Pork Tenderloin


 
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Gary Sabino

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So I want to do a boneless pork tenderloin tomorrow on the WSM. I found a good recipe for the grill (indirect) and am just trying to figure out how to convert grill times to WSM times. Also, in Smoke and Spice, they recommend searing the loin first in a frying pan for a few minutes prior to putting on the WSM. Anyone try this?
 
I generally do my pork tenderloins on a kettle, because it is convenient to sear them over direct and then move to the indirect side of the kettle. I think searing is important and would recommend it. I assume you'll set up your WSM with an empty foiled lined pan so you can cook around 325. If you had a gasser or a kettle you could sear it and then move it to the WSM. I suppose another way would be to sear it right over the charcoal ring before assembling, then remove, assemble the cooker and continue with the empty pan higher heat cook.

If you had the right size, high heat pan you could certainly do the searing inside.

Paul
 
Gary, do you have a gasser next to your WSM? You could sear it on the grill then throw it on the WSM!

Just personal preference, but, I like mine on the grill only. Sear it for 5 min on each side then indirect for another 15 min or so(20 or so min/lb).
 
I can sear it on the grill before putting it on the WSM, but I get the feeling I should probably do it all on the grill. Am I right that this cut really doesn't benefit from low slow cooking??
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I suppose you never know until you try...but there is not a lot of fat in the tenderloin, or at least ones I have gotten, so I don't know if this will truly benefit from the slow and low.

Try it and let us know how it works out, or, grill it and your results will be less of a gamble...if you have the time then give her a smoke!
 
Gary, I did one 2 weeks ago on the kettle. I butterflied it marinated and cooked it for 5-6 min on each side. Very moist and tender. If you do it on the WSM i think it would dry out because there is no fat in it. Bryan
 
Gary

No, the pork tenderloin does not benefit from low/slow because of its lack of fat content. However an empty foil lined pan using a WSM at a cook temp of around 325 is not low/slow. The meat should be seared and then cooked indirect by whatever method you choose. A kettle is very handy, but you can use your WSM if you want. My feeling is the kettle is more convenient and uses less fuel for this short cook.

Paul
 
Before I became familiar with this site I smoked several pork tenderloins on the WSM with a full water pan. They all turned out fine. relatively short cook time compared to butts. I usually do chicken breasts at the same time because of the similar cook times.
 
Well, I marinated the tenderloin for 24 hours in orange juice, wine, soy sauce and garlic. Then made a basting sauce with the marinade plus honey and orange marmalade. Took about an hour indirect. Big hit with the family.
 
I've also done several pork tenderloins on the WSM. Its true that they don't benifit from low and slow in terms of tenderness...but I've found that they do get a nice smokey flavor and stay juicy when done low and slow. I'll take a 4 lb tenderloin, for instance, cut it into 4 small 'roasts'. This gives it more surface area for smoke penetration, and the "big" eaters usually take a whole one. I then coat them with some worcestershire sauce and rub em down with some TBBQ #1. Then onto the smoker for about 3 hours at 225*, looking for the meat temp to be 160*. When they hit 160* I mop 'em with some BBQ sauce and leave them on for another half hour or so...never had any complaints!
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Tony
 
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