The Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin - Memphis Style

BBQ at its absolute tastiness. This is the best grill pork tenderloin... period.  Moist, tender and the most wonderful spicy taste.

Memphis BBQ Pork Tenderloin is the most common recipe people claim as their all time favorite from my site. It had a special spot on my site for a year and a half as "My One Must Try Recipe". And I called it the best meal I had ever grilled at the time and it probably still is. It really is that good.

When the local school superintendent mentioned it last weekend, I realize I hadn't grilled this for over a year and I couldn't remember the ingredients (which I almost always can). The next morning, I peaked at some site stats and zero page views in the previous 30 hours. I was horrified. It is so time for a re-post.

I start with a well trimmed pork tenderloin. You need to get the silverskin and any other membranes off so the brine and the dry rub can do their thing. Brine for a few hours to make that already moist and tender meat even moister. A dry rub to add flavor for a few hours. Then let rest at room temp for 30 minutes prior to grilling. This allow you get to the correct internal temperature easier without over cooking the spicy crust.

Rating

At the time of the original, I rated it 9.7 which was the highest ever at that time.

Notes: You can skip the brine and suffer a little decrease in moisture and tenderness. It is not absolutely necessary to rest at room temp but you will get to the desired internal temp on the grill easier if you can get some warm up before grilling as the grill preheats.

Great BBQ requires great sauce. Try this one. Link to the wonderful Memphis BBQ Sauce

Start with a simple brine. 4 cups cold water, 4 T table salt, 3 T brown sugar. Mix well in a one gallon food storage bag.

 Trim a pork tenderloin of any silverskin, loose fat and membranes.

 Add the tenderloin to the brine and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.

Mix the Memphis dry rub: 2 T paprika, 1 T brown sugar, 1 t black pepper, 1/2 t chili powder, 1/4 to 1/2 t cayenne pepper, 1/2 t dry mustard, 1/2 t garlic powder, 1/2 t onion powder, 1 T kosher salt - only add if not brining

When the tenderloin is done brining, rinse under running water and pat dry with a paper towel. This will remove the brining salt from the surface.

Place on a piece of plastic wrap about 6 inches longer than the tenderloin. Rub all sides of the loin well with the rub reserving about 1/4 of the rub for later.

Roll the tenderloin tightly in the plastic wrap, seal the ends and refrigerate for 1 -2 hours. Longer is OK.

Remove from refrigerator, unwrap and rub with the remainder of the rub on all sides and allow to rest at room temp for 20-30 minutes. Preheat grill. You want a surface temp of  about 500 degrees. That is medium high on my super duper Weber.  High on lesser grills. Clean and oil  the grill well. This last step is important or it will stick.

Grill for 5-6 minutes per side and then decrease heat  a little and continue to flip about every 5-6 minutes until internal temp of 150. About 25 minutes total. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Serve with Memphis BBQ sauce.

My Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin - Memphis Style

by Dan Mikesell May-2-2013

BBQ at its absolute tastiness. This is the best grill pork tenderloin... period. Moist, tender and the most wonderful spicy taste. Memphis BBQ Pork Tenderloin is the most common recipe people clam as their all time favorite from my site. It had a special spot on my site for a year and a half as "My One Must Try Recipe". And I called it the best meal I had ever grilled at the time and it probably still is. It really is that good.

Ingredients

• 1 pork tenderloin

Brine

• 4 cups water
• 4 T table salt
• 3 T brown sugar

Dry Rub

• 2 T paprika
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 t black pepper
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t dry mustard
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1 T kosher salt - only add if not brining

Instructions

1) Start with a simple brine. 4 cups cold water, 4 T table salt, 3 T brown sugar. Mix well in a one gallon food storage bag.2) Trim a pork tenderloin of any silverskin, loose fat and membranes. Add the tenderloin to the brine and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.3) Mix the Memphis dry rub: 2 T paprika, 1 T brown sugar, 1 t black pepper, 1/2 t chili powder, 1/4-1/2 t cayenne pepper, 1/2 t dry mustard, 1/2 t garlic powder, 1/2 t onion powder, 1 T kosher salt- only add if you do not brine4) When the tenderloin is done brining, rinse under running water and pat dry with a paper towel. This will remove the brining salt from the surface.5) Place on a piece of plastic wrap about 6 inches longer than the tenderloin. Rub all sides of the loin well with the rub reserving about 1/4 of the rub for later.6) Roll the tenderloin tightly in the plastic wrap, seal the ends and refrigerate for 1 -2 hours. Longer is OK.7) Remove from refrigerator, unwrap and rub with the remainder of the rub on all sides and allow to rest at room temp for 20-30 minutes. 8) Preheat grill. You want a surface temp of about 500 degrees. That is medium high on my super duper Weber. High on lesser grills. Clean and oil the grill well. This last step is important or it will stick.9) Grill for 5-6 minutes per side and then decrease heat a little and continue to flip about every 5-6 minutes until internal temp of 150. About 25 minutes total. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting. 10) Let rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Details

Prep time: 4 hour Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 4 hour 25 mins Yield: 4 servings

Updated

May 2 2013

Dan Mikesell