Step-by-step instructions on how to smoke pork tenderloin. Soaked in a citrus brine and coated in the most flavorful BBQ spice rub, this is a "no-hassle" smoker recipe the whole family will love!

Jump to:
If you're looking for pork tenderloin recipes, then you're in the right place. Pork tenderloin is exactly that...tender. And it's juicy. But if you've never smoked it before, you're in for a mouthwatering treat!
Tender and delicious, this is the most flavorful smoked pork tenderloin recipe! You know I have a special love for creating smoker recipes, like my smoked whole chicken recipe, these smoked ribs, and this smoked pork butt recipe. And now I have a smoked pork tenderloin recipe for you to add to your collection.
Juicy, tender pork is a family favorite dinner at my house and since we're in the barbeque season, an easy pork tenderloin recipe is perfect for dinner and so easy to make. From the citrus brine to the pork dry rub, you're going to love everything this smoked meat has to offer!
🐖 Pork Brine Ingredients
This pork brine recipe has a citrus base which really helps tenderize the meat. Here's the secret to brining pork. The brining process allows the meat to absorb the liquid to not only make the meat juicer and more tender, but to add flavor.
I make each brine based on what flavors I want to pull out of the meat. For pork tenderloin, I like to use a citrus brine because of the acidity in the orange and lemon. These are the ingredients I use in my pork brine.
To start the process, place the piece of pork in a large 13x9 dish. Combine all the brine ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Then, pour the liquid brine mixture over the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. If you have the time, brine for 10-12 hours.
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
After the brining process, I remove the pork and place it on a large cookie sheet. Don't dry it off with paper towels. It should be wet when you apply the dry rub. For this recipe, I lather both sides of the meat with my pork dry rub which has a brown sugar base and includes flavors of smoked paprika, garlic salt, and onion powder.
Using your fingers, really press the dry rub into the pork and ensure all sides are covered. The tenderloins are still going to be wet from the brine which helps the dry rub stick to the meat better. There's no need to let them marinate in the rub. As soon as the smoker is preheated and ready to go, you can place the tenderloins in the smoker and start smoking.
👩🍳 Preparing the Smoker
It doesn't matter what type of smoker you use for this recipe. The smoke time and methods will be the same. But for this post, I'm going to tell you how to prepare a charcoal and propane gas smoker, as well as a pellet smoker.
Charcoal and Propane Gas Smoker
There are a couple of things you should do before you start smoking your meat in a charcoal or propane gas smoker. First, you'll need a water pan. A lot of smokers come with a water pan but you can also use a disposable aluminum pan. I like to wrap the metal water pan that comes with the smoker with heavy-duty aluminum foil before I add the water. By doing this, you’re saving yourself a lot of mess. Less cleanup is always better! For this particular recipe, I also add a tablespoon of Liquid Smoke to the water to help contribute to the smoky flavor. But that's an optional step.
Wood Chunks
You'll also need wood chunks for smoking, which means you'll need a smoker box. I prefer using wood chunks instead of wood chips because chips burn out so quickly. It's also been my experience that wood chunks produce more smoke for a longer period of time.
Whether or not you're soaking wood chips or chunks is entirely up to you. In my opinion, it's about personal preference. There is a lot of controversy on this topic, but I don't feel that it's a requirement to always soak the wood before starting the smoking process.
Some think that soaking wood, it will slow the combustion and create a longer smoke time than wood that wasn’t soaked. When I use dry wood, I get an immediate smoke and the wood chunks last for 3-4 hours before burning out. However, when I'm doing a long smoke on something like a brisket recipe, I will soak the wood chunks because I have found they last longer.
When smoking pork, I like to use apple wood. But I've also had great flavor success when I've used a mixture of both apple and cherry wood chunks. Since pork is such a mild meat, you'll need to use a subtle and mild flavored wood. Pecan wood is also a great choice. Remember, smoking is an art and when it comes to the flavor of wood and how you prepare it, there are no hard and fast rules.
Foil Packet
Another controversial topic when it comes to smoking meat is if you wrap the wood in a foil packet or not. Here's the thing... again, smoking is an art. Sure, there is a lot of science around smoking meat and all it entails, but a lot of techniques and methods come down to preference and what gives you the best results.
For me, sometimes I wrap my wood chunks in heavy-duty aluminum foil and poke large holes in it with a knife. When I'm doing long smokes, I have found that the foil packet helps the smoke to release slowly due to a lesser amount of oxygen being exposed to the wood. For this recipe, I don't use a foil packet because pork tenderloin only takes a couple of hours to smoke.
Pellet Smoker
Whether you're using a pit boss, a Traeger, or some other pellet smoker, the preparation is really easy. There's just not a lot to do when preparing a pellet smoker. Simply add the wood pellets to the chamber and set the temperature to 225°F and let it do all the work!
📋 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Prepare the smoker and preheat until the internal temperature reaches 225°F. Place the meat directly on the smoker grates. Close the lid and smoke the meat for 1 hour.
