Smoked Pork Loin
On July 31, 2019 (Updated May 10, 2024)
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This Smoked Pork Loin is the perfect roast to make for the entire family or when a group of friends come over for a backyard BBQ. It’s juicy, easy to make, and only requires a few ingredients. So fire up that smoker, grab some of my Sweet Rub, and let’s get cooking!
Smoked Pork Loin Roast
This pork loin roast is an awesome roast to cook when you have a crowd to feed. It doesn’t have a ton of fat, but it has enough to keep it juicy while it is on the smoker. Temperature is everything with this roast. I set my smoker to 225 degrees F and smoke for 2-3 hours. Keeping the temperature nice and low in your smoker ensures that this roast doesn’t dry out and maintains moisture.
I love cooking pork loin roast with my signature sweet rub (make your own using this recipe, or buy a bottle pre-made from Patio Provisions) and smoke it with a mild fruit wood like apple or cherry. Personally, apple wood and pork are a winning combo in my book, but feel free to experiment with wood flavors or whatever you have on hand.
Pork Loin vs. Pork Tenderloin
Believe it or not, pork loin and pork tenderloin are not the same, and they cannot be substituted in a recipe. They are actually cut from two different parts of the pig, and they taste and cook quite different.
Pork loin is a center cut loin chop cut from tissue along the upper side of the rib cage. Pork loin is a large cut of meat that can be further cut into smaller slices, known as pork chops or pork steaks. If you’re looking for these smaller portions that have already been sliced and are ready to cook, check out my recipe for Smoked Pork Chops here.
Pork tenderloin, on the other hand, is cut from the muscle that runs through the central spine of the pig. It is the most tender portion of the pig, and it doesn’t have a very strong “pork” flavor. This cut is long and thin, and it makes for an extremely delicious meal. My recipe for Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Beer and Mustard Glaze is one of my favorite ways to cook pork tenderloin.
Smoked Pork Loin Rub
This pork loin goes from good to great with the addition of my amazing sweet rub. This rub combines 8 different seasonings that come together to make a wonderfully sweet, and slightly spicy rub. If you’d like to make your own at home, check out my post for my Best Sweet Rub.
Better yet, head on over to Patio Provisions and stock up on your own Hey Grill Hey Signature Sweet Rub. You can buy this rub in 6- or 12-oz bottles, and you can even get a 2-pound bag for refills. Not only does this make the most amazing smoked pork loin rub, but it’s great on chicken, salmon, veggies, and more.
How to Smoke a Pork Loin
The best way to smoke a pork loin is to get is prepped correctly and keep your smoker nice and low. Follow these 5 steps to get your pork loin smoked to perfection.
- Get the smoke going. Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F. My go-to smoker is my Camp Chef SmokePro, but you can use whatever is on your patio.
- Trim and score your pork. Pat the roast down with a paper towel. Trim excess fat that is over 1/4 inch thick. Finish prepping by using a sharp knife to score through the fat cap about 1/4 of a inch deep in a diagonal pattern. Because this pork loin is such a thick cut, it is difficult to get flavoring and seasoning to the center. Scoring gets the fat cap to render down as it cooks and gets more seasoning into the meat.
- Season the roast. Rub the pork with olive oil and ensure it is evenly coated. Sprinkle liberally on all sides with my Best Sweet Rub.
- Smoke! Once the pork is trimmed and seasoned, place it directly on the grates of your smoker. Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. This can take anywhere from 2-3 hours.
- Tent, rest, slice, and serve. Remove the pork from the smoker and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes under a tent of foil. Slice against the grain and serve warm to your hungry guests.
Quick note: You don’t need to brine this cut before your smoke it, but if you would like to give brining pork loin a try, my recipe for Cider Brined Pulled Pork has a awesome brine that would taste amazing with this pork loin.
How Long to Smoke a Pork Loin
Smoking a pork loin can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours to fully cook. There are a handful of variables that affect cooking time for a pork loin, including what type of smoker you are using, the consistency of the temperature in your smoker, and how thick the pork loin is.
