Grilling season is a great time of year because it makes my husband love to cook! Plus, fewer dishes and mess in the kitchen is a bonus. This grilled pork loin recipe is one of our favorites to make and an easy alternative to the typical burgers on the grill.
Pork loin is a relatively inexpensive cut of meat and usually not my favorite since it can be quite tasteless. I discovered this recipe because pork loin was the only meat I had on hand and barbecue sounded good. I had no idea how it would turn out, but I was shocked at how good it was!
How to Make Pork Loin for the Grill
I usually cook pork loin in the oven (like this lemon parsley pork tenderloin), often with apples or balsamic vinegar (similar to this pork chops with apples recipe). The grill gives the meat that great smoky flavor and really locks in the juices.
This recipe does not require any marinating so it’s an easy last minute meal, too. Combine honey, butter, and a whole lot of spices to make a rub to season the pork. It may take a little time and patience to wait for it to cook, but it’s so worth it in the end!
We make this recipe all the time now, especially for company. It’s great served with fresh green salad, sweet potatoes, and grilled seasonal veggies (you can never have too many veggies!).
If cooking for a smaller family, this recipe would create leftovers to put on stir-fry or fried rice and cover another meal. (Batch cooking… it’s the best!)
Not summer? Cook it in the oven at about 300°F for several hours, and broil for a few minutes at the end for a crispy sear.
Other Healthy Recipes for the Grill
Grilling doesn’t always have to be a meat-heavy meal. Try these other great grilling recipes with lots of fresh ingredients, like:
- Grilled Thai Shrimp Recipe
- Grilled Chicken Pineapple Kebab Recipe
- Grilled Citrus Chicken Salad
- Grilled Yellow Squash Recipe
Let me know which ones you try, and please share your favorite grilling recipes in the comments!
Grilled Pork Loin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb pork loin
- 2 TBSP butter (or coconut oil)
- 3 TBSP honey
- 1 TBSP salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rosemary
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (or chili powder)
Instructions
- Rub the butter or oil on the pork loin, coating well.
- Rub the honey evenly over the pork loin.
- In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, herbs, and spices.
- Sprinkle the spice mix evenly over all sides of the pork loin and pat well.
- Grill over indirect heat for 60-90 minutes to an internal temperature of 155-160°F.
Notes
Nutrition
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What is your favorite way to cook pork? Ever grilled it?
Just for grins, could you think about fixing the caption on the photo? Some people are confused enough about grilling pork, and it doesn’t help to add to it by mixing the terms “loin” with “tenderloin”. Other than that, love the simple spice rub.
Is this recipe for pork loin or pork tenderloin? Does it matter? Thanks
Katie
I sure would like to see more instant pot recipes from you or even an addend on recipes such as this that tell how long to cook it in an instant pot. Thanks.
Hi Katie,
I thought you follow the WAPF guidelines? They say that fresh pork should always be marinated in an acidic medium, usually vinegar, prior to cooking, because consuming unmarinated cooked pork, pastured or not, produces blood coagulation and clotting.
I’m going to start sounding like a broken record because every one of your recipes makes me say the same thing; this looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! We do have a gas grill and it has three burners. When I put it off to one side, I assume that the burner on that side should be off; is that correct?
Thanks for all that you do!!
Yep.. the main idea is low indirect heat for a long time, so the
outside doesn’t burn before the inside cooks. I’d also keep an eye on
it with a meat thermometer to see how your grill does.
How would you bake it in the oven?
Same idea… lower temp (around 300 ish) for several hours until
cooked through and could even broil with the marinade at the end for
a crisp outside.