Once an hour has passed, open the smoker lid and baste on your favorite easy bbq sauce recipe to both sides of the meat. This is the point in the smoking process when I insert the digital thermometer and start monitoring the internal temperature.
When the internal temperature reaches 145°F, remove the meat from the smoker and let it rest for 5 minutes. Grab your meat carving knife, slice, and then serve. The key to success when smoking a pork tenderloin is smoking it low and slow. And the results are full of mouthwatering flavor everyone will enjoy!
🙋🏼 Frequently Asked Questions
Smoking it at 225°F will take about 2 hours to smoke. On average, it takes about 40 minutes to smoke per pound.
Pork Loin is often called "the other white meat". It's super low in fat and indeed turns white when it's cooked. It is typically a large piece of meat, like a roast, and it comes from the back of the pig. That's why it's sometimes called a pork loin roast. It can come with the bone in or the bone out. And if you've never smoked pork loin, it's really easy to do and provides a lot of flavor.
Pork Tenderloin is more of a filet and just like the name implies, it is the most tender cut of pork you can get. It's smaller and tends to have a darker color to the meat than the pork loin. Even when this cut of meat is fully cooked, it still has a slight pink tint, especially when it has been smoked.
The USDA recommends that pork be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit with a 3-minute rest. And I couldn't agree more. The slightest degree over 145°F will start to dry out the pork.
💭 Expert Tips
- When you smoke any meat, smoke it low and slow. You don't have to, but when you do the flavor is more enhanced and the meat is super juicy and tender.
- Trim off any excess fat with a sharp knife before smoking.
- You'll sometimes find a layer of silverskin. You can easily remove this with a sharp knife or ask the butcher to remove it for you.
- Skip the bbq sauce process if you want to stick strictly with the rub. The flavor is fabulous with only the dry rub, but I love bbq sauce so I wanted to take this recipe to the next level flavor-wise.
- If you can't find Byron's Butt Rub, you can skip that ingredient. But you can typically find it at Costco or on Amazon. Even a small amount adds to the flavor!
- It typically takes about 2 hours to smoke pork tenderloin, but always rely on the internal temperature gauge and not the smoking time. You want the internal meat to reach 145°F before removing it from the smoker.
- For storage purposes, it will last in the refrigerator in a covered container for 3-4 days.
- If you're looking for the best way to reheat the meat, use a cast iron skillet and bake in the oven at 300°F for about 20 minutes.
🥘 BBQ Sides
If I'm taking the time to prepare the smoker and smoke meat, I always smoke several side dishes. My easy smoked mac and cheese pairs amazingly well with pork and so do these herbed smoked red potatoes. And, you can never go wrong with smoker bbq beans!
Pork tenderloin is such a forgiving piece of meat...it's really hard to mess it up. It's perfect for any holiday, a weekend BBQ, or for when you meal prep. I love using leftovers in a burrito bowl with rice and beans and then topped with cheese and lettuce. It's also fabulous in a quesadilla.
🍽️ More Pork Recipes
If you love pork recipes like I do, try making this easy slow cooker bourbon pulled pork. It's easy to make because the slow cooker does all the work and it has layers of amazing flavors. Also, check out how to smoke a pork butt. There's nothing to it and it's a huge fan favorite!
My Latest Cookbook
Smoking Meat Made Easy!
Easy recipes for smoking meat that anyone can make at home―no experience required!
Explore the art and science of backyard smoking. This cookbook features all the essential info you need to get started, along with delicious recipes for smoked beef, pork, poultry, fish, and even sauces, sides, rubs, and marinades!
- Smoking Meat 101 - Learn everything from choosing the right wood to preparing your smoker, controlling the temperature, and even smoking on a regular BBQ grill. Also includes quick reference charts!
- Simply Smoked - These recipes are designed to require nothing but your favorite meat, a simple smoker setup, and several hours of smoke time
- Build Your Skills - The recipes in each chapter get progressively more challenging, so you can decide which level of smoking you’re ready to take on.
Smoked Pork Tenderloin
Equipment
- Smoker Pellet, Electric, Charcoal, or Propane Gas
Ingredients
- 2 lb. pork tenderloin
Dry Rub Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons Byron's Butt Rub
Brine Ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 2 teaspoons rosemary, dried
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- ¼ cup sugar
Instructions
How to Brine Pork Tenderloin
- To brine, place the pork tenderloin in a large 13x9 dish. Pour all brine ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
- Pour the brine mixture over the pork. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. If you have the time, brine for 12-24 hours.
How to Smoke Pork Tenderloin
- Generously apply the dry rub onto the meat and ensure all sides are covered.
- Prepare your smoker. Once your smoker is preheated to 225°F, place the tenderloins in the smoker directly ontto the smoker grates, close the lid, and smoke for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour, open the smoker lid and baste with BBQ sauce on both sides of the meat. This is the point in the smoking process where I insert the digital thermometer and start monitoring the internal temperature.
