Let’s keep this grilling train rollin‘, shall we?
Here at home we have the capability to grill year round, but the desire to stand outside freezing my buns off in the season that shall not be named is, shall we say, lacking. That said, I welcome grilling season and it’s sizzling suppers requiring nearly no clean up with open arms, and a cold drink in hand.
Last weekend, when I was making an unbelievably juicy grilled pork tenderloin, the urge for a frosty beverage kicked in. What can I say, burning your knuckle hairs over a hot flame when it’s 85 degrees outside does that to a girl. I opened the sliding door into the kitchen, popped my head in, and was about to ask Ben for something to drink when I realized he already had a cold, hard cider in his outstretched hand. Does that man know me or does he know me?
The cider went perfectly with the grilled pork tenderloin I was cooking at the time. As the name of this post implies, pork tenderloin becomes unbeliveably juicy and tender once seared over a hot and high flame. Like, giving steak a run for its money, juicy and tender! Plus it grills up in under 15 minutes.
I’ve tested the method for grilling pork tenderloin, which is the same method I use for flank steak, countless times over the past month and it works every single time. Without fail. Seared and sizzling outsides, wonderfully juicy and tender insides. NO pans to clean, NO turning on the oven – just pure, easy, deliciousness.
Pork is a meat (besides crock pot pulled pork and bacon, of course,) that I avoided like the plague for years and years after I left home. When I was growing up pork had to be cooked to 160 degrees which, combined with my Dad’s fondness for well-done meat, meant each pork chop, pork tenderloin, and pork roast we ate felt like chewing on a mouthful of sawdust. Here in the present though, pork only needs to be cooked to a tender 140 degrees. Read: melt in your mouth.
Grilled pork tenderloin is also a favorite of mine because it’s an extremely affordable cut of meat. In my area, it usually sells for $3.99/lb and a 1-1/2lb cut generously feeds Ben, Lincoln, and myself. Pair with grilled vegetables and a baked potato or rice, and you have an extremely wallet-friendly meal.
I hope you give this grilled pork tenderloin a try – I can almost guarantee it will become a new summer favorite!
Prepare the Pork Tenderloin:
Start by trimming a 1-1/2lb pork tenderloin. Note: this is NOT the same thing as a pork LOIN, which is typically used as a roast.
Rub the tenderloin all over with extra virgin olive oil then sprinkle with your desired seasonings – salt, pepper, garlic powder, a steak rub (which is what I used) etc. – really anything you like. I usually skip marinating pork tenderloin in anything containing sugars like honey, maple syrup or brown sugar, which easily burn during the searing process on the grill.
How to Grill Pork Tenderloin:
Which is where we head next! You’re going to create a double heat zone on the grill, which sounds fancy, but it just means one side is going to be hotter than the other. Here’s what ya do:
- Preheat the grill with all burners set to high heat until the internal temperature reaches at least 500 degrees.
- Turn 1/2 or 1/3 of the burners (depending on how many burners your grill has) to low heat.
- Place the tenderloin on the high heat side of the grill then grill for 1-1/2 minutes on all four sides, closing the lid between flipping.
- Move the tenderloin over to the low heat side of the grill then grill for 4 minutes on each of the 2 larger sides (you will sear on 4 sides but 2 sides will end up being fatter/flatter,) or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the tenderloin reads 140 degrees. Again, keep the lid closed between flipping.
That’s all she wrote! Let the tenderloin rest for 10 minutes before slicing into thick slices. I usually use that time to grill fresh vegetables – zucchini, summer squash, and/or asparagus are my favorites. Serve with the BBQ sauce of your choice, or a homemade chimichurri sauce (HIGHLY recommend,) and dig in. Enjoy, enjoy!
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Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Description
I'm sharing my method for the most unbelievably juicy grilled pork tenderloin, which cooks in under 15 minutes. A filling and healthy summer dinner!
Ingredients
- 1-1/2lb pork tenderloin (NOT pork loin), trimmed
- extra virgin olive oil
- seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, steak rub, etc.
Directions
- Heat grill on high until it reaches 500 degrees then turn one burner down to low.
- Rub pork tenderloin all over with extra virgin olive oil then season with desired seasonings. Add pork to the high heat side of the grill then grill for 1-1/2 minutes on all four sides, keeping the lid closed between flipping.