You will hear me frequently recommend cooking to temperature and not to time when smoking meats. I like to use my ThermoWorks Mk4 or Smoke 2-Channel Alarm when smoking meat to ensure I’m cooking to my preferred doneness. For this pork loin roast, smoke until your meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Once it has reached this temperature, allow it to rest for 10-15 additional minutes while tented with foil.
More Smoked Pork Recipes
I love me some good smoked pork, do you? The smoke really enhances the flavor of the pork, and it’s an easy weeknight dinner to make for family. Check out more smoked pork recipes below:
Smoked Pork Chops
Smoked Pork Ribs
Simple Smoked Pork Butt
Smoked Pork Loin Recipe
Follow the recipe, and I’ll teach you the simple steps to making your own smoked pork loin at home. Hey Grill Hey is dedicated to help you make better BBQ, feed the people you love, and become a backyard BBQ hero. You can find more of my smoking and grilling recipes and videos on YouTube, Instagram, or our Facebook Page.
Smoked Pork Loin
Video
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound pork loin roast
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Signature Sweet Rub
Instructions
- Preheat. Set your smoker to 225 degrees F and allow to preheat.
- Trim pork. Pat the pork loin roast dry with a paper towel. Trim any excess fat on the top that is over 1/4 inch thick. Use a really sharp knife to score through the fat cap - cut down about 1/4 of an inch in a diagonal pattern.4-5 pound pork loin roast
- Season. Drizzle the pork loin on all sides with olive oil, and rub with your hands to ensure it's evenly coated. Sprinkle on all sides with Hey Grill Hey Sweet Rub. You can be a bit aggressive with the sweet rub, so ensure it is nice and coated.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 2-3 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Signature Sweet Rub
- Smoke. Place the pork loin directly on the grill grates of your smoker. Close the lid and smoke for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. It can take up to 3 hours to fully cook this pork depending on the thickness of the meat. Cook the pork until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
- Rest. Remove the roast from the smoker. Tent with foil. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes, then slice against the grain and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I had a 7 pound pork loin that I had been struggling with how to cook. This recipe was absolutely perfect. The loin turned out amazing. I used a homemade rub, since it was already thawed and ready for the smoker, so I did not get to try your pork rub. I have been smoking many years and have never successfully smoked a pork loin. the secret is to tent your loin and not wrap it tightly, as I have always done in the past. So dumb L O L thank you again my friends it was perfect!❤️
Trying it today … but my roast is actually half of a loin, so I am cooking at 180 degrees. I’ll let you know how it comes out … really appreciate your website!
Once again @Susie Bullock has a home run with this rub. I’ve made and used other rubs from Susie and this one, like the others, is a keeper.
Amazing recipe. Stupid simple and stupid delicious. Thank you so much for something average people can use without buying 20 different ingredients.
The apple cider brine was the game changer! Best pork loin ever…thanks for the recipe.
Been following you for a few years. I have been smoking for 31 years and like anything you get bored doing the same thing all the time. I am making 2 of these for Easter and 40 hungry people. I like the injecting with Apple Juice going to try that with your sweet rub, But will use mustard as a binder. Will let you know how it goes. Happy smoking everyone!
Hey. I must have done something wrong. I’m new to smoking. I have a PitBoss vertical. So far I’ve only used your recipes and everything has turned out with amazing flavor and so moist. As did this pork loin but the meat was tough. Was it supposed to be fork tender? I don’t remember exactly how big it was but I cooked at 225 and took off when the internal temp reached 145. Any suggestions appreciated.
It should be tender, but not fall apart tender. Like a really good pork chop.
I cooked 7 loins for a first responders dinner. Only thing different was I injected the loins with apple juice came out perfect. Everyone enjoyed no left over meat on the plates. I haven’t found one of your recipes that haven’t come out great.
just bought a pellet grill the other night. This is the first time using it and decided to smoke a boneless pork loin. Used a honey garlic rub (no brine) and apple pellets. Followed your directions and it came out perfectly! Moist, tender, and a perfect pink smoke ring. OMG! It tasted amazing!
What’s your preferred wood chip flavor using this recipe?I’m a huge fan and love your recipes. I’m a far better smoker because of YOU! Thanks!!
I prefer Oak or Cherry for this particular cut; but even better yet, a mixture of 2/3 Oak and
1/3 Cherry? ¿Mmmmm, Good‽