Dill Pickle Brined Grilled Pork Tenderloin (Juicy & Tender)
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Dill Pickle Brined Grilled Pork Tenderloin is juicy, flavorful, and incredibly tender thanks to a simple dill pickle juice marinade. The pickle brine helps tenderize the pork while adding savory flavor that’s perfect for grilling season, easy weeknight dinners, and summer cookouts.
If you’ve never marinated pork tenderloin in pickle juice before, you’ll be amazed at how juicy and flavorful grilled pork can be.
Why You’ll Love This Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Incredibly juicy and tender. The dill pickle juice brine helps tenderize the pork tenderloin, keeping it moist and flavorful while grilling.
- Easy marinade with simple ingredients. All you need is pickle juice, garlic, and a few pantry spices to create a delicious grilled pork dinner.
- Packed with bold flavor. Dill pickle juice adds a tangy, savory flavor that pairs perfectly with smoky grilled pork tenderloin.
- Perfect for summer grilling. This easy grilled pork tenderloin recipe is great for cookouts, backyard BBQs, and busy weeknight dinners.
- High-protein and low-carb. Pork tenderloin is naturally lean, protein-packed, and well-suited to low-carb and keto-friendly meals.
- Budget-friendly dinner recipe. Pork tenderloin is an affordable way to make a flavorful and impressive meal for family or guests.
- Quick and easy to make. After marinating, the pork cooks quickly on the grill, making this recipe perfect for busy evenings.
- Great for meal prep. Leftover grilled pork tenderloin is delicious sliced for sandwiches, salads, wraps, or grain bowls.
- Minimal prep with big results. The pickle brine does most of the work, creating tender grilled pork with very little effort.
- Family-friendly flavor. Even people who don’t love pickles usually enjoy the subtle tangy flavor the brine gives the pork.
What’s the Difference Between Pork Loin & Pork Tenderloin?
People refer to pork loin as pork tenderloin all the time. They are not the same! Pork loin and pork tenderloin are not cut from the same part of the animal. Pork tenderloin is thin and small. The tenderloin is the muscle that runs alongside the backbone. Pork loin is also from the animal’s back but is wide and thick. It’s sometimes sold with the ribs attached.
Why Pickle Juice Makes Pork Tenderloin So Tender
Pickle juice is more than just flavorful. It’s an excellent natural brine for pork tenderloin. The combination of vinegar and salt in dill pickle juice helps break down the proteins in the meat.
How long do I marinate pork tenderloin?
I brined my pork tenderloin for about 8 hours. The longer you brine it, the more pickle flavor you’ll taste. However, it will not have a strong dill pickle flavor even if you marinate it for 24 hours. After 8 hours of marinating, it had a mild pickle flavor. It was quite lovely, actually.
As with most meats, bring it to room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling. Otherwise, the outside may char before the insides cook.
Ingredients for Dill Pickle Brined Pork Tenderloin
- pork tenderloin
- garlic clove
- salt
- black pepper
- paprika
Dill Pickle Brined Grilled Pork
Before putting my pork tenderloin on the grill, I sprinkled on salt, freshly ground black pepper, a dusting of paprika, and minced garlic. Furthermore, if you want to really bring in the dill flavor, you can rub dried dill over your tenderloin.
Taste note – If you always use pre-ground black pepper, I highly recommend getting a pepper mill and grinding it fresh. It makes a world of difference in the flavor. You can get a nice, reasonably priced salt and pepper mill here. When you run out of peppercorns, you can find them here or with the spices at your local grocery store.
I used pork tenderloin, but pork loin and pork chops would also be tasty in this marinade. Additionally, I tried both chicken thighs and chicken breasts on the grill after marinating them in dill pickle juice, and they were wonderful. I think you can taste the pickle flavor more with chicken, so be conscious of that when you marinate it.
What should a dill pickle-brined pork tenderloin look like when done?
Your pork tenderloin is safe to consume when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 145°F. However, it will be slightly pink inside, which is okay.
This 145-degree temperature is 15 degrees less than the old standards of 160 degrees F. However, research shows that at 145 degrees F, the meat is as safe as cooking pork to 160 degrees F. Furthermore, at 145°F, you will have much more tender pork.
As with any other meat, allow the pork tenderloin to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting into it. The photo below is what your pork will look like with a 5-minute resting time:
- