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Smoked Pork Tenderloin is juicy, tender, and coated in a sweet-savory soy marinade. An easy, foolproof dinner ready in about 2 hours!
This marinade is one of my favorites for pork. I usually reach for a dry rub and let the smoker do all the talking, but soy sauce, honey, and brown sugar give this tenderloin a completely different layer of flavor. You can let it marinate for as little as an hour or as long as 24, which makes it an easy make-ahead dinner for busy weeknights or weekend cookouts.
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Notes
- Smoked Pork Tenderloin Marinade
- Smoked Pork Tenderloin Recipe
- How To Smoke Pork Tenderloin
- Best Wood For Pork
- How Long To Smoke Pork Tenderloin
- Smoked Pork Tenderloin Temp
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Dry Rub Variation
- What To Serve With Smoked Pork Tenderloin
- Storage & Reheating
- More Tasty Pork Dinner Recipes
Erin’s Notes
- Just 6 ingredients for the marinade, most of which are already in your pantry.
- Hands-off cooking — once it’s on the smoker, you’re mostly just waiting on the thermometer.
- Naturally lean and high in protein, so it’s a lighter dinner option that doesn’t skimp on flavor.
- Marinate ahead of time — mix it up the morning of, or the night before, and dinner is nearly done.
- Foolproof with a meat thermometer, even if this is your first time using a smoker.
Smoked Pork Tenderloin Marinade
I usually like to use a rub and just throw meat on the smoker to really get that smoke flavor. But for pork tenderloin, I decided to use a marinade instead. It gives the pork a completely different dimension of flavor than smoke alone. You can let it sit in the marinade for 1-24 hours, so it’s great to make in the morning or even the night before.
- Soy Sauce
- Honey
- Olive Oil
- Brown Sugar
- Garlic
- Onion Powder
Smoked Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2, 1 pound pork tenderloins
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Mix together the honey, olive oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic and onion powder. Add the pork and marinade to a food storage bag, seal and squish it around to fully coat the pork.2 Tablespoons honey, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2, 1 pound pork tenderloins
- Store in the fridge for at least an hour, up to 24 hours.
- Preheat smoker to 225º F.
- Place the pork tenderloins directly on the smoker grate and cook for 60-90 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145º F.
- Let the pork rest for 3 minutes, and then slice to serve. It is great topped with your favorite barbecue sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Smoke Pork Tenderloin
- Make Marinade. Mix together all of the ingredients for the marinade.
- Let it Sit. Add the pork and marinade to a food storage bag, seal, and squish it around to fully coat the pork. Store in the fridge for at least an hour, up to 24 hours.
- Smoker. Preheat smoker to 225°F. Place the pork tenderloins directly on the smoker grate and cook for 60-90 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Rest & Serve. Let the pork rest for 3 minutes, and then slice to serve. It’s great topped with your favorite barbecue sauce.
Best Wood For Pork
Pork tenderloin is a small, delicate cut, so it does best with a milder wood that won’t overpower it. A few good options:
- Applewood – mild and slightly sweet, a great all-purpose choice for pork.
- Cherry – subtly sweet with a nice reddish color on the finished pork.
- Pecan – slightly sweet and nutty, another gentle option.
- Hickory – a bolder, more traditional smoke flavor; use it sparingly on tenderloin so it doesn’t overwhelm the meat.
How Long To Smoke Pork Tenderloin
It will take 60-90 minutes to cook a pork tenderloin. But this can vary based on the size and thickness of your pork tenderloin. The ones from the grocery store tend to be a little smaller sometimes versus the ones that you buy at a wholesale club. And it will vary depending on how steady your smoker keeps the temperature.
As with smoking any meat it is best to cook to the temperature and use a thermometer to know when it is done.
Smoked Pork Tenderloin Temp
When cooking pork, it’s recommended to cook it to 145°F. The best way to hit that mark exactly is with a good meat thermometer, especially when smoking, since every cut of meat is a little different. Going by time alone can leave you with under- or overcooked meat
A lot of people stay away from pork because they think it’s dry, but that’s really because it’s been overcooked. Cook it to the right temperature and it stays wonderfully juicy.
I use the Thermapen Mk4 to check the temperature of the meat throughout the cooking process. It is the most accurate thermometer I have found and have been using it for years!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Trim the silver skin. If your tenderloin still has the thin, silvery membrane attached, trim it off with a sharp knife before marinating — it won’t break down during cooking and can make the pork chewy.
- Don’t skip the thermometer. Pull the pork at 145°F for the juiciest results; a few extra degrees can dry it out fast since it’s such a lean cut.
- Marinate 1-24 hours. Any less and the flavor won’t have time to soak in; you don’t need to go longer than 24 hours.
- Keep your smoker steady. A consistent 225°F will give you the most even cook and the best texture.
- Slice against the grain. This keeps every bite as tender as possible.
Dry Rub Variation
A marinade isn’t the only way to go here, I’ve also made this with my Best Dry Rub Recipe instead of the soy marinade, and it’s just as good. Simply skip the marinating step, pat the tenderloins dry, and coat them all over with your rub of choice before smoking at the same 225°F, pulling at 145°F.
What To Serve With Smoked Pork Tenderloin
Storage & Reheating
How to Store
Store leftover pork in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to Freeze
Wrap cooled pork tightly in plastic wrap or foil, or place in a freezer-safe bag with the air pressed out. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
How to Reheat
Reheat gently in a covered skillet over low heat, or in a 300°F oven, to keep the pork from drying out further. Sliced pork also reheats well straight in the microwave in short bursts if you’re short on time.
Husband made this and it turned out amazing! We loved every bite!
Making this again for the weekend! So flavorful!
Mmmm…. I am drooling over this pork tenderloin! It’s such a delicious dinner idea!
how else can i cook this? I do not have a smoker?
You could grill it or bake it, or however you normally would cook a pork tenderloin.