For nights when you don’t want to spend more time cooking than absolutely necessary, this grilled pork tenderloin recipe is the answer. Finished with a tangy-sweet sauce made from the leftover marinade, it boasts a quick cook time and is easy enough to scale up if you’re having a crowd over for dinner (or love banking leftovers to eat throughout the week).
Unlike pork loin, tenderloin is a lean cut of meat with no excess fat, so marinating it is the way to go. Pork likes sweet flavors such as maple syrup and brown sugar; here we pair it with a sauce of molasses, two types of mustard (yes, you need both), and apple cider vinegar to create what amounts to a mustard-based BBQ sauce. For even more flavor, you can dust in a little garlic powder, paprika, or cumin, or add a splash of soy sauce, but it’s just as delicious when kept simple.
To check for doneness, use an instant-read thermometer (look for an internal temperature of 145°, meaning the center of the meat will still be a bit pink). While the pork rests, take advantage of the hot grill: Grilled corn on the cob would be a great side dish, as would a grilled sweet potato salad or any of our favorite BBQ sides.
And when the next day rolls around, there’s no need to reheat: Pile the room-temperature leftover pork between two slices of bread, stirring any excess sauce into store-bought mayo (to spread on both sides of the sandwich, thank you very much).
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes plus marinating
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
¼
3
2
2
1
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk ¼ cup mild-flavored (light) molasses, 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, and 2 Tbsp. coarse-grained mustard in small bowl to blend. Place 1 ¾-pound pork tenderloin in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag or another airtight container. Pour marinade over. Seal tightly and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
Step 2
Prepare charcoal grill or gas grill for medium-high heat. Brush grill grates with vegetable oil. Strain pork, reserving marinade in a heavy small saucepan. Season pork with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill pork until meat thermometer inserted into center registers 140°F–145°, turning occasionally with tongs, about 20 minutes. Transfer pork to serving platter; let rest 5 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, add remaining 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar to pan with reserved marinade and boil until thickened to sauce consistency, about 1 minute.
Step 4
Cut pork crosswise on slight diagonal into ½"-thick slices. Arrange pork slices on platter; drizzle sauce over.
Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in June 2005. Head this way for more great grilling recipes →