- Move pork tenderloin to the side of the grill with low heat then grill for an additional 4 minutes on each of the two larger sides (so 8 minutes total,) or until an instant read thermometer reads 140 degrees, keeping the lid closed between flipping. Let pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- I don't recommend marinating the pork in anything containing sugars (honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, etc) as it will likely burn while searing the outside of the pork.
- I like to serve my grilled pork tenderloin with my Honey-Balsamic BBQ Sauce or homemade Chimichurri Sauce.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
More Grilling Recipes:
Perfect Grilled Steak with Herb Butter
Sweet Chili Coconut Lime Grilled Chicken
OMG, That looks yummy. Totally worth to give a try on this.
Looks great! What steak seasoning do you normally use? There are so many out there, not sure which would work best with this pork. Thanks!
I use a steak seasoning I have from a butcher shop near my in-law’s house in DC, but recreated it here: http://iowagirleats.com/2015/06/17/perfect-grilled-steak-with-herb-butter/
Yum! I recently discovered a love for pork tenderloin, but I have never tried grilling it. This looks incredible and even better not to have to turn the oven on in my already hot AZ kitchen. Win win!
Thanks for sharing!
Yes! Perfect for those scorching temps!
This is amazing – I have a thawed pork tenderloin in my fridge that I didn’t know what to do with for tonight! Question – if I use your go-to steak seasoning mix (which we love), will that go well with the chimichurri sauce? Or better with BBQ sauce? Thanks!
It will go great with either sauce! I hope you love the dish!
My Mom used to overplay the pre-marinated pork tenderloins growing up so I haven’t had one in years but this looks delicious, especially with those grilled veggies!
Hehehe – I feel you! Hope you give this one a try! :)
Perfect timing.! HyVee had tenderloins on sale last week BOGO. Out of the freezer they come! Will try your grilling method.
Yesss! Hope you love the method, Kari!
Yummmm!!! I’ve gotta try this…
Wow — looks so delicious!!!
Thank you for the specific grilling directions! (in particular, which seared side is which!)
You got it – I know grilling meat can be confusing!
OMG this looks and sounds sooooo delicious!!! I really have to try this recipe once. Thank you so much for this inspiration and the nice pictures. YUMMY :)
XoXo from Germany
Pork loin does make a great roast, but it’s also amazing (maybe even better) cut into 1.5″ slices and grilled like a steak. Same cooking process as your tenderloin preparation – grill to 145*F and let rest. Give it a try!
I’ll definitely give that a try, Anna! I imagine it’s got more of a pork chop texture?
I CANNOT wait to try this! I have often wondered if I could grill a tenderloin or not and now that I have step by step instructions and cooking times…I’m going for it! My father also liked to “kill” all the meats on the grill growing up bahahahaha!
Let me know what you think – truly this method hasn’t failed me yet!
Wow.. I mean WOW. Made a believer out of me. I always wrapped my loin in bacon to avoid drynesss. Pink (not too pink), juicy and mouth watering good. This is our next Christmas meal since we don’t do traditional. It is that good.
Oh my gosh, I am so so happy you loved it, Yvonne! Thanks so much for coming back to leave feedback too – I really appreciate it! :)
LOVE this! We just got a new grill, it’s SOOOO exciting!
This looks great Kristin! Glad to find your blog today. I sometimes find pork dry and chewy, not this time. The sauce looks lovely to accompany, top job.
wonderful, beautiful and mouthwatering, I love everything about this, very inspiring for summer grilling! Thank you for this!
[…] I’m sharing my method for the most unbelievably juicy grilled pork tenderloin, which cooks in under 15 minutes. Pair with grilled vegetables for a filling and healthy dinner! […]
I made this last night for supper. The balsamic vinegar BBQ sauce is da-bomb! I paired it with a broccoli salad that I saw on Iowa Ingredient. We Iowans know good food!
Just have to tell you that I made this tonight. I followed the grilling directions to a T (set a timer on my phone and everything)! Thank you for those details. This turned out beautifully and all four of our young kids were raving about it. Our six year old took one bite and said “Mom, I’m definitely having seconds!” Thank you!
You are a queen! I’ve made this three times now and won’t stop! I’ve made it for two dinner parties and your directons have made it stress-free. It’s delicious and everyone raves about it. Ha- it’s so easy and cheap. {I am now bowing to you, royal highness} Thanks so much for this!
although your recipe is probably what im going to use today, the anguish of the story about the weather, and the cider drink could have been left out lol… I just wanted a recipe for a different grilled tenderloin than what I usually make….
Hey Bob! You can click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of any post to get right to the recipe. :)
The reason everyone who has a blog writes extra details, and shows tons of pictures, is because Google requires this to get noticed. If a blogger doesn’t write so many words, their recipe won’t even come up when you google something in their niche. So blame Google, not the blogger!
followed your recipe. Turned out perfect! Thanks!!
My mouth is literally watering from the first image. Bookmarked!
AMAZING!!!!!!
Giiirrrllll…. you nailed it! Simply delicious! Served it with mango salsa and I was in heaven! Perfect!
Yeah!! Love the salsa idea – yummm. :)
Made this for my family tonight. It was fantastic! Even my picky child loved it. I will definitely be making this again.
Awesome!! Thank you so much for your feedback!
I never ( this is the first time) comment on anything!
This recipe is off the hook!! Being a cautious cook-and not wanting to jump out of my comfort zone-Kristen’s writing style and clear explanation gave me the encouragement to try it!
It’s wonderful. And so is the honey-balsamic sauce!!
Tkankbyou Kristen!!
This is the best grilled pork tenderloin I’ve ever cooked. I used Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and garlic powder on the loin, and made the barbeque sauce as a dip. Perfect!
[…] Grilled Pork Tenderloin https://iowagirleats.com/2017/06/09/grilled-pork-tenderloin/ […]
followed this technique to night and it was awesome!
All I can say is that we made this tonight and it was spot on cooked to perfection. Never again will I have to sear my tenderloin on a pan and then bake it in the oven. This recipe is easy and delicious!
Thanks for the Italian chickpea salad recipe. I made your recommended best ever Italian salad dressing goes nicely with the salad…yummy
[…] Grilled Pork Tenderloin – Iowa Girl Eats […]
Hi! Where do I buy or how do I make the honey balsamic bbq sauce? Really wanting to make this!
[…] Easy Grilled Pork Tenderloin by Iowa Girl Eats […]
So delicious and so juicy
Just made a pork loin with this method and it turned out perfectly! I highly recommend this!
Having been raised in Iowa, we tried this recipe and loved it. Best pork tenderloin ever!
Woot! High praise – I so appreciate it! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Just tried this tonight. I fixed the honey-balsamic BBQ sauce with the tenderloin. It was amazing. Thanks for the recipe.
So glad you loved it, Janet! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Made this tonight with chimichurri. Simple, delicious, and easy clean-up. I now know what to do with all that parsley and oregano overrunning my herb garden—Argentinian pesto!
Girl… this recipe is one to bank for the ages.. turned out perfect! I’m a bit slow.. you posted this a year ago. This is so perfect! Thanks!
Im not a pork person, Every time i have made it never came out good.. This was AWESOME. I used a marinade it was like a herb garlic wine by grill masters. My husband said this is restaurant quality meat. It was definitely the filet mignon of steak. The best ever!!!
[…] BBQ Pork Tenderloin […]
Made this today and it was outstanding!
So glad to hear it, Dawn! Thanks for your feedback and recipe review!
Dear Iowa Girl: Thank you! My wife prepared the tenderloin as you suggested and I grilled it as you suggested. Had to extend the slow-cooking times a but after checking internal temp, but it came out beautifully. My wife, the real cook in the family, declared this the best pork tenderloin she had ever eaten: slightly pink, juicy, and fork-tender, despite the fact that the internal temp had crept up to c151 with the extra 2″ per side. Kudos to you! This one’s a keeper!
Oh my gosh, SO happy to hear this! Thanks so much for your feedback and recipe rating, JL!
[…] Grilled Pork Tenderloin by Iowa Girl Eats […]
[…] Grilled Pork Tenderloin […]
This recipe is spot on! Meat turned out perfect. Next time I am making the chimi-churri to go with it. Thanks so much.
Niiiice – yes, the chimichurri sauce would be fabulous with this pork!
JUST what I was looking for! Perfect timing. Will play with the marinade for different flavors next time!
Came home with a killer migraine. Went to bed for a couple of hours then dragged myself out of bed to make dinner and googled grilled pork tenderloin because my head hurt too much to come up with an idea.
Best. BBQ. Pork tenderloin. Ever!
Thanks for sharing!
Oh my gosh, grilling with a migraine – you are a trooper!! I’m so glad it worked out for you, Beth, and hope you’re feeling better!
How would you cook this on a green egg. I dont believe you can make different heat zones? Thanks!
We haven’t tried cooking a pork tenderloin on our egg but I’ll update the recipe if/when Ben gives it a go!