Perfect Grilled Pork Tenderloin is an easy, delicious go-to during grilling season. You’ll go bonkers over the easy marinade and are sure to love the perfectly crispy, charred, yet tender juicy pork tenderloin.
Whether you’re roasting, pan-cooking, or grilling, pork tenderloin is a fabulous cut of meat.
Juicy, tender, loaded with flavor, pork tenderloin has that crispy-char appeal on the outside with the irresistible bite.
While it’s completely delicious on its own, I love tenderloin with a drizzle of an herby sauce like your standard basil pesto.
A side of grilled or roasted asparagus is the perfect pairing!
This post covers everything you need to know about grilling pork tenderloin.
From an unbelievably delicious marinade to grilling instructions and tips and even a dry rub option, you’ll be an expert even if this is your first attempt at tenderloin!
One of my favorite parts about any grilled meat is the side dish options are endless. You can go with pasta salad, potato salad, green salad, grilled veggies, mac and cheese…you name it, it just goes!
Let’s dive right into the logistics!
Ingredients for THE BEST Pork Marinade:
Rice vinegar, liquid aminos, avocado oil, pure maple syrup, garlic powder, and fresh ginger.
I find this combination of flavors yields an otherworldly amazing pork tenderloin. This marinade is also great for steak or chicken!
If you want to change up the marinade ingredients, no worries! You can replace the liquid aminos with soy sauce, use brown sugar instead of pure maple syrup, garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, and/or omit the fresh ginger.
How to Grill Pork Tenderloin:
Marinate the Pork: Add all of the ingredients for the marinade to a blender and blend until combined. Transfer the pork tenderloin and marinade to a sealable bag, seal, and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 12 hours.
When you’re ready to grill, bring the marinated pork tenderloin out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature (ideally for 1 hour). This ensures the pork cooks evenly on the grill. If you don’t have time to do this step, no worries – the tenderloin will still taste great!
Preheat The Grill: If using a gas grill, preheat the grill to medium-low (about 350 to 375 degrees F). If using a charcoal grill, light the coals and allow them to heat until they begin turning white and have embers. Spread the coals over the bottom of the grill, insert the grill rack and then cover in order to preheat the grill.
Grill the Pork Tenderloin: Place the pork tenderloin on the hottest part of the grill. Replace the cover, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until grill marks appear. Flip the tenderloin, and continue cooking, covered, 1 to 2 minutes.
Repeat this process several times (pork tenderloin typically takes about 15 to 20 minutes to grill), replacing the cover between flips, until the meat is cooked through and reaches 145 degrees F.
Note: If any flare-ups occur during the grilling process, or if the meat is cooking too quickly, you can move it to the back of the grill (or to the side if using a charcoal grill) so that it cooks slower.
Allow the Meat to Rest:
Once the tenderloin is fully cooked, immediately remove it from the grill and transfer it to a plate or cutting board. Allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Do note that the pork will continue “cooking” while it rests, so you can take it off the grill 3 to 5 degrees early so that it reaches a perfect 145 while resting.
Cut Into Medallions:
After the meat has finished resting, use a sharp knife to cut the tenderloin into rounds, about 1/2 -inch thick each.
Serve with your choice of side dishes. I love pork tenderloin with grilled veggies and a drizzle of basil pesto sauce on top.
I’m partial to the idea of serving grilled pork with Italian Pasta Salad, my Mayo-Free Macaroni Salad, Pea Salad with Bacon, or Greek Potato Salad.
What Temperature Should Pork Be Cooked At?:
145 degrees Fahrenheit. The best way of knowing when any animal protein is done is using a meat thermometer. The FDA states pork should be cooked completely, not served rare. For this reason, it is considered fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
How Long Does it Take to Grill Pork Tenderloin?:
A 1-pound boneless pork tenderloin will take between 15 and 20 minutes on a grill that is heated to about 375 degrees.
That said, there are many factors that determine the grill time, including the thickness of the pork, the temperature of the pork before it hits the grill, and whether or not the grill heats up from flare ups during the grilling process. For this reason, it is best to use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
If you’re cooking the pork over indirect heat (freeing up the hottest part of the grill for other food), it will take about 30 minutes to cook. Simply flip every 5 to 6 minutes instead of every 2 minutes.
Can I Use a Dry Rub For Pork Tenderloin?
Prefer going with a dry rub over a marinade? No worries! Simply sprinkle the tenderloin with your choice of seasonings and proceed as normal for the grilling.
My favorite dry rub is a simple combination of sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
Can I Make This in The Oven?:
Want to roast the tenderloin instead of grilling it? Easy! Simply Roast at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue roasting for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tenderloin reaches 145 degrees F.
That’s it! Everything you need to know about grilling perfect pork tenderloin!
More Grilling Recipes:
- Perfect Grilled Steak
- The Best Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Chili-Lime Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Grilled Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa
May all your pork be tender! …Unless it’s bacon…team crispy for life! 😉
Ingredients
- 1 1-pound boneless pork tenderloin
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons liquid aminos* or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1- inch nub fresh ginger peeled and grated
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the Pork:
- Add all of the ingredients for the marinade to a blender and blend until combined. Transfer the pork tenderloin and marinade to a sealable bag, seal, and refrigerate at least 1 hour, up to 12 hours.
- When you’re ready to grill, bring the marinated pork tenderloin out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature (ideally for 1 hour). This ensures the pork cooks evenly on the grill. If you don’t have time to do this step, no worries - the tenderloin will still taste great!
- Preheat The Grill:
- If using a gas grill, preheat the grill to medium-low (about 350 to 375 degrees F). If using a charcoal grill, light the coals and allow them to heat until they begin turning white and have embers. Spread the coals over the bottom of the grill, insert the grill rack and then cover in order to preheat the grill.
- Grill the Pork Tenderloin:
- Place the pork tenderloin on the hottest part of the grill. Replace the cover, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until grill marks appear. Flip the tenderloin, and continue cooking, covered, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Repeat this process several times (pork tenderloin typically takes about 15 to 20 minutes to grill), replacing the cover between flips, until the meat is cooked through and reaches 145 degrees F.
- Note: If any flare-ups occur during the grilling process, or if the meat is cooking too quickly, you can move it to the back of the grill (or to the side if using a charcoal grill) so that it cooks slower.
Allow the Meat to Rest:
- Once the tenderloin is fully cooked, immediately remove it from the grill and transfer it to a plate or cutting board. Allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Cut Into Medallions:
- After the meat has finished resting, use a sharp knife to cut the tenderloin into rounds, about 1/2 -inch thick each.
- Serve with your choice of side dishes.
Notes
Nutrition
