How to Smoke Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is a cut of meat that’s well-known for being incredibly moist and tender when cooked right. However, it’s also finicky, quickly turning overcooked and chewy if it’s cooked for just a few minutes too long.

Smoked pork tenderloin isn’t quite as touchy. When smoked, pork tenderloin becomes more tender the longer you smoke it, resulting in near perfection every single time. Still, there are a few things you need to know to get the best results, which we cover in this guide. 

Pork Loin vs Pork Tenderloin – What Is the Difference?

Pork loin and pork tenderloin come from the same general area of the pig, each getting cut from the back. Pork loin, however, can be a lot bigger than the tenderloin, as it generally is cut from the shoulder area down to the leg. Pork loin is usually wider and flatter than the pork tenderloin. 

The tenderloin comes from a smaller area of the back, usually from either side of the spine. Therefore, it’s narrower and smaller than pork loin. This area is even more tender than the area pork loin comes from because it’s not used much, making it less muscular. For this reason, cooks enjoy using pork tenderloin to create super tender restaurant-quality pork dishes. 

Prepping the Pork

Before jumping into getting your smoker ready, read through these tips to learn how to best prep your pork tenderloin for the smoker. 

Trimming

First, trim some of the fat off the pork. You don’t want to cut through the tenderloin and get rid of all the white lines of fat; these are necessary for adding flavor to the meat and keeping it moist during the smoking process. Instead, look for blobs of fat on the outside of the tenderloin. Gently glide a sharp knife under the fat, holding the fat with your other hand to pull it away and remove it from the meat.

Also, trim off the narrow end of the pork tenderloin. This smaller piece will cook quicker than the rest of the tenderloin, which can cause it to become overdone and not as pleasant to eat. Alternatively, you can bend the end up and over the nearby part of the tenderloin and use butcher’s twine to wrap it and hold it in place. 

Seasoning Rubs

Next, create a seasoning rub for the pork tenderloin. We’ve listed our favorite rub to use in the recipe below, but you can use any spices and herbs you see fit to flavor your pork. Just be sure to combine all spices and herbs completely before rubbing them onto the pork.

Pat the pork tenderloin completely dry on all sides. Then, brush it all over with a light layer of olive oil. Finally, sprinkle the rub along the tenderloin, and use your fingers to rub the mixture into the meat, making sure all sides are covered with the rub. 

Other Seasoning Options

If you’d prefer to season the pork tenderloin using a few spices instead of using a seasoning rub, you can do that, too. One way to do this is to sprinkle your seasonings, like salt, pepper, or lemon pepper seasoning, along all sides of the pork. 

Another method is to inject your pork tenderloin with marinade, like our pork steak marinade. Mix together the marinade you’d like to use and insert it into a meat injector. Then, use the meat injector to inject a few spread-out spots in the meat with the marinade. This keeps the pork tender while smoking and adds a layer of flavor to the meat. 

Prepping the Smoker

There’s not much that you need to do with your smoker to prepare pork tenderloin other than making sure it’s clean and in good working condition. Here are a few steps to take:

• Clean off your grates using a grill brush to ensure that no leftover food particles are stuck to the grates. 
• Make sure your smoker can maintain an even temperature once the lid is closed. If you haven’t used it in a while, do a test run. Set it to 250 degrees and close the smoker. Use a heat-safe thermometer to check the temperature again in 20-30 minutes.
• Brush oil onto the grill grates to keep them from sticking to the pork, or have a grill pan ready.

If you plan to use wood chips or pellets, do so before you preheat your smoker. Soak the wood chips in water for about 30 minutes before adding them to the smoker and preheating it. 

Best Wood Chips or Pellets to Use

With the seemingly endless options of wood chips to use in your smoker, you might be left to wonder what the best kind of wood chips or pellets is when smoking pork tenderloin. The answer is…that there’s not a cut-and-dry answer. However, there are a few types of wood that are more suitable for smoked pork than others might be:

• Alder: Pork works well with lighter, more delicate woods than the heavier, bolder woods you typically use with beef. Alder is one of those more subtle woods that’s an ideal match for pork tenderloin.
• Apple: Apple and pork just go together. We can’t really explain why, but if you’ve ever had the flavor pairing, you understand. It’s not uncommon to use apple juice or cider in pork marinades or to baste a pork roast in apple juice. Getting that apple flavor from wood is just as pleasant when smoking pork tenderloin.
• Pecan: Pecan is a sweet and mild wood with nutty undertones. If you like bold woods like hickory and oak, try pecan for a subtler match for pork.

Key Tips – Smoked Pork Tenderloin

Before jumping into our recipe below, learn a few tips to get excellent smoked pork tenderloin results every time.

First, cut off any chunks of fat you see along the pork like gobs of fat handing off the tenderloin. However, you don’t need to hack away at the tenderloin to get every last piece of fat off. You want some of that fat to stay put for added flavor and juiciness during the cooking process.

Next, get generous with your seasoning, but go easy on the salt. It’s easy to overdo salt when seasoning pork, but you can always add some salt later if you need to after cooking. Your other spices should cover the pork generously on all sides. Your rub will help flavor the meat during the smoking process, so don’t skimp on it.

Finally, if you need to speed up the cooking process, consider using a traditional grill instead. It’s usually quicker on a regular grill, especially a gas grill, and you’ll get that char and flavor you expect from the smoker. However, you’ll be using higher heat, so be careful about overcooking your pork.

Smoked Pork Tenderloin Recipe

The following smoked pork tenderloin recipe uses a delicious blend of spices as a dry rub to enhance the flavor and crispiness of the pork. Try it for yourself.

Ingredients

• 1-2 pound pork tenderloin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground mustard
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

1. Mix together the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, cayenne pepper, ground mustard, and brown sugar.
2. Trim the excess fat off the pork and pat the pork dry. Brush the olive oil on all sides and sprinkle the dry rub along the meat. Use your fingers to gently press and rub the spice mixture along the meat. 
3. Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees.
4. Move the pork into the smoker, close the lid, and smoke until it reaches 145 degrees. This can take between 1.5-3 hours. 
5. Place the pork on a clean plate to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

If desired, wrap the pork tenderloin in foil once it reaches about 120 degrees. Then, continue the cooking process until it reaches 145 degrees. This helps the pork remain moist during the last stretch of the smoking process. 

Conclusion: How to Smoke Pork Tenderloin

Add this guide to your bookmark list for easy reference when you’re ready to smoke pork tenderloin. We also have other pork recipes, guides, and articles for you to enjoy when you need some extra pork inspiration. Also, check out our fresh pork ribs and chops, available to order online and get delivered to your home from Chicago Steak Company.

Smoked Pork Tenderloin FAQs