These simple gas-grilled pork tenderloins with salt and pepper will become the star of your weeknight dinner. A perfect golden crust, juicy center, and ready within 25 minutes. By paying attention to the internal temperature, you'll never again serve dried-out, overcooked pork. No need for complicated brining or marinades that require hours of planning.
Learning to properly grill pork tenderloin represents a fundamental cooking skill that will serve you well for years to come.
Rather than using low-and-slow indirect heat, this method embraces high heat to develop a flavorful crust while maintaining the meat's natural moisture. An instant-read meat thermometer ensures perfect doneness every time, no more guessing.
A pork tenderloin is a go-to for both hectic weeknights with microwaved sweet potato puree or casual gatherings with friends alongside a huge strawberry salad. It's also a great way to batch cook several tenderloins for your weekly meal prep.
While I love this simple seasoning and dipping bites of pork tenderloin into honey mustard, feel free to customize with your favorite rubs or spices once you've mastered the foundation.
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Ingredients
You only need these simple ingredients to make juicy gas-grilled pork tenderloins!
- Pork Tenderloin: A lean and tender cut with a cylindrical shape and tapered towards one end, making it quick to cook. Some pork has been enhanced, which means salt and possibly other ingredients have been injected into the pork. When shopping, read the label on the package to confirm it contains 100% meat and no added salt injections. If the pork is enhanced, omit the salt in the recipe entirely to prevent oversalting.
See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.
The Difference Between Pork Tenderloin And Pork Loin
Make sure you are buying the right cut of pork. This recipe is specifically for tenderloin and won't work properly with pork loin.
- Pork tenderloin is small, around 2-3 inches wide, and weighs ¾-1½ pounds.
- It's the same muscle as the beef tenderloin.
- It is lean, extremely tender, and best cooked quickly to a lower internal temperature to keep it juicy.
- Pork loin is sometimes confused with the tenderloin. The most common packaging is boneless, therefore, it might be rolled and tied for cooking.
- It is much larger and wider than a tenderloin, weighing 3-5 pounds.
- You can trim whole or half pork loins into individual boneless pork chops at a thickness you prefer and freeze them for later.
- A pork loin requires longer cooking times
Both cuts of pork do not contain much fat or connective tissue. Therefore, they tend to become tough, stringy, and dry when cooked too long or braised. I recommend cooking both cuts to an internal temperature of 140°F, followed by a 5-10 minute rest. Their temperature will rise well above the USDA's recommended temperature of 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
Variations
Try these other seasoning options:
- Savory - add ½ teaspoon of garlic powder to the salt and pepper.
- Rub - Use your favorite all-purpose rub in place of the salt and pepper. If there is a large amount of sugar in your rub, it might burn quickly over direct heat.
- BBQ Sauce - Brush your favorite barbecue sauce over the tenderloins after the first flip. When fully cooked, turn off the burners and flip the tenderloins so the sauce side faces down. Brush the sauce on the unsauced side and flip to the grates for 30 seconds. Remove.
Equipment
Note: If you plan to use a leave-in probe meat thermometer that stays in the meat while it cooks, verify that it will tolerate a high temperature up to 600℉, or the probe will break.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. Start the grill and let it preheat on high for 5 minutes to 550-600℉. You will know the grill is hot enough when you can only hold your hand for 2-3 seconds when held 3 inches above the grill grates.
Step 2: Place the pork tenderloins on the grill rack and sear directly over the burners set on high with the lid closed for 5-8 minutes, depending on the thickness. Look for good caramelization and grill marks before flipping.
Step 3: Flip the tenderloins and sear the other side with the lid closed until the internal temperature is 140℉ in the thickest part of the tenderloin. This will take about 5-8 minutes.
Step 4: Remove the tenderloins from the grill and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to increase, and the juices will redistribute into the meat.
Step 5: Slice the tenderloins into 1-inch-thick slices and serve.
Top Tip
Have you noticed some small pieces of your tenderloin are tough and chewy? That is because tenderloins have a thin silver skin traveling down part of their sides. This thin connective tissue looks iridescent and silver in color and remains tough and chewy when cooked.
You can fix this by trimming off the visible silver skin from the tenderloin with your knife before seasoning. I do this when preparing for guests, but I don't bother trimming it off for quick meals with the family.
Storage And Reheating Instructions
Store cooked, whole or sliced pork tenderloins in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
When you make grilled pork tenderloins ahead of time, they risk becoming well done when reheated. Here are suggestions on how to reheat:
Oven: Wrap in foil or use an oven-safe dish, covered, and reheat in a 350℉ oven for 10-15 minutes.
Microwave: You can also reheat, covered, in the microwave for 20-second increments until warmed.
FAQ
Over high heat, a typical 1-1½ pound pork tenderloin takes approximately 10-16 minutes total. However, always cook to internal temperature, not time.
People often cook pork at a higher temperature. Unfortunately, it is already overcooked and dry. For perfectly juicy pork tenderloin, cook until the internal temperature reaches 140°F, followed by a 5-minute rest. The internal temperature will continue to rise well above the USDA recommended temperature of 145°F with a 3-minute rest. If you prefer it more well-done, you can cook it to 150°F, but avoid going higher to prevent dryness.
Yes, there can be some pinkness to grilled pork tenderloin. Various breeds of pork can also be pinker when cooked. If you prefer, you may choose to cook meat at higher temperatures.
Compare the pork's firmness to the meaty base of your thumb when you touch your thumb to your middle finger. It will have some give to it when pressed. If the pork is firm, it's overcooked. Another way is to use a knife and cut a small slit into it. If the juices and the center look very faintly pink, it's ready.
Since your cooktimes will need to be longer at a lower heat, use your instant-read meat thermometer to help you determine when they are done. I would estimate that thicker tenderloins at a lower grill temperature could take 8-10 minutes per side.
Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and ⭐️ rating below to let us know how it turned out! Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Simple Gas-Grilled Pork Tenderloins With Salt And Pepper
Equipment
- gas grill
- instant-read meat thermometer (If you plan to use a leave-in probe meat thermometer that stays in the meat while it cooks, verify that it will tolerate a high temperature up to 600℉, or the probe will break.)
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins (about 2 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper.
- Start the grill and let it preheat on high for 5 minutes to a temperature of 550-600℉. You will know it's ready when you can only hold your hand for 2-3 seconds when held 3 inches above the grill grates.
- Place the pork tenderloins on the grill rack and sear directly over the burners set on high with the lid closed for 5-8 minutes, depending on the thickness. Look for good caramelization and grill marks before flipping.
- Flip the tenderloins and sear the other side with the lid closed until the internal temperature is 140℉ in the thickest part of the tenderloin. This will take about 5-8 minutes.
- Remove the tenderloins from the grill and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing them into 1-inch-thick slices. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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