- Cook the Story - https://cookthestory.com -

BBQ Pork Tenderloin

Follow these simple instructions for the most tender and flavorful BBQ Pork Tenderloin that you’ll ever serve.

Pork Tenderloin is one of the cuts of meat that helps me get dinner on the table quickly and with relative ease. It is, however, a cut of meat that requires a little extra attention to prep.

There are two things that I think are important to do before you cook a pork tenderloin. The first is to remove the silver skin and the second it to fold the thin end under the tenderloin and secure with metal skewers or kitchen twine.

If you’ve never done this, I have a step-by-step photo tutorial that walks you through this simple and quick preparation.

How To Season Pork Tenderloin

Because pork tenderloin is so lean, I like to season the pork with a simple mixture of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can do this before getting your grill ready. The time that it takes for the grill to heat is the perfect amount of time for the spice mixture to work its magic adding flavor and starting to break down the protein stands creating a tasty, more tender tenderloin.

How To Prepare The Grill

To cook the tenderloin, we’ll be using zone cooking which essentially is using two different heat zones on the grill, direct and indirect heat, to cook the pork. This is the secret to ensure that the BBQ sauce doesn’t burn once it has been brushed on to tenderloin.

To set up your grill for this type of cooking, follow the directions below:

Three Burner Gas Grill – turn two burners to medium-high and ignite. Leave the third burner off.

Four Burner Gas Grill – turn the two left burners to medium-high and ignite. Leave the two right burners off.

Charcoal Grill – light the charcoal using a chimney lighter. Pour the charcoal out of the chimney and push over to one side of the grill. Leave the other side free of coals.

Allow the grill to reach 450˚F and then oil the cooking grate with vegetable oil

How To Cook BBQ Pork Tenderloin

As I mentioned, we will be using zone cooking for this recipe. The first zone of the grill is direct heat. This is where the majority of the cooking will take place. The second zone is the indirect zone. This is where the tenderloin will finish cooking, caramelizing the BBQ sauce without burning it. Yay!

Start by placing the pork tenderloin on the cooking grate over the direct heat zone. Cover the grill and allow to cook for 8 minutes, undisturbed. Flip the tenderloin over, cover, and cook another 7 minutes.

Move the pork to the indirect zone of the grill, brush with a prepared BBQ sauce or make your own Best Ever BBQ Sauce or Sweet, Spicy, Smokey BBQ Sauce. The Best Ever recipe is a perfect base recipe that I like to add some pantry favorites like Worcestershire, Tabasco, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and chili powder to really bring in the flavor.

Cover and cook until the sauce has started to caramelize and the internal temperature of the pork reads 145˚F on an instant read thermometer.

Remove the pork tenderloin to a clean cutting board and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute into the meat.

Slice and serve with your favorite BBQ sides and extra BBQ sauce.

Cooking BBQ Pork Tenderloin In The Oven

If you don’t have a grill, this recipe can also be made in the oven. Much like the grill, you’ll use a two zone cooking method of sorts.

The pork tenderloin is prepared the same way as you would for the grill, but rather than grilling, it is roasted in a 425˚F oven in which one rack has been positioned about 4-inches from the broiler and another in the center of the oven.

Place the tenderloin on a rimmed baking sheet and cook in the center of the oven for 15 – 17 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reaches 145˚F.

Remove it from the oven and brush on your BBQ sauce of choice. Turn on the broiler, return the pork tenderloin to the oven and broil until the sauce begins to caramelize, 3 – 4 minutes. Don’t walk away, the sugars in the sauce go from caramelized to carbonized very quickly.

Transfer to a clean cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with your favorite BBQ sides and extra BBQ sauce.

Print

BBQ Pork Tenderloin

  • Author: Christine Pittman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 28 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Entrée
  • Method: Grilled
  • Cuisine: American

DESCRIPTION

Follow these simple instructions for the most tender and flavorful BBQ Pork Tenderloin that you will ever serve.


Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl combine the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

  2. Prepare the tenderloin, by removing the silver skin and folding the thinner end under and securing with metal skewers of kitchen twine.

  3. Rub the tenderloin with the olive oil  and season on all sides with the spice mixture. Set aside while you prepare the grill.

  4. Preheat the grill for zone cooking. For a three burner gas grill, turn the two left burners to medium-high and ignite. Leave the third burner off. For a four burner gas grill, turn the two left burners to medium-high and ignite. Leave the two right burners off. For the charcoal grill, light the charcoal using a chimney lighter. Pour the charcoal out of the chimney and push over to one side of the grill. Leave the other side free of coals. Oil the cooking grates.

  5. Place the tenderloin over the direct heat section of the grill. Cover and allow to cook for 8 minutes. Flip over, cover, and continue to cook for 7 more minutes.

  6. Brush the tenderloin with the BBQ sauce and move to the indirect section of the grill. Cook until the BBQ sauce has begun to caramelize and the internal temperature of the tenderloin reads 145˚F. 

  7. Remove the tenderloin to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute into the meat.

  8. Serve with extra BBQ sauce.

Notes

TO MAKE BBQ PORK TENDERLOIN IN THE OVEN: Position one rack about 4 inches from the broiler and another in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Place the prepared tenderloin on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the center of the oven until the internal temperature is 145˚F. Baste with the BBQ sauce. Turn on the broiler and broil until the sauce starts to caramelize, 3 – 4 minutes. Keep on eye on this, the sugars in the sauce go from caramelized to carbonized very quickly. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.