Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Published July 22, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Learn how easy it is to make a delicious grilled pork tenderloin recipe that is juicy, tender, full of flavor and cooked to perfection. You will love how easy this is to make and how tasty it is.
I’m a huge pork fan, there’s no denying it. Whether it’s bacon, pork chops with apples, or pozole, it’s easy to cook and always delicious.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Grilled Pork tenderloin is an extremely tender, fairly inexpesnive, cut of pork that comes from the muscle that is in the center of the back on either side of the spine of a pig. The reason it is so tender is because it is rarely used. However, this can also cause it to have less flavor due to lack of fat, like in a pork shoulder. The best way to incorporate flavor into it, is by dry brining or marinating it, which is what I did.
Currently, they run in between $3.00 and $6.50 a pound and usually weigh about 1 to 1 ½ pound each. They also often come in packs of two which is why I decided to use them both in this recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Oil – Olive or avocado oil is best to use. However, you can use your favorite neutral-flavored oil.
- Spices – I used a combination of ground cumin and chili powder. Feel free to add others such as garlin or onion granules or herbs such as dry oregano or thyme.
- Seasoning – Coarse salt and crushed red pepper flakes were used. You can also add ground pepper to it.
- Pork – You will need fresh or frozen and thawed pork tenderloins. A regular pork loin will also work for this recipe, but you’ll need to double the marinade amount.
How to Make a Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Start by whisking together the spice marinade in a bowl.
Add the pork tenderloins to a plastic zip bag or in a container and add the marinade over top and mix until combined.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes but preferably overnight to maximize flavor.
Place the pork tenderloin on a preheated hot grill (450° to 550°) and cook for 4-6 minutes per side or until dark grill marks have formed and the desired internal temperature is achieved. I suggest removing it, once it hits 133° to 135° inernally.
Remove the grill and rest on a cutting board for 3-5 minutes before slicing and serving alongside a pineapple salsa.
Try serving it with my Homemade Pineapple Salsa.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: While this is meant to be eaten as soon as it comes off the grill and is sliced, you can make this an hour ahead of time while keeping warm in an oven at 165°. You can only do this if you prefer the pork tenderloin to be well done internally.
How to Store: Place covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze covered for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Please note that reheating pork will cause it to immediately overcook. The best way to heat it up is in a pan in the oven at 350° until warmed.
chef notes + tips
- This pork is fantastic eaten by itself and would also go fantastic with chimichurri sauce in addition to the pineapple salsa.
- It’s important to rest this pork, or any protein, after cooking to allow for the juices to soak back into it making it more flavorful.
- The longer you can marinate the pork the better.
- For more flavor, try toasting whole cumin seeds over low heat while constantly stirring for 5 to 6 minutes or until toasted and extremely fragrant.
- When cooking at high temperatures on a grill here’s how long it will take to cook with the grill door closed: For Medium Rare: 3-4 minutes per side, medium: 4-5 minutes per side, for medium well: 5-6 minutes per side, and for well done: 7-8 minutes per side.
More Amazing Pork Recipes
- Croque Monsieur
- Maple Glazed Pork Chops
- Southern Ham and Green Beans Stew
- Thick Cut Pork Chops
- Smoked Pork Shoulder
Video
Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 heaping tablespoon cumin
- 1 heaping tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 2 pork tenderloins
- ½ pineapple salsa recipe
Instructions
- In a medium-size bowl whisk together the oil, cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes and salt until combined.
- Pour the marinade in a plastic zip bag and add the pork tenderloins. Close the bag and move everything around to ensure the pork is coated.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Place the pork on a pre-heated grill (450° to 550°) and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until dark grill marks are achieved and the desired internal temperature is achieved. I suggest removing it, once it hits 133° to 135° internally.
- Remove the pork from the grill and rest on a plate or cutting board for 3-5 minutes before slicing and serving alongside the pineapple salsa.
This recipe is perfect flavor wise for me and my immediate family, we live in Texas and anything with cumin and chili powder is great, but I have a cousin from Upstate New York coming to visit who I know is not a fan of chili, so I suspect this is not a flavor profile she would like. Do you have any suggestions for a marinade from scratch that is closer to an Italian flavor profile or something without a chili/cumin base? Perhaps another recipe for a different cut of meat that you already have that might make sense? I don ‘t like all the added fillers and preservatives in the pre-mixed envelopes so any addiontal suggestions for pork tenderloin would be great!
Try my pork chop brine!
I made it exactly according to the recipe and it turned out great! Will definitely make it again. Thank you, Chef.
Made this exactly as described and it turned out perfectly! Will make it again!
Fantastic!