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The best dry rub for pork tenderloin includes brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. This sweet and zesty seasoning flavors the meat, caramelizes the outside, and yields the juiciest grilled pork tenderloin.
If you love pork tenderloin recipes, be sure to try this honey Dijon oven roasted pork tenderloin, a pan of garlic brown sugar pork tenderloin, and this ranch pork tenderloin in the oven, too!
This rub was outstanding. My family loved it. I am going to try it on ribs and chicken.
– Lori
What to Know Before You Get Started
- Grilling is one of the best ways to prepare pork tenderloin (quick cooking at high temperature). To add flavor to the lean cut of meat, we typically use a marinade or dry rub. This particular spice rub uses classic barbecue flavors for a sweet, smoky and savory taste. The dry rub is ideal because it flavors the tenderloin and keeps it moist, without preventing the exterior from getting nice and crispy (as a marinade might).
- The salt and sugar are necessary for seasoning the meat and for encouraging caramelization on the outside. You can adjust the other spices to suit your taste. For instance, substitute regular paprika for the smoked paprika, include cumin for a smokier taste, try thyme for an earthy flavor, or add a dash of cayenne pepper or ground black pepper for a spicy rub.
- A single pork tenderloin is typically just 1 lb. of meat, making it an appropriate amount of food for 2-4 people (depending on the size of your appetite). If you’re feeding a larger family of 4-5, I recommend doubling all of the ingredients and cooking two tenderloins side-by-side on the grill.
- Prep ahead! The tenderloin can be trimmed and rubbed up to 24 hours in advance. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling.
Directions
The best dry rub for pork tenderloin yields the best grilled meat! You’ll find step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Prepare the pork rub by combining the brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels and rub the spice mixture all over the meat. Allow the pork to sit at room temperature while you prepare the grill.
- Preheat an outdoor gas grill or an indoor grill pan to medium heat and brush the grates with vegetable oil (to prevent sticking).
- Place the pork on the grill, close the grill, and cook for 15-18 minutes. Turn the meat every few minutes to ensure even cooking. Barbecue sauce pairs nicely with the dry rub used on the pork. You can baste the tenderloin with barbecue sauce during the final 1-2 minutes of grilling, or you can just serve the grilled pork with a side of warm barbecue sauce for dipping. The total grilling time will vary depending on the size, thickness, and temperature of your pork and grill. As a result, I always recommend using an instant-read thermometer to know when your pork is done. The tenderloin is ready to come off the grill when it reaches an internal temperature of 140-145 degrees F. The temperature will continue to rise as it rests, and you want to make sure that you don’t overcook the meat (because it can become dry).
- Remove the meat to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Serving Suggestions
A side of barbecue sauce pairs nicely with the dry rub used on this meat. Serve the grilled pork with additional side dishes such as Southern-style green beans, baked mac and cheese, Southern macaroni salad, a skillet of cornbread, fluffy 3-ingredient buttermilk biscuits, Southern Potato Salad, calico beans, green salad dressed in buttermilk dressing, and coleslaw.
Storage Tips
- How to Store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Leftover pork tenderloin is delicious on sandwiches the next day!
- How to Reheat: Place the pork on a sheet pan and warm in a 325°F oven just until heated through (about 10-15 minutes). Be careful not to overheat, or the tenderloin will become dry. You can also reheat individual portions of pork in the microwave for about 1 minute.
The RUB is excellent. I put the rub on in the morning. Put the meat in a Ziploc bag and put back in the fridge turning it over a couple of times during the day, till time to bbq. I put my homemade bbq sauce on the top and side the last five minutes. Will for sure make this again.
– Paul
More Pork Tenderloin Recipes
- The salt and sugar are necessary for seasoning the meat and for encouraging caramelization on the outside. You can adjust the other spices to suit your taste. For instance, substitute regular paprika for the smoked paprika, or add a dash of cayenne for a spicy rub.
- A single pork tenderloin is typically just 1 lb. of meat, making it an appropriate amount of food for 2-4 people (depending on the size of your appetite). If you’re feeding a larger family of 4-5, I recommend doubling all of the ingredients and cooking two tenderloins side-by-side on the grill.
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Prep ahead! The tenderloin can be trimmed and rubbed up to 24 hours in advance. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling.
Serving: 1/3 of the tenderloinCalories: 228.3kcalCarbohydrates: 14.8gProtein: 32.1gFat: 5.5gSaturated Fat: 1.8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 97.3mgSodium: 649.5mgPotassium: 649.7mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9.2g
This recipe was originally published in April, 2020. It was updated in July, 2024.
