Brown Sugar and Garlic Grilled Pork Tenderloin is robust and smoky with a nice sweet-to-savory ratio. Fire up the grill because this is your new go-to summertime barbecue meat.
Brown Sugar and Garlic Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Give me all the grilling meals, please and thank you! Grilling is glorious in just so many ways. My favorite thing about it? It requires almost *no* cleanup. Hallelujah! Thank you, summer. Plus, grilling adds this whole new dimension to food, meats specifically... No matter if you use a gas or charcoal grill, or even light up a bonfire while camping or picnicking, the smoky, high-heat nature of grilling meat outside gives such a great texture and flavor to food.
It's also a quick and easy way to meal prep! You can throw a bunch of proteins and veggies on at once to have meals ready for the whole week. Just a little pro-tip for you when you heat up the old grill for this recipe. This specific recipe for pork tenderloin creates the heartiest, juiciest meat with a nice, crisp exterior. It's full of rich flavor from the soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic and is a great contender for a fresh and easy summertime meal... Or many fresh and easy summertime meals. Pair with easy grilling vegetables (like asparagus and baby bell peppers) and all your favorite people!
What is the difference between pork loin and pork tenderloin?
Pork loin and pork tenderloin come from different parts of the animal. It's really important for this recipe that you get tenderloin because loin is cooked very differently, as it's typically two-plus times as large as tenderloin. Pork loin is big and wide enough that you could cut almost steak-size pieces of it, while tenderloin is more like smaller, 2-inch-or-so medallions of meat when you slice it.
What temperature do you cook pork tenderloin to?
You can tell pork tenderloin is done when your instant read thermometer reads 140 degrees F. Over medium to medium-high heat on the grill, it should take about 25 minutes to cook.
How do you keep pork tenderloin from drying out?
Tenderloin is a very lean meat, and it can easily dry out if overcooked. Keep an eye on the internal temp as you cook it, especially if it's a smaller piece of meat. The liquid marinade will also help to lock in some of that moisture, too!
Brown Sugar and Garlic Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 1.5 lbs 1x
Description
Brown Sugar and Garlic Grilled Pork Tenderloin is robust and smoky with a nice sweet-to-savory ratio. Fire up the grill because this is your new go-to summertime barbecue meat.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1-1.5 pound pork tenderloin
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and mustard.
- Place the pork tenderloin in a large sealable bag, and pour the prepared sauce over the top. Remove as much air from the bag, and zip shut.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
- Thirty minutes before you plan to cook the meat, remove the baggie from the fridge, and let the meat rest at room temperature.
- Preheat your grill over high heat. Clean and oil the grates.
- Reduce the heat to medium to medium-high, and place your pork tenderloin in the center. The loin has three sides -- grill each side 5 minutes at a time, continuing to turn to a new side after each 5 minutes.
- Cook until the pork until it reaches 140 degrees F. on an instant read thermometer, about 25 minutes on the grill.
- Let the pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing, and serve right away.
Notes
- A pork loin and a pork tenderloin are two different cuts of meat. A loin will be much larger, around 4 pounds. A tenderloin will be around 1.5 pounds, give or take a half pound. Don't mix up the two for this recipe.
- Honor the fact that a pork tenderloin has three sides, and turn it so that it's on one of said sides each time you rotate it. This'll give the best texture and cook it evenly.
- Prep Time: 95 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: meat
- Method: grilling
- Cuisine: main dish
More Pork Recipes you may enjoy:
- Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Pork Chops
- Pork Tenderloin for Tacos in the Crock Pot
- BBQ Pork Tenderloin in the Crock Pot
- Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Barbacoa
- Garlic Herb Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin
- Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes
- The Ultimate Pulled Pork Sandwich
- Easy Crispy Instant Pot Pork Taco Recipe
More Grilling Recipes:
- Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Salsa
- Perfect and Simple Grilled Fish Fillets
- Easy Grilled Salmon Recipe
- Grilled Corn and Avocado Salad
- Grilled Sausage and Vegetable Foil Packets
- Rainbow Grilled Chicken Salad
- Grilled Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Chicken Skewers
- Weeknight Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Pineapple Salsa (30 Minute Meal)
- Grilled Honey Lime Chicken Breast
Now you know how to grill a pork tenderloin, and it isn't even difficult. Just throw on your favorite veggies and you'll have a whole meal cooked without turning on the oven.
Craig
Enjoyed it very much. Highly recommend.
★★★★★
deb c }i{
I made it...they loved it! It actually marinated for about 9 hours because life happens when kids are involved. We also had the Salt Potatoes and the Easy Cornbread Muffins to go with it.....an amazing meal! Thanks!!!!
★★★★★
Melissa
I'm so glad you liked it. So it wasn't too salty with a long marinade? I'll leave that in the notes, it's always nice to have some wiggle room when it comes to prep like that!
deb c }i{
No one commented if there was a higher salt flavor.....but I am a salt-aholic and I served this with salt potatoes so of course I didn't notice.....hahahaha....I usually brine my tenderloin in salt, maple syrup and water all day long....rinse and bbq'd.....The salt flavor doesn't seem to penetrate the meat, it just tenderizes it even more than it already is. The soy sauce is the only salty thing in the marinade here...and its not all that much. Unless someone is salt sensitive.....let it marinate!