Thoughts on pork tenderloin…

rdsbucks

Direct or indirect? I like a little smoke on my pork tenderloin so I was thinking indirect. But charring the tenderloin using direct sounds appealing too. It’s my first tenderloin on an egg so I welcome your thoughts.

Gulfcoastguy

Direct and somewhere between 145 to 150 internal temp IMO.

Lit

Indirect till like 130-135 internal then direct to 140. 

lousubcap

I will second the direct approach (rotate around 10-15 minutes into the cook) and high in the dome if you can get there.  I am a fan of pulling any non pork butt in the high 130's-low 140's *F cook temp.  Level of pink driven by your target audience.  FWIW-

danhoo

I"ve been cooking indirect at 250F (grate) 275 dome until internal reaches 130F.

when it hits 130F, I pull it off, remove the platesetter and finish (briefly) direct.  maybe 5 to 10 mins total with glaze on it. Internal is about 140 when I pull it and let it rest before carving.

MasterC

Raised direct 

Or raised direct 

Or maybe raised direct 


Sometimes I prefer raised direct.

But that's just me.

Gulfcoastguy

Temp depend on if your guests can tolerate a pink center. All of my relatives are of the "incinerator pork" party, I did make some truly excellent ones that we pulled at 145. I had marinated them 24 hours before hand. Unfortunately on a gasser (not at home) but still great.

caliking

danhoo said:

I"ve been cooking indirect at 250F (grate) 275 dome until internal reaches 130F.

when it hits 130F, I pull it off, remove the platesetter and finish (briefly) direct.  maybe 5 to 10 mins total with glaze on it. Internal is about 140 when I pull it and let it rest before carving.
...

i was going to say, that's a bit of work for a pork tenderloin, but damn if yours doesn't look farkin' good.

PigBeanUs

rdsbucks said:

Direct or indirect? 

Either way. 

You can have smoke whether direct or indirect. Depends on whether you want grill marks and some char or to be overall dry roasted 

Bar

Another vote for raised direct at 400 deg, but I usually cook bacon wrapped pork tenderloins.

MasterC

And stuffed with cheese

danhoo

caliking said:

i was going to say, that's a bit of work for a pork tenderloin, but damn if yours doesn't look farkin' good.

The only "work"is to pull it and remove the platesetter.  I've also left the platesetter in, raised temp to about 350 to finish off the glaze . I'm not sure it's worth it to do the last step direct, but if nothing else, it helps clean the grill grate.

JohnInCarolina

caliking said:

danhoo said:

I"ve been cooking indirect at 250F (grate) 275 dome until internal reaches 130F.

when it hits 130F, I pull it off, remove the platesetter and finish (briefly) direct.  maybe 5 to 10 mins total with glaze on it. Internal is about 140 when I pull it and let it rest before carving.
...

i was going to say, that's a bit of work for a pork tenderloin, but damn if yours doesn't look farkin' good.

It does look great, but I think that’s a pork loin, not a tenderloin.  

rdsbucks

You all are beautiful people! This is awesome info. However, I am not sure I have any better idea because both look great. I guess what I am hearing is either one or both will work. Thanks so much!

rdsbucks

MasterC said:

Raised direct 

Or raised direct 

Or maybe raised direct 


Sometimes I prefer raised direct.

But that's just me.

How did you season it? Looks amazing!

lousubcap

rdsbucks said:

You all are beautiful people! This is awesome info. However, I am not sure I have any better idea because both look great. I guess what I am hearing is either one or both will work. Thanks so much!

As has been said, there are many ways to get there and most likely all will work.  Just pick one and go.  Change it up the next time and see where you land.
The key is the instant read finish temp in any hot and fast cook.  FWIW-

fishlessman

i prefer direct for the charring, if its over charring slip some foil under it. 135 internal for me and be ready to pull it quick, they over cook within 30 seconds of done. usually cook loins over tenderloin, with the tenderloin i cut them up for skewers mostly, sizing the pieces to each skewer

rdsbucks

Guys, it turned out great! These were not big tenderloins so they got to temp quickly. I glazed them with a maple/bourbon/chipotle glaze from Bass Pro. I also injected them with Cajun Butter. I am thrilled with how the food I have cooked over the years on pellet smokers has tasted on the egg. Better smoke with the addition of some charcoal flavoring. 

lousubcap

@rdsbucks - Thanks for the feedback as the forum doesn't often get that assessment.  Glad it was a success.  

rdsbucks

lousubcap said:

@rdsbucks - Thanks for the feedback as the forum doesn't often get that assessment.  Glad it was a success.  

Lou I do not believe there is any comparison between the two. I will take the Egg all day. Though the pellet smoker is very convenient, the egg is more convenient than I realized.

