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    Home » Pit Boss Recipes

    Published: Nov 3, 2023 · Modified: Mar 2, 2024 by Mads Martigan · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Pit Boss Smoked Pork Tenderloin

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Smoked Pork Tenderloin on a Pit Boss pellet grill is simple enough for a weeknight meal but can be scaled up for a crowd. With a garlic herb marinade, it is so flavorful and juicy.

    Smoked Pork Tenderloin sliced on a white plate with fresh rosemary on the side as garnish

    When you don't have the time or desire to make an entire pork loin, a pork tenderloin is a great option. It is considerably smaller in size so requires much less cook time.

    You can season it with any store bought BBQ rub, or make our simple overnight garlic herb marinade below.

    When the internal temperature is monitored correctly, the pork tenderloin will turn out extremely juicy and flavorful.

    Jump to:
    • Marinate the Pork
    • Video
    • Set Up the Pit Boss
    • Smoke the Pork
    • Baste the Pork with Marinade
    • Target Internal Temperature
    • Rest the Meat and Slice
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storage
    • 📖 Recipe

    Marinate the Pork

    While any BBQ rub or marinade will work, we like this quick garlic herb marinade from Ina Garten. Simply place the following ingredients in a resealable gallon sized bag:

    • Lemon Zest and Juice
    • Olive Oil
    • Garlic
    • Fresh Thyme
    • Fresh Rosemary
    • Dijon Mustard
    • Kosher Salt
    • Black Pepper

    Mix them around, then add a 1-1.5 pound pork tenderloin to the bag.

    a raw pork tenderloin being held over a gallon size bag filled with marinade

    Mix the marinade around the pork to ensure that all of the surfaces are coated. Press out the air and seal the bag.

    a raw pork tenderloin in a gallon sized bag filled with garlic herb marinade

    Place the bag in the refrigerator for several hours, preferably overnight.

    Video

    Rather WATCH than read? Check out our video on our YouTube Channel:

    YouTube player

    Set Up the Pit Boss

    Plug in the Pit Boss and allow it to run through the start up cycle. Then, set the temperature to 270°F.

    Oil the grates, and allow the grill to preheat.

    We like adding either a pellet smoker tube or a firebox with real wood and charcoal to bump up the smoke flavor on our pellet grill.

    For the pork tenderloin we used apple wood chunks in the firebox.

    Weber Apple Wood Chunks, for Grilling and Smoking, 4 lb.
    Weber Apple Wood Chunks, for Grilling and Smoking, 4 lb.
    Check Price on Amazon

    Smoke the Pork

    Place the pork on the grates of the Pit Boss with the smaller, tapered end toward the cooler side of your grill.

    On our Pit Boss, the right side is cooler than the left, so we placed the tapered end on the right.

    pork tenderloin on the grates of a pit boss with a firebox in the back left of the grill

    After the pork has cooked for a while, insert a leave in probe meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature.

    We like this one from ThermoPro for an inexpensive option, but our favorite leave in thermometer is the wireless MEATER thermometer.

    a MEATER thermometer in the pork on the grates of the grill
    MEATER Plus: Premium Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer with Bluetooth | for BBQ, Oven, Grill, Kitchen, Smoker, Rotisserie | iOS & Android App | Apple Watch, Alexa Compatible | Dishwasher Safe
    MEATER Plus: Premium Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer with Bluetooth
    • Dual temperature sensors enable you to monitor both the internal meat temperature (up to 212°F) and the ambient/external temperature (up to 527°F) at the same time.
    • Dishwasher safe
    Check Price on Amazon

    The MEATER pairs with a free app on your smart phone to allow you to monitor both the internal temperature of the meat as well as the ambient temperature inside the grill.

    This allows the app to calculate an estimated cooking time for you based on those data.

    a smart phone showing the MEATER app with pork tenderloin selected showing the internal temperature and ambient temperature inside the grill

    Baste the Pork with Marinade

    While the pork is cooking, you can brush on some of the remaining marinade with a silicone basting brush.

    Just make sure to stop basting when your pork is close to being done, as the marinade contains raw pork juices.

    a silicone basting brush brushing garlic herb marinade onto a pork loin on a grill
    HOTEC Silicone Heat Resistant Marinading Meat Grill Basting Pastry Brush for Oil Butter Sauce Sausages Desserts Turkey Baster Grill Barbecue, Multicolor
    HOTEC Silicone Heat Resistant Basting Brush
    • BPA Free
    • Temperature Resistant -104℉~660℉(-40℃~315℃).
    • Dishwasher safe one piece design
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    It is also a good idea to flip and rotate the tenderloin several times during cooking.

    Target Internal Temperature

    In addition to using the MEATER, we also like to spot check with an instant read thermometer in several places to ensure the pork is cooked throughout.

    This will also allow you to assess whether one side of the pork is cooking faster so you can rotate it as needed.

    a pork tenderloin on the grates of a pit boss pellet grill
    ThermoPro TP19H Digital Meat Thermometer for Cooking with Ambidextrous Backlit, Waterproof Kitchen Food BBQ Grill Smoker Oil Fry Candy Instant Read
    ThermoPro TP19H Digital Meat Thermometer
    Check Price on Amazon

    For our 1 ⅓ pound pork tenderloin it took about 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach the target internal temperature of 145°F.

