Smoked Pork Loin

This Smoked Pork Loin Recipe is extremely easy to prep, smoke, baste and serve! We made a tangy Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce to brush on. Make sure you reserve some for later. It was so good, we added more when we served it.

🍽️ Why This Works

Large Serving – If I am going to spend time at the grill, I want the meal to last a while! This large pork loin roast freezes well and will last us for several meals throughout the week.

Simple – There are only three ingredients for the smoked pork loin: spray oil, a dry rub, and the meat itself. If you want to simplify it even more, use a bottle BBQ sauce instead of making your own.

Hands Off – This is a great recipe that will feed a crowd and is virtually hands off. Once you put it on the smoker, you can walk away as long as you peek at it to check the temperature, unless you are using a wireless thermometer.

🐖 Ingredients

📝 Ingredient Notes

Pork Loin – Our butcher cut ours down to four pounds. If you don’t see one at the size you want, just ask and they will almost always cut it down. He even trimmed the excess fat for us. If you want to do it yourself, make sure to use a sharp knife.

Spray Oil and Dry Rub – A very light spray of olive oil and a liberal coating of your favorite BBQ rub is all you need. Make sure to cover all sides.

Dr. Pepper BBQ Sauce – Wow! Was this delicious! It uses Dr. Pepper, ketchup, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and granulated onion. To give it a bit more of a kick, increase the red pepper!

⏲️ Equipment and Tools

Grilling Forks – Hands down, using lifting forks will make all the difference in the world. I can’t tell you how many times I tried to use large tongs or a spatula and it slipped, creating a mess. These will puncture each side and make lifting a breeze. I use a pair like these.

Long Basting Brush – Grab a large basting brush to brush on the BBQ sauce. I prefer one between 12″ and 18″ long. The one I linked to is around 13″ and is long enough to keep your hand further away from the heat of the grill. Silicone bristles also work the best and the clean up is a breeze. This is a must-have grilling accessory.

Wireless Meat Thermometer – This is a recipe where you want to closely monitor the temperatures. It will tell you when it is time to baste with the BBQ sauce, and when it reaches the desired final temperature.

🔥 Instructions

Step One: If your butcher didn’t trim the fat on the loin, spend a few minutes to do it yourself. It is easy, but don’t get carried away. Having a thin fat layer adds a lot to the flavor.

Step Two: Rinse the pork loin with water and then pat dry with a paper towel. Spray both sides (and the ends) with a light coating of olive oil. This is a binding agent that will allow the BBQ rub to stick. Alternatively, using a little bit of olive oil and brushing it on works just as well.

Note: You can use yellow mustard instead of the olive oil. I don’t understand the chemistry, but after it has smoked, you can’t taste any of the mustard, so don’t think it will change the flavor of the meat.

Step Three: Rub all sides of the pork loin with a dry rub. I used a BBQ Brothers variety, but use your favorite. Be generous here. When it is done, and you slice it, you’ll appreciate having that nice crust.

Step Four: Preheat the grill to 250° F. If using a charcoal or gas grill, set it up for indirect heat by adding a ceramic plate setter or turning off the center burners. If you are using a pellet grill, just dial in the temperature. I recommend adding some aluminum foil or disposable pan to the plate setter to catch any drippings.

Step Five: Add your wood chips. I used pecan, but pork works well with a wide variety of species. Use my handy Wood Smoking Cheatsheet for more options. I do recommend staying away from Mesquite and some of the other more robust flavors. It has a tendency to overpower the meat.

Step Six: Place the pork loin on the smoker and insert the meat temperature probe. Close the lid and let it smoke until the internal temperature reaches 135° F.

Step Seven: At 135° F, baste the pork with the Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce. The instructions to make the sauce are in the recipe card below. Turn the pork loin over and baste that side as well.

Step Eight: Close the smoker and let the pork continue to cook. When the internal temp reaches 145° F, it is done. Remove it from the grill and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

❗ Recipe Tips and Tricks

This is a great recipe if it is your first time smoking something. It is very forgiving, and the key to success is monitoring the temps.

A good wireless meat thermometer with an alarm is ideal, but old-school meat probes work well too. Just don’t forget to check it!

You don’t need any special dry rub or barbecue sauce. Use ones you already enjoy!

Minimize the number of times you open up the lid as heat escapes every time you do. Using a wireless thermometer helps minimize this.

Rotate the pork roast if you find some areas are heating up more than others.

Don’t apply sauce or mop it too early as it will cause the exterior to get very dark and almost black. Try to apply 1-2 times the last 10-15 minutes. That is all it takes to allow it to stick and keep the glaze in tack.

What is the Difference Between a Pork Loin and Tenderloin?

The tenderloin is the long, thin cut of meat that runs along the spine and, as the name implies, is extremely tender. The pork loin comes from top back side of the animal and is very lean, especially if you trim off the fat cap.

My bacon-wrapped smoked pork tenderloin is heavenly with its bourbon honey mustard glaze!

Storage and Reheating

After this cools, cut thin slices and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. If freezing, wrap it tightly with Press-n-Seal and store in freezer-safe Ziploc bags. I wrap meal-sized portions before placing it the Ziploc, as it is easy to take one out to thaw, reheat, and serve.

Meal Prep

Making the Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce earlier in the week is the best way to save time with this recipe. In fact, I think it tastes even better if you give it time to rest in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Additions and Substitutions

Rubs | This is an amazing way to alter the away the pork tastes and it’s a simple swap. Go crazy with the rub varieties out there and try something new. Some of my favorite variations include smoked paprika, black pepper, kosher salt, chili powder and brown sugar for a sweetness. Try smoky paprika for a more robust smoky flavor.

Sauces | You don’t have to have a barbecue sauce on this at all. That part is optional but it really takes this up a couple notches when you have the sticky glaze on the outside. We made our own Dr Pepper Sauce this time but you could make a spicy Habanero BBQ Sauce that is used on the Grilled Chicken Drumsticks or the Smoked Pumpkin Bourbon BBQ Sauce. If you don’t have the time, stick to your favorite bottled version.

Brines | Another way to mix it up is to brine this overnight but it isn’t necessary. Simply look at the photos and see it is already dripping in juices without it.

Deeper Flavor | Create a cross hatch pattern like we did on the Double Smoked Ham to make the flavors go deeper into the pork. If you are one that want a deeper smoke flavor, then cross hatch!

Marinating | Marinating the loin to infuse deeper flavor is a great idea. Simple make ½-¾ inch cross hatch marks on the top and place in your favorite marinade for three hours before smoking.

⏲️ How Long to Smoke a Pork Loin?

With a grill set to 250° F, it will take about two hours, but it is more critical that you cook it until it reaches 145° F according to the USDA. There might be a slight pink smoke ring around the exterior of the meat as you slice it. This is a time when you ask yourself Can Pork Be Pink? and the answer is yes! It’s a visible smoke ring and the temperature reached 145° F.

Serving Suggestions

This is a nice, hearty meal, and works well with side dishes of smoked potato salad, smoked mac and cheese, green bean bundles, smoked asparagus or some roasted root vegetables.

These are all grilled and complement the pork loin perfectly!

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