Lemon Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin is a delicious and easy way to amp up the flavor of your pork tenderloin! The lemon herb marinade infuses the pork with bright citrus flavor, and grilling it adds a wonderful smokiness and char that brings this recipe to life! Fire up your grill and make this juicy and flavorful pork tenderloin for dinner!
This post and recipe is sponsored by Certified Piedmontese. All words and photographs are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that make KJ & Company possible!
What KJ Loves about this Recipe
I love how easy this recipe makes it to add loads of flavor into your pork tenderloin. Since a pork tenderloin is essentially a blank slate like a chicken breast, it really takes on all the flavor that this recipe adds into it! The lemon herb marinade couldn’t be simpler (dried or fresh herbs can be used!) and then the grill does all the hard work for you. The hot grill grates char the exterior of the pork tenderloin perfectly, while the center is juicy and flavorful from the marinade. No boring pork tenderloins over here!
What Sets Certified Piedmontese Beef Apart
Certified Piedmontese isn’t just any other beef brand that you may think. They have such a unique, healthy and appealing way that they operate. Let’s dive into the details on what sets Certified Piedmontese apart from the others:
- Their cows come from the rare Piedmontese breed of cattle from Italy – less than 1% of cattle in the United States are Piedmontese, but Certified Piedmontese has the largest herd of these cattle.
- The beef is naturally healthier, but does not sacrifice on flavor and tenderness.
- The beef has fewer calories, less fat and higher protein per ounce than beef from other breeds.
- The cattle are raised naturally without hormones, antibiotics or steroids – and on ranches here in the Midwest!
- You get the taste of real beef since it is naturally cleaner and leaner.
- Certified Piedmontese has a ranch-to-fork process that ensures traceability, environmental sustainability and humane handling.
Now, I don’t know about you guys, but COUNT ME IN! Not only are all of those amazing qualities of the Certified Piedmontese brand enough to get you on board, but tasting their product will have you hooked for life. I sure am!
PS: don’t live in Nebraska or have access to run into The Mercato? Don’t worry! They’ve got you covered with online ordering over at Certified Piedmontese!
Their Spotted Boar Pork Line is No Different…
“The Spotted Boar is an all-natural, Gloucestershire Old Spot heritage pork breed with true pork flavor, family-raised the right way on a small Nebraskan farm with a humane and sustainable approach and focus on gut health to provide the most tender and flavorful quality purebred pork.”
Lemon Herb Marinade
I used my Lemon Herb Marinade for this pork tenderloin recipe and it worked perfectly! The bright flavors of the citrus and herbs pairs wonderfully with the more neutral flavors of the pork tenderloin. Plus, it helps keep the pork juicy and flavorful as it’s cooking so it doesn’t dry out! Here are the ingredients needed:
- Olive oil – use Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Extra Light Olive Oil.
- Lemons – since this recipe has a lot of lemon juice in it, I highly recommend using fresh lemons vs. buying the bottled lemon juice. It really makes a difference that is worth it!
- Thyme – dried or fresh can be used. If using fresh, double the amount listed as dried is more potent.
- Rosemary – dried or fresh can be used. If using fresh, double the amount listed as dried is more potent.
- Garlic – the perfect aromatic to accompany this marinade!
- Salt & Pepper – the easiest way to add loads of flavor!
The pork can marinate for as little as 30 minutes, or up to a couple hours. Since pork and chicken are quite similar in their flavor profiles and textures, they are going to soak up all that the marinade has to offer fairy quickly. There is also a large amount of lemon juice (acid) in this marinade, so over-marinating the pork tenderloin can cause the meat to actually start breaking down and get mushy, which we don’t want!
Grilling Tips
After the pork tenderloin has marinated, it’s time to fire up the grill! Follow these grilling tips to get the ultimate, juicy grilled pork tenderloin.
- Get the grill HOT – preheating the grill to 450-500 range will get the grates nice and hot, which we want! Let it preheat for about 15ish minutes so that it’s ready to go when the meat is done marinating. Having the grill this hot will get a nice sear and char on the exterior of the pork tenderloin.
- Take the pork out of the refrigerator prior – if the pork tenderloin has been marinating in the refrigerator, bring it out and allow to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes while the grill preheats. This will allow the meat to cook more evenly.
- Keep the lid closed – I know it can be tempting to keep opening the grill to check on the meat, but if your grill isn’t flaring up and the pork tenderloin is cooking happily away, let it be! Opening the grill lets all the heat out similarly to opening an oven door, which means it will take longer to cook.
- Use a meat thermometer – a good meat thermometer is your best friend. Depending on how you like your pork to be served, cook it to at least 145 degrees for medium or closer to 160 degrees for a more well done pork tenderloin.
- Allow the meat to rest – allow the meat to rest for 10-15 minutes after it comes off the grill. This gives all the juices to soak back into the meat instead of going all over the cutting board.
How to Serve Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Serving this pork tenderloin couldn’t be easier or more fun! After it has rested from being on the grill, slice the pork tenderloin into 1-inch pieces against the grain. It’s perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner, but yet scrumptious enough for a backyard dinner party! Here are some yummy side dishes to serve this grilled pork tenderloin with:
Lemon Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Lemon Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin is a delicious and easy way to amp up the flavor of your pork tenderloin! The lemon herb marinade infuses the pork with bright citrus flavor, and grilling it adds a wonderful smokiness and char that brings this recipe to life! Fire up your grill and make this juicy and flavorful pork tenderloin for dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 Spotted Boar Pork Tenderloins (about 2 pounds total)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 lemons, juiced (about 1/2 cup juice)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
Instructions
- Add the pork tenderloins into a large, deep bowl, baking dish or large food storage bag. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and garlic into a small bowl or glass and stir to combine. Pour the marinade over the pork tenderloins and lightly massage to fully incorporate. Marinate the pork tenderloin for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator. (If marinating for 30 minutes or less, it can be left on the counter in a cool place.)
- Preheat your grill to high heat, about the 450-500 range, 15 minutes prior to grilling. If the pork has been marinating in the refrigerator, bring it out to allow to come to room temperature slightly before grilling.
- Remove the pork from the marinade and discard the marinade. Grill on high heat for about 10-15 minutes per side until the desired cooking temperature is reached. The pork should be cooked to at least 145 degrees for medium, and this will take roughly 30 minutes. For a more done pork tenderloin, cook it to 160 degrees.
- Allow the pork tenderloin to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing it against the grain and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dried or fresh herbs can be used for the marinade. If using fresh, double the amounts as dried herbs are more potent.
- Cook the pork tenderloin to 145-160 degrees depending on desired doneness.
- Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grilling
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 2.9g
- Sodium: 474mg
- Fat: 22.2g
- Carbohydrates: 2.8g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 39.8g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: Lemon Herb Grilled Pork Tenderloin
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