    This is the safe temperature for pork.

    At that point, remove the pork tenderloin to a cutting board to rest before slicing.

    Rest the Meat and Slice

    Allow the pork tenderloin to rest for about 15-20 minutes. Use a good meat slicing knife to cut the pork into slices.

    Wearing food safe nitrile gloves can help protect your hands from the heat.

    A pork tenderloin on a cutting board being sliced with a meat slicing knife
    MAIRICO Ultra Sharp Premium 11-inch Stainless Steel Carving Knife - Ergonomic Design - Best for Slicing Roasts, Meats, Fruits and Vegetables
    • IMPECCABLE PERFORMANCE: The long, ultra sharp blade is engineered to deliver highly precise cuts with minimal effort.
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    Only cut what you plan to serve. Cutting the entire tenderloin at once can cause the slices to dry out.

    Serving Suggestions

    Pork tenderloin goes great with smoked mashed potatoes, twice baked potatoes, corn on the cob, or baked beans.

    Storage

    The pork will keep for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

    Reheat leftovers by placing the pork in a shallow pan filled with a small amount of chicken, beef, or vegetable broth, covered in foil, in the oven at 300°F until heated through.

    📖 Recipe

    Smoked Pork Tenderloin sliced on a white plate with fresh rosemary on the side as garnish

    Pit Boss Smoked Pork Tenderloin

    Mads Martigan
    Pit Boss Smoked Pork Tenderloin has an easy garlic her marinade. It is simple enough for a weeknight meal but can be scaled up for a crowd.
    No ratings yet
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    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 hours hrs
    Marinade Time 8 hours hrs
    Total Time 10 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, barbecue, BBQ, Christmas, Holiday, Keto, Smoked
    Servings 3
    Calories 313 kcal

    Equipment

    • Pit Boss Pellet Grill

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Pork Tenderloin about 1 ⅓ lbs

    Garlic Herb Marinade

    • Zest of 1 Lemon
    • Juice of 2 Lemons
    • 2 ½ tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 2 cloves Garlic minced
    • ½ tablespoon Fresh Rosemary minced
    • 1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme minced
    • ¾ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
    • ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

    Instructions
     

    Marinate the Pork

    • Add the marinade ingredients to a resealable gallon sized bag. Push around the bag to mix the marinade.
      Zest of 1 Lemon, Juice of 2 Lemons, 2 ½ tablespoon Olive Oil, 2 cloves Garlic, ½ tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, 1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme, ¾ teaspoon Dijon Mustard, ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt, ½ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
      a raw pork tenderloin being held over a gallon size bag filled with marinade
    • Add the pork tenderloin to the bag, mix it around in the marinade, press out the air, and seal the bag.
      1 Pork Tenderloin
      a raw pork tenderloin in a gallon sized bag filled with garlic herb marinade
    • Place the bag in the refrigerator and allow it to marinate for several hours, preferably overnight.

    Start Up the Pit Boss

    • Start the Pit Boss and allow it to run through the start up cycle. Set the temperature to 270°F.
    • Oil the grill grates.

    Smoke the Pork Tenderloin

    • Place the pork with the smaller, tapered end toward the cooler side of your grill.
      pork tenderloin on the grates of a pit boss with a firebox in the back left of the grill
    • Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the tenderloin to monitor the internal temperature throughout the cook.
      a MEATER thermometer in the pork on the grates of the grill
    • Brush on the leftover marinade with a silicone basting brush every 15 minutes, making sure to stop basting about 20 minutes before the pork is finished cooking.
      a silicone basting brush brushing garlic herb marinade onto a pork loin on a grill
    • Flip and rotate the tenderloin several times during cooking to ensure it cooks evenly. Use an instant read thermometer to check different spots of the tenderloin to judge whether to rotate it.
    • Cook the pork until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
      a pork tenderloin on the grates of a pit boss pellet grill
    • Remove the pork to a cutting board to rest.

    Rest and Slice

    • Allow the pork to rest on a cutting board for 15-20 minutes.
    • Slice through the pork tenderloin using a good meat slicing knife. Only cut how much you will be eating so the slices do not dry out.
      A pork tenderloin on a cutting board being sliced with a meat slicing knife

    Video

    Notes

    Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. 
    Reheat leftovers by placing the pork in a shallow pan filled with a small amount of chicken, beef, or vegetable broth, covered in foil, in the oven at 300°F until heated through.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 8ozCalories: 313kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 35gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 684mgPotassium: 691mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 47IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword pellet grill smoked pork tenderloin, pit boss pork loin, pit boss pork tenderloin, pork loin, smoked pork roast, smoked pork tenderloin, smoked pork tenderloin on a pit boss pellet grill
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    About Mads Martigan

    Mads is the founder of Madbackyard.com and has been a BBQ and Grilling enthusiast for the past 15 years. He loves to write about and make videos on smoking and barbecuing all kinds of great food.

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    Robert "Mads" Martigan, the founder of Mad Backyard

    Hi, I'm Mads, the founder of Mad Backyard and an avid outdoorsman, barbecue/smoker buff, and pellet grilling enthusiast who loves to share my passion for outdoor living and outdoor cooking with the world.

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