Bellavista52

Gulfcoastguy said:

Temp depend on if your guests can tolerate a pink center. All of my relatives are of the "incinerator pork" party, I did make some truly excellent ones that we pulled at 145. I had marinated them 24 hours before hand. Unfortunately on a gasser (not at home) but still great.

Same here.  My wife won't touch them if there's a bit of pink on the inside for the irrational fear of trichinosis.   

Mark_B_Good

Indirect, 275F dome. Hit 140 to 145F ... let rest for only a few minutes ... and you should be good to go. That's how I do it.

Mark_B_Good

Bellavista52 said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

Temp depend on if your guests can tolerate a pink center. All of my relatives are of the "incinerator pork" party, I did make some truly excellent ones that we pulled at 145. I had marinated them 24 hours before hand. Unfortunately on a gasser (not at home) but still great.

Same here.  My wife won't touch them if there's a bit of pink on the inside for the irrational fear of trichinosis.   

Depending on the cut ... I'd think even at 145F it might still be a bit pink, especially if there's any fat there ... have you found 145F is sufficiently de-pinked? LOL.

MasterC

rdsbucks said:

MasterC said:

Raised direct 

Or raised direct 

Or maybe raised direct 


Sometimes I prefer raised direct.

But that's just me.

How did you season it? Looks amazing!

First was Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper 

Second was Dizzy Pig Peruvianish and Shigs in Pit bbq sauce 

Third was dried mustard,garlic powder, rosemary, thyme, sage and bay leaf. Salt and pepper 

Bellavista52

@Mark_B_Good - I'm finding that they need to be at least 160F to be pinkless. She does serve a nice creamy horseradish sauce to make them less dry which is something.

Carolina Q

My brother used to buy a beef tenderloin and cook it to a beautiful med rare. Mom wouldn't eat it if it was "bloody". Solution... cut off Mom's serving and nuke it briefly. Worked like a charm.

Mark_B_Good

Bellavista52 said:

@Mark_B_Good - I'm finding that they need to be at least 160F to be pinkless. She does serve a nice creamy horseradish sauce to make them less dry which is something.

Pork is a pain, especially when you want to see nothing but grey/brown ... there's too little of a temperature window getting it right, often time they end up going dry for me .... honestly I think the difference between being juicy enough and dry is like a 30 second to 45 second difference in time on the grill.

Carolina Q

Mark_B_Good said:

Bellavista52 said:

@Mark_B_Good - I'm finding that they need to be at least 160F to be pinkless. She does serve a nice creamy horseradish sauce to make them less dry which is something.

Pork is a pain, especially when you want to see nothing but grey/brown ... there's too little of a temperature window getting it right, often time they end up going dry for me .... honestly I think the difference between being juicy enough and dry is like a 30 second to 45 second difference in time on the grill.

Cook it the way you want it and briefly nuke the servings for the ones who want it overcooked. See my post above.

MasterC

Carolina Q said:

Mark_B_Good said:

Bellavista52 said:

@Mark_B_Good - I'm finding that they need to be at least 160F to be pinkless. She does serve a nice creamy horseradish sauce to make them less dry which is something.

Pork is a pain, especially when you want to see nothing but grey/brown ... there's too little of a temperature window getting it right, often time they end up going dry for me .... honestly I think the difference between being juicy enough and dry is like a 30 second to 45 second difference in time on the grill.

Cook it the way you want it and briefly nuke the servings for the ones who want it overcooked. See my post above.

They get the end slice.

Mark_B_Good

MasterC said:

Carolina Q said:

Mark_B_Good said:

Bellavista52 said:

@Mark_B_Good - I'm finding that they need to be at least 160F to be pinkless. She does serve a nice creamy horseradish sauce to make them less dry which is something.

Pork is a pain, especially when you want to see nothing but grey/brown ... there's too little of a temperature window getting it right, often time they end up going dry for me .... honestly I think the difference between being juicy enough and dry is like a 30 second to 45 second difference in time on the grill.

Cook it the way you want it and briefly nuke the servings for the ones who want it overcooked. See my post above.

They get the end slice.

That's what I do ... ends are always cooked well enough for "those types of people" .... save the center for myself, and anyone else that knows what a good piece of meat should taste like.

buzd504

MasterC said:

Carolina Q said:

Mark_B_Good said:

Bellavista52 said:

@Mark_B_Good - I'm finding that they need to be at least 160F to be pinkless. She does serve a nice creamy horseradish sauce to make them less dry which is something.

Pork is a pain, especially when you want to see nothing but grey/brown ... there's too little of a temperature window getting it right, often time they end up going dry for me .... honestly I think the difference between being juicy enough and dry is like a 30 second to 45 second difference in time on the grill.

Cook it the way you want it and briefly nuke the servings for the ones who want it overcooked. See my post above.

They get the end slice.

Sorry, the end slice gets cut off as a chef snack during serving.