Smoked Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Why Cook a Pork Tenderloin in the Smoker

While most people prefer a good ribeye over a tenderloin, a smoker does wonders for this unique cut. The leaner, lower-fat nature can make it challenging to cook through to the center before the outside turns leathery. That’s where a smoker comes in to save the day (or, in this case, the roast).

If you’ve had doubts, slow-cooking your tenderloin in a smoker and serving it with a tasty sauce will definitely win you over. The pork version is much smaller than the beef but still serves 4-5 generous helpings. I love taking advantage of setting it and forgetting it with 2 or 3 roasts at a time and freezing the extra.

How to Smoke Pork Tenderloin

1. Season the pork tenderloin generously with salt and black pepper. (Photo 1)
2. Rub a tablespoon or two of Dijon mustard on each tenderloin to completely cover it. (Photo 2)
3. Spice it up by generously sprinkling it with whatever seasoning blend works for you.
4. Chill: If you have time, wrap the tenderloin in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2-4 hours.
5. Preheat the smoker to 225℉ (107℃). Place the meat in the smoker and insert a probe into the thickest part.
6. Smoke for 2-3 hours or until the meat thermometer registers 145°F (63-65℃).
7. Serve: Remove the roast from the smoker and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Which Smoker to Use

My Choice: Pellet Smoker

Pros

• Distinct Flavor: Although pellet smokers take longer, the smoke penetrates the meat much better.
• 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. Apple, cherry, and peach work great for pork tenderloin, but you can mix and match.
• Indirect Heat: An indirect heat source means it’s farther from the meat, cooking your meat more evenly and slower.

Cons

• Size: It may not be ideal if you live in an apartment because it’s a little bulky.

How to Use a Pellet Smoker

1. Place the meat on the rack.
2. A pan with half a cup of water in the smoking chamber prevents your pork loin from drying out.
3. Close the lid to trap the smoke and heat for more flavor.

Woodchips from Traeger have good combustion and perfectly infuse the smoky flavor. But Kingsford also makes excellent smoking woodchips.

Charcoal Grill

Pros

• Compact Unit: It’s small and convenient, so it doesn’t need much storage space.
• Environmentally-Friendly: You don’t need electricity to smoke your tenderloin, making it great for camping trips.
• 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.

How to Smoke Using Your Charcoal Grill

1. Heat the Coals: Position the hot charcoal on the far side of your grill. For extra smokiness, put some wood chunks next to the fire. Wood chunks smoke better than chips do.
2. Keep It Moist: Put a pan with water on the grate next to the meat. Or occasionally mist the pork with water.
3. Placement: Place the tenderloin on the other side of the grill furthest from the coals.
4. Maintain the Heat: Shut the lid to start smoking. Then, keep the internal temperature at around 225-250℉ (107-120℃).

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 smoky goodness for a more robust smoked flavor.

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 tenderloin.
• Electricity: You may have a higher electric bill with this smoker.
• Tastes Different: The taste may differ slightly without the authentic smoke from burning woodchips. And if you don’t preheat your smoker, there may be a subtle plastic taste.

How to Use an Electric Smoker

1. Preheat the Smoker: Add the woodchips you like to the unit and pre-smoke it.
2. 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.
3. Placement: After positioning the pork tenderloin on the rack, shut the lid or door.

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

Tips and Tricks

• Pork tenderloin is low-fat, so 145℉ (63-65℃) is about as high as you want to go.
• While wrapping a tenderloin to roast it in the oven will give you a moist roast, it keeps out that unique flavor from smoking. For a slow-roasted tenderloin, feel free to wrap it, but leave the wrapping off for that tasty smoky flavor.
• Spritz it with apple cider or water occasionally to help it stay moist. A dry rub also keeps moisture in and creates a crust.
• Please don’t skip the 10-minute rest so the juices can reabsorb for juicier pork.

FAQs

Smoked Pork Tenderloin Pairings

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

More Drool-Worthy Pork Recipes to Try

• Stuffed Pork Loin Roast
• Herb-Crusted Pork Loin Roast
• Pork Tenderloin Roast
• Slow Cooker Pork Loin