- Once the pork tenderloin reaches 145°F, remove the meat from the smoker and let it rest for 3-5 minutes before slicing.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THE TIMING OF THIS RECIPE:
- Marinate the pork for a minimum of 2 hours, but preferably 10-12 hours.
- The estimated smoke time at 225°F will be between 1-2 hours. Always place a digital meat thermometer in the pork and when it reaches the desired done temperature, remove it from the smoker.
- When you smoke any meat, smoke it low and slow. You don't have to, but when you do the flavor is more enhanced and the meat is super juicy and tender.
- Trim off any excess fat with a sharp knife.
- You'll sometimes find a layer of silverskin. You can easily remove this with a sharp knife or ask the butcher to remove it for you.
- Skip the BBQ sauce process if you want to stick strictly with the rub. The flavor is fabulous with only the dry rub, but I love BBQ sauce so I wanted to take this recipe to the next level flavor wise.
- If you can't find Byron's Butt Rub, you can skip that ingredient. But you can typically find it at Costco or on Amazon. Even a small amount adds to the flavor!
- It typically takes about 2 hours to smoke pork tenderloin, but always rely on the internal temperature gauge and not the smoking time. You want the internal meat to reach 145°F before removing it from the smoker.
- For storage purposes, it will last in the refrigerator in a covered container for 3-4 days.
- If you're looking for the best way to reheat the meat, use a cast iron skillet and bake in the oven at 300°F for about 20 minutes.
- When smoking pork, I like to use apple wood. But I've also had great flavor success when I've used a mixture of both apple and cherry wood chunks.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in August 2019, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures and tips in March 2022.
Nancy Puffer
This recipe is going to become a favorite! So, so good!!
Amanda Mason
So glad to hear this! I'm so glad you love it so much!!
Kevin Smith
I followed the instruction to the letter. I never got temp to 225 but put it in anyway. After and hour I went to check on it and add bbq sauce and was shocked it done. Should probably add the sauce add the start.
Amanda Mason
Hi Kevin! What type of smoker did you use? If your smoker never reached 225°F, it sounds like there is something off with your smoker. I've never had any other people who have tried this recipe provide this type of feedback so definately look into your smoker to make sure there isn't an issue there.
DrT
Kevin, if your pork loin was done after one hour but the temp never reached 225, I suspect your thermometer is defective.
DrT
Nice recipe. Super easy and with a delicious result. We used a regular pork loin and Dizzy Pig rub but it was the brine that made it special. That overnight citrus brine really makes a difference. Super moist and the orange/lemon come through without overpowering the pork. Thanks Amanda; once again, a home run.
Amanda Mason
Thank you so much, Dr. T! I've heard from so many readers how much they love my citrus brine!! I think it works well on poultry, fish, and pork! So glad you all enjoyed the recipe!!
Mark Connolly
Amanda - this recipe was amazing !!! I would never think to marinade pork tenderloin with citrus. The recipe worked perfectly; I used apple wood for a subtle smoke. I also let the final product sit in foil for about 30 min to reabsorb some of the drippings. The pork turned out amazing ! Drippings? I tried something different ... I smoked the pork in a shallow pan. When the pork was done, a beautiful juice was in the pan, and I used this as a baste. Amazing.
Amanda Mason
Hi Mark!! I'm SOO glad you loved it so much! Yes - the citrus takes things to a whole new level! Please let me know what other recipes of mine you try!! So excited to hear!!
Kelly Jex
Your recipe is now officially my first smoked meal. Turned out amazing. Changed a few things due to ingredients on hand but all worked out. Also cooked on 200°F, total cook time 3hours 44min. Thank you!
Amanda Mason
Hi Kelly! I'm so glad to hear how wonderful the smoked pork tenderloin turned out!! It's definately tasty and so easy to make! Let me know what other smoked recipes of mine you make! I can't wait to hear!!
Melissa
I know you mentioned in your notes that the butt rub seasoning isn't necessary, but just wondering if there is something that can be used as a substitute. Thanks!
Amanda Mason
Great question! These are the ingredients in the Byron's Butt Rub: salt, black pepper, granulated onion, granulated garlic, paprika, chipotle powder (smoked jalapeño).
My spice rub in this recipe calls for light brown sugar, salt, freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder.
So if you are not using Byron's Butt Rub, I'd add 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle powder, 1/4 teaspoon of granulated garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of granulated onion and you should be good!
Phil
The flavor was wonderful. I didn’t put bar-b-que sauce on mine, but had it on the side. But the smoke time was WAY TOO LONG. At 225° , I reached 150° after only one hour. I’m glad I had an internal probe or I would’ve greatly overcooked it.
Amanda Mason
Hi Phil - glad you loved the flavor! I see what you are saying time wise. The recipe card says an estimated 4 hours. That incorporates the 2 hour minimum of marinate and 2 hours smoke time. Let me get that updated. This smoke time is ESTIMATED to be between 1-2 hours.