Juicy, soft, and tender pork tenderloin is a wonderful meat to grill. Pork tenderloin is lean, healthy, and so flavorful, especially when marinated in a mustard based, sweet and tangy marinade. Pop tenderloin into the marinade in the morning and you will have delicious dinner that will take less than 20 minutes to cook.
GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN
Summer barbecue just got more delicious, easier, and better! This easy pork tenderloin recipe will be one of your favorites to make for a party or just a nice dinner with the family. If your grocery stores are anything like mine, you will love this recipe even more because they have a buy one get one free sale on pork tenderloin about once a month. (Bonus!)
Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite cuts of meat because of how soft and tender it is. Although, that is exactly what makes it very easy to overcook, so be careful. Meat that is this soft and delicate should be cooked quick and at high temperature. You will be grilling only about 3-4 minutes per side, turning it quarter of the way. Of course, exact time always depends on the size of meat.
A lot of the flavor in this recipes comes from the marinade. I love it! It’s mustard based with sweet notes from brown sugar, a little citrus from lime juice, and tang from vinegar and garlic. Very simple but goes perfectly with pork.
Oh, and don’t forget that you can turn this marinade into sauce but it’s important to simmer it for a few minutes.
PORK MARINADE
I already mentioned that this marinade is super easy. There are only 6 ingredients that you whisk together and pour over pork:
Oil – use oil that stands up to high temperatures, like vegetable, canola, or grapeseed.
Vinegar – white wine vinegar is my first choice because it’s one of the milder ones but you can also choose apple cider vinegar.
Brown sugar – because a little sweetness goes a long way with pork. Light or dark sugar will work but dark has more molasses in it.
Dijon mustard – this is the best medium strength mustard with a nice smooth flavor.
Lime – use fresh squeezed lime juice from a large, ripe lime. Fresh is always better than bottled so grab a lime at the store.
Garlic – fresh garlic is another great flavor that goes perfectly with pork, mustard, and lime.
GRILL NOTES:
Coals: briquettes or lump
Grill temperature: medium: 425°-450° (3/4-full chimney)
Placement on the grill: direct heat but build a two-zone fire anyway just in case the outside is charring too fast and you need to move the pork over to the cool side.
Wood if desired: apple, maple, pecan
HOW TO GRILL PORK TENDERLOIN
You can marinate pork tenderloin as little as 1 hour or as long as 8 hours. Personally, I wouldn’t go more than 8 hours because because this is a delicate, tender meat.
Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and whisk it together. Place pork tenderloins in a large zip-lock back and pour marinade over it. Get all the air out, seal it tight, and place in a wide bowl or large plate. Let pork marinate in the refrigerator for as little as an hour or as long as 8 hours.
Start the coals and build a two-zone fire when coals are ready. (Or set your gas grill to medium (425°-450°).) Close the lid and let the grill preheat for about 10 minutes. Make sure the grill grate is clean and seasoned.
Place pork tenderloin over direct fire and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning it a quarter of the way at a time. Total cook time will be about 12-18 minutes, depending on size of the tenderloins. Internal temperature is the most accurate way to measure if your meat is ready. Cook pork tenderloin until internal temperature reaches 140°-145°.
Take tenderloin off the grill and let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting.
For the marinade: If you want to use marinade as sauce, transfer it into the sauce pot and heat to a low boil. Lower the temperature to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Don’t forget to stir once in a while so the bottom doesn’t get scorched.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN
Roasted Butternut Squash and Apples
What wine to serve with grilled pork tenderloin?
Zinfandel
Chianti
Pinot Noire
White Burgundy
Pinot Gris
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Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork tenderloin
Marinade:
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup Dijon Mustard
- 1 large lime - juice only
- 2 large garlic cloves
Instructions
Marinating pork:
- Combine all ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and whisk it together.
- Place pork tenderloins in a large zip-lock back and pour marinade over it.
- Get all the air out, seal it tight, and place in a wide bowl or large plate. Let pork marinate in the refrigerator for as little as an hour or as long as 8 hours.
Grilling pork:
- Start the coals and build a two-zone fire when coals are ready. (Or set your gas grill to medium (425°-450°).) Close the lid and let the grill preheat for about 10 minutes. Make sure the grill grate is clean and seasoned.
- Place pork tenderloin over direct fire and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side, turning it a quarter of the way at a time. Total cook time will be about 12-18 minutes, depending on size of the tenderloins. Internal temperature is the most accurate way to measure if your meat is ready. Cook pork tenderloin until internal temperature reaches 140°-145°.
- Take tenderloin off the grill and let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting.
Cooking marinade into sauce:
- If you want to use marinade as sauce, transfer it into the sauce pot and heat to a low boil. Lower the temperature to medium-low and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Don’t forget to stir once in a while so the bottom doesn’t get scorched.
Notes
Nutrition
I’ve made this recipe at least 5 times. It is amazing. I reduced the marinade and served with mashed potatoes. Just drizzled the reduced sauce on them and it was delicious! I’m wondering if the pork tenderloin could be baked in the oven. What temp would you recommend? Thanks!
It’s so good to hear! Thank you. And that sounds perfect with mashed potatoes!