This grilled pork tenderloin is soaked in a garlic and herb marinade, then cooked on the grill until caramelized and tender. A quick and easy meal option that pairs well with a variety of side dishes!
It’s grilling season, and when the weather is warm, you can find me outside cooking up some grilled shrimp skewers, grilled salmon or this fabulous grilled pork loin.
Pork tenderloin is such a versatile cut of meat. It’s tender, easy to cook and full of flavor. One of my favorite ways to prepare this cut of meat is with this grilled pork tenderloin recipe. The savory marinade will impress everyone!
This entree is perfect with some of my favorite summer side dishes like grilled eggplant, cherry tomato salad and grilled vegetables.
Table of Contents
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin Ingredients
- How Do You Make Grilled Pork Tenderloin?
- Tips For Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Quick Tip
- How Long Do You Marinate Pork Tenderloin?
- What Is The Difference Between A Pork Loin And A Pork Tenderloin?
- What Temperature Should Pork Be Cooked To?
- Flavor Variations
- More Great Pork Recipes
- Love This Recipe?
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Grilled Pork Tenderloin Ingredients
When you make this grilled pork tenderloin recipe, make sure you have pork tenderloin, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, thyme, garlic, salt and black pepper. See the recipe card below for specific amounts and more details.
How Do You Make Grilled Pork Tenderloin?
The first step to make grilled pork tenderloin is to bring out the flavor of the pork with a marinade. In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag place your olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped parsley leaves, chopped thyme leaves, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Mix the ingredients together. Place the tenderloin in with your marinade. Seal your bag or cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place it in your refrigerator to marinate.
To cook the tenderloin, heat a grill to medium heat and cook the pork for 15-18 minutes. Be sure to turn the pork occasionally to cook the meat evenly. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve.
Tips For Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- You can make this marinade up to 3 days before you plan to use it. Simply store the marinade in the fridge until you’re ready to add your pork.
- You can really use any cut of pork for this marinade such as bone in pork chops, boneless pork chops or pork shoulder.
- This marinade contains a little bit of honey which adds great flavor, but can easily burn. Make sure your grill or pan is not overly hot before you add your meat, and be sure to turn it frequently!
- If you find that the outside of your tenderloin is cooking too quickly, try placing the pork on indirect heat or place it in an oven heated to 400 degrees F until the interior of your pork reaches your desired temperature.
Quick Tip
Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the interior of your pork to make sure it reaches your desired temperature.
How Long Do You Marinate Pork Tenderloin?
You should marinate this pork for a minimum of one hour. I recommend marinating your meat for a longer period of time for the best flavor. I try to let my pork marinate for at least 6-8 hours before I grill my pork tenderloin.
What Is The Difference Between A Pork Loin And A Pork Tenderloin?
Pork loin and pork tenderloin are two different cuts of meat. Both are from muscles on the pig’s back. However, the pork loin is a large, wide cut that runs between the shoulder and the leg. A butcher breaks down pork loin in to several cuts of meat such as the center loin chop or the top loin roast. The typical “loin” in the supermarket is the top loin roast which may or may not have a layer of fat on top depending on how it was cut.
The tenderloin is a specific muscle that is part of the loin. Tenderloin is a round and long piece of meat cut from the rear of the loin under the backbone. Tenderloin is unique in that it is a very tender, boneless cut with very little fat. Pork tenderloin is more expensive than pork loin due to its smaller size and popularity.
What Temperature Should Pork Be Cooked To?
You should grill pork tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Check to see if your pork has finished cooking by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Once you’ve reached the correct temperature, remove the pork from the grill. Let it rest for 5 minutes before you slice it.
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Flavor Variations
While this grilled pork tenderloin is fantastic, you can adjust the recipe to suit your own taste.
- Seasonings: You can add your favorite seasonings to the marinade like paprika, oregano, onion powder, or ground fennel.
- Sweet: You can substitute brown sugar for honey in this recipe. Just make sure the brown sugar fully dissolves in the marinade.
- Spicy: Increase the heat in your marinade by adding some hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
Pork tenderloin is a delicious cut of meat that is perfect for grilling. With this fabulous and flavorful marinade, you can make a grilled pork tenderloin that is perfect for anything from dinner parties to everyday meals.
More Great Pork Recipes
Honey Garlic Pork Chops (Slow Cooker)
5 hrs 15 mins
Smoked Pork Chops
1 hr 10 mins
Stuffed Pork Chops
30 mins
Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
4 hrs 10 mins
Mushroom Pork Chops
30 mins
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon parsley leaves chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
- Place the pork tenderloin in a bowl or resealable gallon sized bag.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and garlic.
- Pour the marinade over the meat. Marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
- Preheat a grill to medium heat. Place the pork on the grill. Cook for 15-18 minutes, turning occasionally, until the interior of the pork registers 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
- Let the meat rest for 5 minutes. Top with additional parsley, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the interior of your pork to make sure it reaches your desired temperature.
- You can really use any cut of pork for this marinade such as bone in pork chops, boneless pork chops or pork shoulder.
- This marinade contains a little bit of honey which adds great flavor, but can easily burn. Make sure your grill or pan is not overly hot before you add your meat, and be sure to turn it frequently!
Nutrition
can you keep some marinade out and heat when the pork is done and drizzle over top
Yes that works!
That marinade is incredible and the pork was so tender! Absolutely delicious, thank you
The marinade really sets this apart. Everyone loved it, and now it’s set to be a staple in our house!
The meat was incredibly juicy and packed with a perfect blend of smoky and savory flavors that left everyone asking for seconds. It’s definitely going to be a staple in our summer grilling lineup!
Love this recipe will try this later, thanks for sharing
This turned out so well! The pork was tender, cooked perfectly, and so flavorful!
This is the BEST pork tenderloin and is a summer staple at our house. The flavors are wonderful and the pork is super moist. We’ve tried many recipes from Dinner at the Zoo and all are exceptional.
Super easy and quick. Everyone loved this. Make sure you rest meat and then mop up the resulting juices!
The meat came out so tender and flavorful! Great recipe!
Such a fantastic cut of meat! Can’t wait to toss this onto the grill for dinner tonight! Looks beautifully delicious!
My family absolutely loved this pork loin!
Omg, mouthwatering. I am literally goign to crave tenderloin until I make it! The color of the outside is so pretty.
So juicy and full of flavor! Love this recipe.
Pork tenderloin is one of my favorite meals! The marinade is full of flavor and perfect for dinner!
I couldn’t agree more, pork tenderloin is tender, easy to cook and full of flavor. I love your version of grilled pork tenderloin and I’m adding it to our summer menu.
I think I just heard my tummy growl. lol! Must print the recipe.
I really like that marinade and will have to try that this week. Glad I came across this recipe because I had pork tenderloin on hand and needed some inspo for it
Thanks for all the tips. This sounds like a good option for an upcoming dinner party.
A lovely summer recipe. Perfect with some potatoes and salad.