Pork Tenderloin

Chud

I am new to the BGE and only have done simple grilling in so far. I have a question, I want to smoke a pork tenderloin but do not know for how long. So for a 1 1/2 pound tenderloin how long and what temp do I smoke it on?

skihorn

I am not a pork tenderloin expert so if anyone contradicts me go with their advice. That said, traditionally I think you want 160 although some are now saying 150 is good enough.
EDIT: Those are for internal temps (cook to temp not time). If you are asking about dome temp I usually do it about 275 indirect but pork tenderloin has been one of my less impressive cooks so go with someone else's advice.
Welcome to the forum!

Freddie
League City, TX

Mark0525

I'm not either. I've been afraid to try one because most of the pork I've cooked on a grill drys out. That's why I don't do pork chops either. Good luck

Bordello

Try 325-350 dome, turn every 10 min. Should not take more then 20-30 min. Pull at 145, tent with foil about 5-10 min. If 145 bothers you go to 150 but not beyond or you will dry it out.

Good luck,
Bordello

Here's a link. Just use whatever info you can.

http://www.wessb.com/Cooks/surpristendr/pork_tenderloin.htm

Boilermaker Ben

Where did you get the idea to smoke a tenderloin? Tenderloin is a lean cut of meat, with very little connective tissue. It benefits from a faster, higher heat cooking method rather than a traditional low/slow smoking. You might be better off grilling it direct with some wood chips added for smokey flavor, or smoke-roasting it. But even roasted, I'd probably wrap it in bacon to preserve moisture. Cooking time will vary with the method you use, the temperature your tenderloin is before you cook, and the size of your tenderloin (among many other factors). As skihorn says, you're better of using the internal temperature of the meat to determine doneness.

NibbleMeThis

I don't smoke mine, they are too lean for that. I like to grill mine at about 350f using a raised grid. I do mine for about 6-7 minutes a "side" (to me, there are 3 sides to a tenderloin, kind of triangular) until it hits 145f for an internal temp.

Here are two of my favorite ones:
http://www.nibblemethis.com/2009/07/sesame-pork-tenderloin.html
http://www.nibblemethis.com/2009/02/southwestern-pork-tenderloin-with-cumin.html

Mahi-Mahi

I do a lot of loins. 375 is a good temperature to cook a loin indirectly. I put a garlic, black pepper rub on or the green egg black pepper and garlic rub.
Keeping it simple with just a rub and higher temperatures works well with the loins. You can smoke with a cherry wood or any flavor you like in wood chips.
Be sure to take off when the center reaches 145 and wrap in foil and let stand from 20 minutes or up to two hours in a cooler.
My daughter just loved the loin last week with the Green egg garlic and black pepper rub on it.
Left overs make great swandwiches sliced. You can always have some warm cherry pie filling on the side for people that want to top their piece of loin with it.

FearlessGrill

Hi Chud,

Welcome to the forum. Here are links (click on the names above the pictures) to writeups on a couple of pork tenderloin cooks I've done. In particular, people love the coffee-crusted one. I got that recipe from the recipes section of this site, and it comes out great. That one is direct grilled at 300-325 for 30-45 minutes, and is pulled at an internal temp of 145, then rested for 10 minutes. The Tequila Tenderloin is similarly cooked, but is quickly seared at higher heat first. The Apple-Maple one was cooked indirect at 350 for about 1/2 hour, and pulled when the internal temp hit 150.

As a new Egger, note that you don't want to cook by time, but by the internal temperature of the meat. Otherwise, you are likely to overcook or undercook your meat. This is especially important on 'low and slow' cooks on things like pork butts, where each piece of meat behaves pretty differently, and you can get a wide variance in cooking times. If you don't already have one, invest in a good meat thermometer. Most people here swear by the Thermapen.

Coffee Grilled Pork Tenderloin


Tequila Pork Tenderloin


Pork Tenderloin with Apple Maple Sauce


Enjoy!

-John

Unknown

Brine the pork, pull it @ 140 and it will never be dry!