In this episode, I’m cooking a holiday Pork Tenderloin. I’m using a simple recipe with just a few ingredients and whipping up the cranberry topping by hand. This dish would be a great way to feed a big crowd during the holiday without too much effort.
Making My Pork Tenderloin on the Outlaw Patio Smoker
Some people automatically go for ham or turkey during the holiday, and don’t get me wrong, those are great options. But, if you want something a little different this year, why not try my Pork Tenderloin recipe? Follow along to learn how easy it is to make.
The Ingredients
I made a trip to the grocery story to pick up all the stuff I needed to make this recipe. Pretty much any of the bigger grocers carry what I needed.
- Pork tenderloin. My goal was to make a big serving, so I bought a large tenderloin.
- Olive oil. You can’t beat olive oil to add a bit of savory flavor and moisture.
- Heath Riles BBQ Simple Citrus Rub. This is a mix of salt, pepper, garlic, with a little bit of citrus added to it.
- Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle Rub. This rub has a combination of sweetness, smoke, and spice that will be perfect for my pork loin recipe.
- Orange-cranberry glaze. This is one of my homemade recipes made from a bag of fresh cranberries, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, and orange marmalade.
The Equipment Setup
I cooked this up on my Outlaw Patio Smoker with Royal Oak Lump Charcoal and ARP Pecan Wood.
The Process for Making Pork Tenderloin on the Outlaw Smoker
I recently posted a video of me making this recipe on my Youtube channel if you want to follow along. Here we go!
- Preheat the smoker. I cranked my smoker up to heat to between 275-300 degrees F.
- Unpack the pork. Cutting the big boy out of its pack, I cut it in half and laid it on a pan. I decided not to trim any fat off of it, not even off the bottom.
- Drizzle olive oil. Olive oil works great as a binder. I drizzled a good bit of it on both pieces of pork tenderloin and rubbed it in with my hand.
- Season it up. First up is my Simple Citrus Rub. I shook a good coat all over both pieces of pork loin, front, back, and all sides. This rub is a good base coat that will give the pork a delicious flavor. Next, I sprinkled some of my Honey Chipotle Rub all over the pork to add another level to the seasoning with a little bit of heat. It goes great with the Simple Citrus Rub and will really make the pork full of flavor.
- Get it grilling. Once the Outlaw Patio Smoker was preheated and my pork was seasoned and had sweated a little, I took it over to the grill and laid both pieces directly on the grates, closed the lid, and let the smoker work its magic.
- Make the glaze. While the pork cooked, I mixed up my cranberry-orange glaze I was going to use on top of the meat. I added cranberries, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, and orange marmalade to a small saucepan and roasted it down, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pork from the heat. One piece of my pork loin was a little bigger than the other, so I removed the smaller piece after about an hour, once it hit about 140 degrees F. I let the bigger piece cook about 10 more minutes until it hit the same temp, then I pulled it off, too. The pork loin was a beautiful color and smelled amazing.
- Let it rest. I left both pieces laying on a pan for about 15 minutes to let the juices absorb back into the meat.
- Slice and plate it. Using a sharp knife, I sliced about ½ inch to ¾ inch thick pieces. It sliced like butter, which told me it was going to be really tender. I moved the pork over to a serving platter.
- Add the glaze. For the finishing touch, I drizzled the cranberry-orange glaze over the platter of pork to create a beautiful, festive display.
The Results
I got me a piece, making sure I had some glaze on it, and took a big bite. Yum! The pork was not only colorful and fragrant, it burst with flavor. It was tender, juicy, with just the right amount of sweetness and heat. The glaze set it off beautifully.
This recipe is proof you can dress up a pork loin for the holidays, and it can be a stunning centerpiece for your meal.
Serving Suggestions for Pork Tenderloin
Most people want a piece or two with mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, and sweet potato casserole.
Storing It
Leftovers are great on sandwiches for 2-3 days if you wrap them in aluminum foil or put them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge.
Equipment and Tools
Outlaw Patio Smoker, Royal Oak Lump Charcoal, ARP Pecan Wood, Aluminum Pan, Nitrile gloves, Small saucepan, Olive oil bottle, Sharp knife,
