Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Juicy, flavorful grilled pork tenderloin marinated in sherry, balsamic, garlic, and herbs! Learn the best tips for easy prep and perfect leftovers.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled pork recipes, pork tenderloin recipes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Marinating Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings servings

Calories 497kcal

Author Kathleen

Trim any excess fat or silver skin (a tough membrane) from the pork tenderloin (1 1/2 to 2 pounds). This makes a nicer presentation and improves texture.

Add all marinade ingredients to a small mixing bowl, then whisk until well combined, and the honey and salt have dissolved.
Pour marinade into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible, seal the bag, and shake to evenly coat. Place the bag on a small rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. (I use a Nordic Ware 1/4 sheet)
Refrigerate and marinate for a minimum of 2 hours, or better, overnight. Don't exceed 24 hours.

For Charcoal: Clean and oil the grates. Light a full chimney of charcoal. When the coals are covered in gray ash, pour them onto one side of the grill. Be sure to leave the other side empty for indirect heat. This gives you a hot zone for searing and a cool zone for finishing the cooking process. Put the grill grate back on, cover the grill, and let it preheat for about 5–10 minutes.
For Gas Grill: Clean and oil the grates. Preheat your gas grill with all burners on high for 10-15 minutes. Once preheated, turn off the burners on one side of the grill, leaving the other side on medium-high heat. This creates your hot zone for searing and cool zone for finishing.

Remove the pork tenderloin from the marinade, shaking off excess marinade, and let them come to room temperature for 25-30 minutes before grilling. Discard the marinade.
Sear: Place the tenderloin over the direct heat and sear on all sides to create a nice crust. This will take about 1.5 minutes per side.
Cook: Move the tenderloin to the indirect heat side of the grill and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 145°F, about 12-18 minutes. Keep the lid closed as tenderloin cooks on the indirect side of grill.
Rest: Remove the tenderloin from the grill and loosely tent with foil, let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve and enjoy!

Use Instant Read Thermometer: It’s really the only accurate way to determine the internal temperature. Here’s the one I use from Amazon. I like it because it’s instant and is moderately priced.
Marinating Times: Marinate for at least 8 hours for noticeable flavor. You can marinate for 2 hours, but for the best flavor and tenderness, marinate for up to 24 hours. Overnight is ideal.
- Don’t exceed 24 hours, as the acids can begin to break down the meat too much and affect the texture. If you only have 2 hours, it’s better than nothing, but it will only lightly flavor the surface and minimally tenderize.