Smoked Pork Tenderloin

Perfectly chunky, moist, and flavorful smoked pork tenderloin is super easy to make without all the fuss! Smoking it the right way gives you juicy cuts filled with natural pork flavors. This smoked recipe is so good that you can even serve it on the holidays!

I can still remember the day I bought my first smoker. There were a lot of recipes I wanted to try, but I ultimately went with tenderloin. And I don’t have any regrets! The wood flavor penetrated all the way through the meat, and it still does every time I smoke it.

It’s a total crowd-pleaser, especially when my cousins come over during family gatherings. My auntie loves pork tenderloin so much that she and I played around with different ways to cook it. One of the best times we had was smoking it, and I’m going to tell you all about it today!

Content…

Smoking Pork Tenderloin
Recipe Ingredients
How to Smoke It
What Smoker to Use
Tips and Tricks
FAQs
Serving Suggestions
More Drool-Worthy Pork Recipes to Try
Conclusion

Smoking Pork Tenderloin

Do you love tender meat? Then, this recipe is perfect for you! Tenderloin may just be the tenderest part of the pig because it’s in the lower back part of the animal. Since it’s more for posture than movement, the tenderness is unmatched.

It’s a popular cut, but, unfortunately, there are only two tenderloins for every pig. That makes it rather expensive. However, we’re going to give you a bang for your buck with this super easy smoking recipe!

Recipe Ingredients

Pork Tenderloin: The star of the show is a simple slab of pork. If you’re looking for low-fat deliciousness, this one is perfect. However, that means you don’t want to brine it, and you definitely don’t want to overcook it.
Mustard: The zing this ingredient adds is subtle but delicious.
Dry Rub: You can use your favorite seasonings for this guy. I love homemade Creole, Italian, or pork seasoning mixes, so I can customize them for my family’s tastes.

How to Smoke Pork Tenderloin

Season with salt and pepper, rub with mustard, and add dry rub

Prepare the Tenderloin

Salt and Pepper: Generously season pork tenderloin with salt and black pepper. (Photo 1)
Mustard: Then rub about a tablespoon of mustard all over each pork tenderloin to fully cover the tenderloin. (Photo 2)
Seasoning: Generously sprinkle with desired seasoning blend. I have used several seasonings, and they all work. So choose what works best for you.
Chill: You may wrap the pork tenderloin in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2-4 hours.
Ready the Grill: When ready to smoke, preheat the smoker to 225℉/107℃, place pork tenderloin in the smoker and insert a meat probe into the thickest part.
Smoke for 2-3 hours or until the meat thermometer registers 145°F. (This cut of meat is very lean and should not be cooked over 145°F.)
Serve: Remove from smoker, and let stand for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with chimichurri or mango salsa.

Enjoy!

What Smoker to Use

Pellet smokers, charcoal grills, and electric smokers all do a great job on pork tenderloins. I usually use my Traeger Pellet Smoker for smoking meats, but charcoal grills work, too. Here are my top picks for smokers:

My Choice: Pellet Smoker

Pros

Distinct Flavor: Although pellet smokers take longer, the smoke penetrates the meat much better. Yum!

Flavored Wood Chips: Pellet smokers use compressed and flavored wood chips to smoke meat in a closed chamber. That means you can choose your preferred flavor of wood chips.

Indirect Heat: An indirect heat source means it’s farther from the meat, cooking your meat more evenly and slower.

Cons

It’s bulky, so this one may not be ideal if you live in an apartment.

The characteristic smokey taste penetrates deeper because it takes longer to smoke the meat in a pellet smoker.

How to Use a Pellet Smoker

Meat Placement: Place the meat on the smoker rack. Your meat will cook evenly without burning on one side because the heat source is in a separate chamber.

Add the Water Pan: A pan with half a cup of water in the smoking chamber prevents your pork loin from drying out.

Enclose the Heat: Close the lid to trap the smoke and heat for more flavor.

This method infuses the wood chip flavor into the meat. (Apple, cherry, and peach work great for pork tenderloin, but you can mix and match.)

I get woodchips from Traeger because they have good combustion and perfectly infuse the smoky flavor. But Kingsford also makes excellent smoking woodchips.

Verdict: This is the simplest way to smoke. The smoker feeds the heater with pellets and fans the chamber. So you don’t have to get dirty. And you just need to check the pork occasionally! 👍 My Traeger pellet smoker is my fave because it’s so versatile.

Pro Tip: DON’T FLIP the tenderloin! You don’t have to flip your meat with this smoker because the indirect heat cooks it evenly. That’s hassle-free cooking for you!

