Grilled BBQ Pork Loin Roast
Grilled Pork Loin Roast is tender and juicy, made with lean pork loin covered in pork rub seasoning, then grilled and brushed with tangy BBQ sauce!
This is one of my favorite cuts to make on the grill, because it’s really budget-friendly and turns out to be the most incredible pork you’ve ever tasted! We’re using the grill with a two-zone method (it’s easier than you think!), and you can use a gas grill or a charcoal grill. This recipe takes about an hour to 90 minutes, and makes enough to feed a whole family with leftovers!
If you loved this recipe, you’ll also love my Smoked BBQ Ribs and my Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Loin!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Budget-Friendly – Pork loin is one of the cheapest cuts of meat that you can get, and all you need after that is some spices, olive oil, and your favorite BBQ sauce.
Feeds a Crowd – A pork loin is a pretty generous cut of meat, giving you enough servings for a backyard BBQ or family party!
Ingredient Tips & Substitutions
Boneless Pork Loin. There are two versions of pork loin: pork loin roast (the leaner cut where pork chops come from), or pork tenderloin (the more tender cut). I’m going with the leaner roast for this recipe, without bones.
Brown Sugar. This adds a deeper flavor and balances out the savory notes. I wouldn’t replace brown sugar for anything else in the recipe.
Seasoning Blend. I put together some simple spices like chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and black pepper. If you want to get more serious about this, try my Dry Pork Rub recipe!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This just helps the spices stick and helps the outside of the roast sear on the grill. You can also use vegetable oil or avocado oil. Don’t go too crazy with the oil, you don’t want the roast to be dripping.
BBQ Sauce. Use your favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe, or try my homemade Sweet & Spicy BBQ Sauce or Peach BBQ Sauce recipe.
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe you’ll need a gas or charcoal grill.
How to Make BBQ Grilled Pork Loin
Turn the grill on to medium heat and let it preheat to about 350-400°F, setting up one side for direct and the other without flame for indirect heat.
While the grill is heating up, trim the silverskin (if your roast has it) and excess fat pieces off of the pork loin and discard. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and seasoning mix.
Rub the spice mixture all over the pork loin, coating it evenly on all sides.
Place the pork loin over the direct heat side, searing it for 2-3 minutes on each side. Move the pork loin to the indirect heat side and close the grill.
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Cook for 60-90 minutes, or until the pork loin reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.
Brush the roast with BBQ sauce on the top, move back to the direct heat side, sauce-side-down for 2-3 minutes for a reverse sear. Brush the top with more sauce and flip over for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Add more sauce if you’d like.
Recipe Variations
- If you want this even spicier, increase the cayenne pepper or add hot sauce.
- Try using Italian salad dressing or an Italian herb seasoning blend for an herb-crust.
- Try adding honey mustard or dijon mustard to the seasoning for a sweet and tangy flavor.
- If you use a bone-in pork roast, you may have to increase the cooking time.
- Add some apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and a little more oil to make a marinade.
Recipe Tip! We’re using a two-zone grilling process, which basically means fire up one side (direct heat side), and do nothing on the other side (indirect cooking). When you close the lid, this creates and oven effect in the grill, without burning the meat. You can use a gas grill or a charcoal grill, just only have the heat source on one side.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are actually two different cuts, with pork loin being more lean than tenderloin. Tenderloin is thinner and more fatty, giving it a more tender texture when cooked. Pork loin is the same cut that pork chops come from, and you need to keep an eye on it when cooking to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
Recipe Tip! Wait to add the BBQ sauce until the end, so the sugars in the sauce don’t get a chance to burn on the grill. Serve with extra BBQ sauce at the table.
More Grilling Recipes
Storage
Refrigerate leftover grilled pork roast for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
Freeze for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Cooking Tips
- Take the pork roast out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before you plan on cooking with it, so it cooks evenly and doesn’t start out cold.
- The searing at the beginning of the recipe is the key to a really tender and juicy roast, because it creates a crust on the meat that locks in the juices.
- Close the lid while the pork loin is cooking, to keep the heat consistent in the grill.
- Grill temps can vary, especially from a gas grill to a charcoal grill, so use a digital thermometer to let you know when the pork loin is finished cooking.
- Rest the roast when it’s done cooking, so it redistributes the juices in the meat and doesn’t lose them when slicing.
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Grilled BBQ Pork Loin Roast
Equipment
- 1 Grill
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound pork loin roast, trimmed of extra fat and silverskin
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce , gluten free
Instructions
- Turn the grill on to medium heat and let it preheat to about 350-400°F, setting up one side for direct and the other without flame for indirect heat.
- While the grill is heating up, trim the silverskin (if your roast has it) and excess fat pieces off of the pork loin and discard. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and seasoning mix, then rub the spice mixture all over the pork loin, coating it evenly on all sides.
- Place the pork loin over the direct heat side, searing it for 2-3 minutes on each side. Move the pork loin to the indirect heat side and close the grill.
- Cook for 60-90 minutes, or until the pork loin reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Brush the roast with BBQ sauce on the top, move back to the direct heat side, sauce-side-down for 2-3 minutes for a reverse sear. Brush the top with more sauce and flip over for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- This takes about 20 minutes per pound of meat to cook. I used a 4 pound pork loin for this recipe.
- We’re using two-zone grilling process, which basically means fire up one side (direct heat side), and do nothing on the other side (indirect cooking). When you close the lid, this creates and oven effect in the grill, without burning the meat.
- Take the pork roast out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before you plan on cooking
- Close the lid while the pork loin is cooking, to keep the heat consistent in the grill.
- Grill temps can vary, especially from a gas grill to a charcoal grill, so check the pork loin at 1 hour to see how far along it is.
- Rest the roast when it’s done cooking, so it redistributes the juices in the meat and doesn’t lose them when slicing.
- Wait to add the BBQ sauce until the end, so the sugars in the sauce don’t get a chance to burn on the grill. Serve with extra BBQ sauce at the table.
- Use whatever your favorite BBQ sauce is.
Nutrition
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