Lookin' for a little advice on pork tenderloin

tasterner

tasterner

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Got a 2 lb pork tenderloin....can I do it on the wsm or should I use the gasser? Never did one before, but reading some old threads it sounds like the don't get very good smoked. I will be firing up the bullet anyway for MOINKS and ABT's.

So, can a tenderloin be successfully smoked?
 
absolutely! I have done tons of them but usually much larger, 7-9lbs. use an indirest heat method on the kettle or wsm. pull it of at 150 let it rest for 20 minutes and slice that pharker up!
 
I think a tenderloin is too small and lean to smoke. I would do it on your gasser and maybe do a 2 level cook - lower to get the internal temp up some then hit it with a good char.
I have never seen a 7-9 pound tenderloin, but have seen a good sized loin...
 
yup 7 to 9 lbs. is a loin...very lean. Tenderloin is very small and it's more like a dark meat where loin is more of a white meat. Smoke away just watch your internal meat temp. Oh yeah the GOVERNMENT says you can use 145 internal temp on pork now. And you know you can trust them.
 
deguerre said:
I wouldn't take it past 140 IT...never tried smoking a tenderloin, just a loin. Tenderloins are for grilling.
Click to expand...

I agree.
Just don't overcook it and it'll be fine. They take flavor nicely, so season it up with whatever you got a hankering for.
 
I generally do them on higher heat, usually about 6 minutes per side (three sides). IT about 140*, rest covered for 10-20 minutes covered. My family likes them done a bit more, toward 145*. I find them better if you take them out of the fridge an hour or two before cooking. YES, you can smoke them too! Usually, we marinade and make char siu with tenderloins.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. Here's what I did....I soaked the loins in a mixture of apple vinegar, water, brown sugar, and kosher salt for about 2 hours in the frig, then rinsed, coated with Yard Bird and let sit while I fired up the wsm and made the abt's. I put them on the bottom rack and smoked at 300* for about 50 minutes, then I foiled and put in the oven at 400* for another 20 minutes or so. They weren't dry at all, I was actually surprised how good they were.

Thanks again and enjoy the weekend!
 

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That looks great! :thumb:

I smoked 4 tenderloins for the family gathering on the 4th and sliced them about 3/8" thick and lined the perimeter of a LARGE pan of pulled pork with the slices. Before smoking I coated them with honey and maple syrup and applied a generous coat of my rib rub. Into a ziplock overnight and got up and smoked them about 90 minutes at 220-230 with apple wood until 140 internal.
They turned out great and looked a lot like your pics here. You don't really need low n slow on a tenderloin because it's such a tender cut but I wanted to try and get as much smoke penetration/flavor as I could without drying them out.
 
Looks great. I was going to suggest pulling @ 135-137, then let rest for at least an hour. That would allow the juices to redistribute, and let the temp rise up another 7-10 degrees, for a perfectly juicy loin experience.

Loins are low in fat, and should be treated like a lean cut of meat, high heat, and pull early.
 
No! By itself there's no fat to baste. Further, the meat's real tender, like Filet Mignon.
If you really gotta do it, you can try wrapping the meat in Bacon. If you're a fancy dancer, you could poke a hole through the center of the "roast", stuff it with pitted prunes soaked in madera, or jalapenos stuffed with garlic. Gets a heck of a kick, when it's done right
 
I have put one on the Rotisserie over indirect heat on a 22" Kettle and it was to die for. Pulled at 145-150, rested for 20 min, and the juice would run out of the meat and you could cut it with a fork.

Also, stuffed one and put it indirect on the 22.5" OTG. Also took it to 145-150 and again, juicy, tender and anything but dry.

If a loin turns out dry and/or tough, IMO you have overcooked it or its just one of those pieces of meat that just will never be right no matter how you cook it.
 
deguerre said:
I wouldn't take it past 140 IT...never tried smoking a tenderloin, just a loin. Tenderloins are for grilling.
Click to expand...

+1 once more...

Glad you enjoyed your meal! Looked tasty indeed!

You wrapped them this time, I suggest not wrapping next time. Part of the allure for the tenderloin to me is to have a tasty crust on the external due to higher heat cook, and have a juicy pink center. I lightly tent, rest for 10 minutes, then slice. For me a full wrap would defeat the crust. Some say to cook to a higher internal temp.... though lots of Brethren pull in the lower range for more flavor. I have never used vinegar for the tender tenderloin, but have used a little lemon in a marinade and loved that too.

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