Juicy Smoked Pork Tenderloin Recipe (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole30)

straight on shot of cut up smoked pork tenderloin with a meat fork sticking in the top

This smoked pork tenderloin recipe is super simple and packs a ton of flavor. Use your wood pellet grill to smoke the seasoned meat and slather on your favorite bbq sauce. An easy dinner idea that's gluten free, paleo, and Whole30 compatible!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword #glutenfree, #grilling, #paleo, #pork, whole30

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 45

Brining Time 8

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 102kcal

Author Taryn Solie

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb pork tenderloin
2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
2 tbsp BBQ sauce I used Tessemae's

Instructions

First use a paper towel to dry off the pork tenderloin. Then, using a large sharp knife and a cutting board, remove any fat remaining on the pork. You may be able to pull it off with your hands. If not, cut it off with the knife.
Next remove the silverskin (connective tissue) on the tenderloin. You will need to poke the tip of the knife into the tenderloin just under one end of the silverskin, then gently and gradually move your knife back and forth as you slide it down underneath the silverskin to remove it from the rest of the meat. It will need to be removed in multiple sections - if you try and remove it all at once you will cut away a large portion of the meat itself.
Once the silverskin is removed, measure out the kosher salt with a measuring spoon and sprinkle it all over the meat, spreading it around with your fingers until the meat is equally covered. Place the meat on a plate and in the fridge, uncovered, for 8 hours.
Take the tenderloin out of the fridge after the 8 hours is up and 30 minutes before you put it on the grill to let it warm slightly.
Set your wood pellet grill to 250F and let it come up in temperature. Use measuring spoons to measure out the spices in a small bowl and stir to combine. Sprinkle the mixture onto all sides of the pork, rubbing it in with your hands.
Once the grill reaches 250F, place the pork tenderloin on the grill and, if you have it, insert a meat probe and set the temperature of the probe to 130F. Cook the pork until it reaches an internal temperature of around 130F, then slather the bbq sauce on with a brush. Continue cooking the tenderloin until the internal temperature reaches 145F. Remove from the grill, let rest for 10-15 minutes, then carve and serve!

Video

Notes

Switch up the seasoning a little. If you don’t have smoked paprika, you can use regular. You can also add up to ¼ tsp of either cayenne pepper or ground chipotle powder to give the pork a spicier kick.
Check which salt you're using. This recipe specifically uses Diamond Krystal kosher salt. If you’re using a different type of salt, check out this article on salt types and measurements.
Check your hopper! You want to look and see if you have enough wood pellets (or wood chips depending on if you're using a grill or smoker). You don't want to run out of wood while the pork is cooking.
Use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the pork. You can either do this with a temperature probe (if your grill comes with one) or use a hand held meat thermometer. We’ve had a Thermapen for years and love it (affiliate link).

Nutrition