Get your smoked pork tenderloin off the grill every time with our timing and recipe guide. Everything you need to know about internal temperature, wood selection, shredded fillet and more.
Like any good cut of meat, smoked pork loin should be tender and juicy. However, if YOU do it wrong, it can become hard and rubbery. So how long does pork tenderloin take in the smoker to finish?
Sliced pork tenderloin should be smoked for two and a half to three hours. But if you prefer pulled pork tenderloin, whenever you smoke it another two hours, for a total of five hours.
This was mainly due to the cooking temperature as well as the internal temperature of the meat. In today’s post, I’ll show you the steps you need to take to prepare a basic pork tenderloin and the different variables that affect cooking time.
What is the best temperature for smoking loins?
You see two sets of temperatures here. One IS the cooking temperature we set our smoker to, and the other IS the internal temperature we want our pork.
The best temperature for smoking a pork tenderloin (ie cooking temperature) is 107°C. Some people go higher to cook it faster, but for the most delicious results, 225°F between two and a half and three hours is best.
As long as the internal temperature reaches 63°C, the meat will be tender, flavorful and have a nice texture.
However, keep in mind that you can get results for a sliced fillet this way. If you want to cook pulled pork , you’ll need to hold it up a little longer. For this we want to reach an internal temperature of 203°F/95°C, which it still half wrapped in foil and roast it for two more hours.
If you want to prepare it for pulled pork, after two hours brush it with some BBQ sauce and wrap it in two layers of foil. Also add some apple juice to make sure you don’t lose any excess moisture. Continue at 225°F and get it to stand a few more hours before hitting that golden 205°F.
This stage of adding foil is important because the tenderloin will begin to dry out at higher temperatures (this is why some people prefer the stuffing in smoked pork tenderloin ). A few liners of foil around it to help recycle the juices and keep them in the meat. Just be careful when removing it from your smoker – the foil will get hot and hot juices will flow between the foil sheets. The results will be worth it, however, as the pork shreds easily and looks great on buns or sandwiches drizzled with BBQ sauce.
Be sure to use a good digital meat thermometer for this. If you don’t already have them, they are inexpensive and well worth the investment.
If you’re using a larger fillet, you may need to adjust the smoking times a bit, but not too much. Pork tenderloin usually only grows in length, so it often doesn’t take much longer.
If you decide to use the pork for slicing, I recommend soaking the meat in brine overnight to keep the meat moist. Some people prefer to inject themselves, which is relatively short term, but for me it can be a bit inconsistent. The brine tends to provide a more complete and even treatment of the meat.
Why you should salt pork loin
Curing is the secret to juicier meat and flavor. While it may be tempting to marinate your pork, brining is really the preparation method you want to use.
You see, pork tenderloin is similar to chicken breast in that it’s a very lean cut of meat. This can be a problem when grilling as it can easily dry out due to the low fat content.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t salt higher-fat cuts of meat. In fact, he used to use pork shoulder brine in the past , even though pork shoulder is much fattier than tenderloin.
While marinades only add flavor to the surface of the fillet, good sheets go even further by keeping the meat moist. With just a simple solution of salt and water, we can retain moisture in meat much more efficiently.
The magic ingredient here is salt, with its sodium content being the real key. Sodium helps tenderize meat, which breaks down its proteins.
How to salt pork loin
Now that you know why you should salt your meat, it’s time to learn how.
Thanks, couldn’t be easier. You don’t need an elaborate recipe, and the two things you need should already be in your kitchen: salt and water.
The only thing to remember is the best salt to water ratio, which is one tablespoon of salt per cup of water.
Just remember to use enough water to submerge your fillet in a large bowl or punch.
Put the water in the bowl first (not the meat) and add the right amount of salt according to our magic ratio. Stir in the salt until it dissolves before gently placing the pork loin in the pain.
Put the wound in the refrigerator and leave it in the brine for two hours. You can leave it longer if you want, but it takes two hours for the salt to do its job on the pork protein.
How to trim pork tenderloin
While it’s important that there is some fat in the fillet because it adds a lot of flavor when grilled, it’s not uncommon for cuts of meat to have excess fat. We want to get rid of that and fortunately that’s easy to do with pork fillet.
You can use meat shears or just pull hard to snip off the excess.
You’ll also find a layer of silver fur on one side. Some people like to keep this, but personally I find it makes cutting the meat too difficult later. Use a sharp knife to remove it.
BBQ rubs and sauces for smoked pork loin
As with so many other cuts of meat, we want to give the meat a good barbecue marinade before smoking it.
I tend to use basic BBQ seasoning, courtesy of Small Town Woman.
Sweet dry rub ingredients
- 1 ½ teaspoons peppers
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons chilli powder
What is the best wood for smoking pork loin?
One of my favorite things about smoking meat is experimenting with mixing different woods with meat.
Pork is particularly good for this, as it is a meat that naturally pairs well with sweet flavors, especially fruit. Whether you’re preparing a pork shoulder or trying to smoke a whole ham , it all goes very well with fruity woods. I personally like very much:
- Apple
- A horn
- Peach
- Pecan
- Orange
Smoked pork recipe
Here is a very easy smoked pork loin recipe. They use 225 degrees Fahrenheit as a guide for smoking, but feel free to adjust if you’re using a large cut of pork. The key is to achieve an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
