinate the trimmed tenderloin in an airtight container for at least a few hours. I place it in the fridge to marinate overnight.
- When you're ready to cook, preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F. You can let the tenderloin come up to room temperature before smoking if desired, but for the most smoky flavor I like to put it in cold from the fridge.
- Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, so using an instant read thermometer is vital. Stick a leave-in thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, then place directly on the grill grates.
- Smoke your bbq pork tenderloin until internal temperature of the tenderloins reaches 145 degrees F, about 2 hours of smoke time.
- When it's ready, remove from the smoker grates and let it rest on a cutting board for 10-15 minutes. You can wrap it in foil if desired.
- Slice the smoky pork tenderloin into ~½ inch slices. See the rest of this post for serving ideas and side dishes.
Other Seasoning Options for Smoked Pork Tenderloin
I love to make this pork with Japanese BBQ sauce as detailed in the recipe, but tenderloin has so many good options to try! Here are a few other ideas to explore:
- Dry rub (try it with the brown sugar dry rub from my Smoked Chicken Breast recipe which has dark brown sugar, black pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and smoked paprika. I think its the best sweet rub!)
- Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin! (I haven't tried this myself yet but it looks so good!)
- Marinate in your favorite BBQ sauce.
- Taco seasoning (try it with the marinade from my Tri Tip Street Tacos recipe!)
Key Tips - Smoked Pork Tenderloin
There are lots of options for what to serve with this pork!
- My favorite way to use this pork is in my Tenderloin Tonkotsu Ramen.
- Some other ways I have served this pork are: in fried rice, over stir-fried noodles, in JBBQ tacos & burritos, and simply sliced with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Pork tenderloin and pork loin are not the same cut of meat.
- Pork tenderloin is often mistaken as pork loin, and vice versa, but these are two different cuts of meat. Pork tenderloins are much smaller than pork loin, they typically weigh about 1 lb but are often packaged and sold as pairs.
Don't be afraid of a little pink in the cooked meat.
- The USDA now recommends pork be cooked to at least 145°F for food safety. This may result in the meat having a pink tint, but it's safe to eat and will have a great texture! USDA source
- Back in the day, pork was more likely to carry diseases than it is today, so cooking pork very well done was the norm. Now we can safely cook pork less, resulting in a more tender and juicy final product.
Freeze the meat after smoking for super easy meals!
- I always have this smoked pork tenderloin ready to go in my freezer. It is so easy to throw together quick meals with this, so I'll meal prep a few batches whenever I run my smoker.
- A vacuum sealer is definitely a bit of an investment, but if you plan on frequently meal prepping meats in the freezer, it's a tool you will quickly fall in love with. Vacuum sealing keeps the meat super fresh in the freezer and prevents freezer burn completely.
- I recommend this vacuum sealer, which is one of the cheaper options among the name brands. I also love these vacuum bags!
Dietary Restrictions - Smoked Pork Tenderloin
This dish is naturally Dairy-Free.
Make it Gluten-Free:
- Make sure you're using gluten-free Japanese BBQ sauce for the marinade.
A Note On Serving Sizes
Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. One pound of raw pork tenderloin results in about 12 oz of cooked meat. I've listed one serving as 3 oz of cooked pork, but many people may prefer to have more than one serving per meal.
Smoked Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pork tenderloin about 1 to 1.5 lbs (note, pork loin is NOT the same as tenderloin)
For Marinade:
- ¼ cup Japanese BBQ Sauce see notes section for other marinade ideas
Instructions
Prepare the marinade:
- Trim any excess fat from the tenderloin then place it in a large zip bag. Add the Japanese BBQ sauce (or other marinade) and ensure the tenderloin gets completely coasted. Press excess air out of the bag and seal it. (See notes section for other marinade ideas)
- Let it marinate in the fridge for at least two hours, up to overnight.
Smoke the pork tenderloin:
- Preheat your smoker to 225 °F (Note, it's fine to smoke pork tenderloin at a higher temp, it will go more quickly and possibly take on less smoke flavor)
- Place the marinated pork tenderloin in the smoker and insert a meat thermometer into the thickest portion. Add some extra JBBQ sauce on top (or whatever marinade you're using).
- Smoke until the internal temp reaches 145 °F then promptly remove from the smoker. This should take around 2 hours at 225 °F
Serve:
- Let the tenderloin rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Slice against the grain, creating pieces that are about ½ inch think.
- See the notes section for various ideas on what to serve this with!
Freeze:
- Let the sliced meat cool down to room temperature, and portion it out based on how much you will want to reheat at once. Transfer the meat to vacuum sealer bags and seal (or store in a freezer safe zip bag with all of the air pressed out). Place in the freezer.
- To reheat: defrost completely then gently heat in microwave until warmed through.
Notes
Marinade: Japanese BBQ Sauce, or prepare like my Hoisin Glazed Pork Tenderloin Meal Ideas: Tenderloin Tonkotsu Ramen, cube meat and use in fried rice, make JBBQ tacos or burritos, top other noodle dishes
Marinade: Mexican taco marinade, copy marinade recipe from my Tri Tip Tacos Recipe. Meal Ideas: Cube meat and use in tacos & burritos
Dry Rub: Brown sugar spice rub from my Smoked Chicken Breast recipe, do NOT marinate the meat in the rub, apply the rub just before placing the meat in the smoker. Meal Ideas: BBQ sandwiches, loaded mac and cheese, served with mashed potatoes,
Nutrition
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Anonymous says
Saw this on reddit and had to give it a try! I made your ramen recipe with it and it was fantastic. I can't wait to see what other smoker recipes you post, I'm going to try your tacos soon too!