Charcoal Grill

Pros

Compact Unit: It’s small and convenient, so it doesn’t need much storage space. Yay!!!

Environmentally-Friendly: You don’t need to use electricity to smoke your tenderloin. So it’s great even when you go camping.

Low Cost: This option is more affordable and waaay easier to clean!

Flavored Wood: You can use flavored wood to infuse a smoky aroma to the bone! Cherry, apple, hickory, you name it.

Cons

Direct Heat: Even though the heat source is on the opposite side, it’s still in the same chamber. So if you don’t keep an eye on it, it might slow-roast instead of smoke. And it’s a good idea to turn it occasionally for even cooking.

Messier: You’re dealing with charcoal, so I wouldn’t wear white.

Barbecuing vs. Smoking: They’re almost the same, but smoking takes it up a notch. Barbecuing is slow-roasting on an open fire, while smoking contains all that smokey goodness for a more robust smoked flavor.

How to Smoke Using Your Charcoal Grill

Heat the Coals: Position the hot charcoal on the far side of your grill. Then, if you want extra smokiness, put some wood chunks (not chips) next to the fire. Wood chunks smoke better than chips do.

Keep It Moist: Put a pan with water on the grating next to the meat. Or occasionally mist the pork with water.

Placement: Place the pork loin on the other side of the grill furthest from the coals.

Maintain the Heat: Shut the lid to start smoking. Then keep the internal temperature at around 225-250℉/107-120℃.

Verdict: This method is convenient because you don’t need a bulky unit in your backyard. 👍🏾 All you do is add your favorite wood along with the charcoal.

Electric Smoker

Pros

No Direct Heat: We won’t have an open fire with this smoker, just woodchips and heating rods.

Automatic Thermometer: The built-in thermometer tells you the smoker’s internal temperature.

Cons

Longer Smoking Time: The lower maximum temperature takes longer to cook your pork loin.

Electricity: You may have a higher electric bill with this smoker.

Tastes Different: The taste may be slightly different without the authentic smoke from burning woodchips. And if you don’t preheat your smoker, there may be a subtle plastic taste.

Electric smokers make the wood chips smoke with heating rods. And cooking the pork with convection also gives it a different flavor. The difference between an electric smoker and a pellet smoker is a wood tray instead of a fire chamber.

How to Use an Electric Smoker

Preheat the Smoker: Add the woodchips you like to the unit and pre-smoke it.

Attach the Water Pan: Put a water pan inside the lowest part of the unit as soon as it’s the right temperature. While it may lower the temperature inside the smoker, it assures you of a moist pork tenderloin later.

Placement: After positioning the pork tenderloin on the rack, shut the lid or door.

Note: You’ll want to season your grill with cooking oil to remove manufacturing residue if you’re using your smoker for the first time.

Verdict: This method is easy to navigate. However, electric grills tend to cook at a lower temperature, which takes longer.

Tips and Tricks

Doneness: Pork tenderloin doesn’t have a lot of fat, so you don’t should be cooked to 145 for perfect tenderness. Avoid cooking it rare as it can harbor harmful bacteria. Cooking it well done makes it feel like leather. Yikes!
Do not wrap in foil: You want the smoky flavor to penetrate the meat directly.
Keep your pork moist: A dry rub doesn’t necessarily dry out the meat. Allow it to rest for a bit to let the juices settle back in. this keeps the flavorful moisture neatly in the meat.

Sliced smoked pork tenderloin with chimichurri

FAQs

How long do you smoke pork tenderloin?

I know it can seem to take forever, but smoking pork tenderloins usually just takes one hour per pound. This varies depending on the size, preparation, and temperature you’re using.

What temperature is best for smoking tenderloin?

Generally, you can smoke a whole, regular-sized piece at 225℉/107℃, which would take about 2-3 hours. Fair enough if you ask me!

What should the internal temperature be?

Pork tenderloin is a low-fat cut, so you don’t want to overcook it because it will dry out. That’s why smoking is so great. When your instant-read thermometer reaches 145℉/63℃, your pork tenderloin should be ready.

Serving Suggestions

This dish goes well with various dishes, like roast garlic mashed potatoes and coconut rice. And don’t forget a good salsa, like chimichurri or mango salsa.

More Drool-Worthy Pork Recipes to Try

Tenderloin with chimichurri and mango salsa on wooden cutting board

Conclusion

Smoking pork tenderloin isn’t complicated. In fact, it’s straightforward and mouthwateringly delicious. What’s your favorite meat to smoke? Comment below and let me know.❤️