Description
Juicy pork tenderloin smoked to perfection with a sweet-spicy glaze, featuring a beautiful smoke ring and caramelized crust. This elegant yet easy recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with minimal effort!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 (1-1.5 lb each) pork tenderloins
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- For Dry Rub:
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- For Glaze (optional):
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Wood chips: apple or cherry
Instructions
- Prep: Trim silver skin from tenderloins. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Season: Mix all dry rub ingredients. Coat tenderloins with oil, then apply rub evenly.
- Smoke: Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C) with wood chips. Smoke tenderloins 60-90 minutes until internal temp reaches 140°F (60°C).
- Glaze: Whisk glaze ingredients. Brush onto tenderloins during last 15 minutes of smoking.
- Sear (optional): For crispier crust, finish on hot grill or cast iron for 1-2 minutes per side.
- Rest: Tent with foil and rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Don’t overcook: Pork is safe at 145°F (63°C) with 3-minute rest
- For extra moisture: Brine in ¼ cup salt + ¼ cup sugar + 1 quart water for 2-4 hours
- Wood pairing: Apple (sweet) or hickory (strong) work best
- Make ahead: Rub can be applied 24 hours in advance
- Serving suggestion: Slice diagonally for elegant presentation
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1.5 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Smoking
- Cuisine: American BBQ
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4oz cooked
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 75mg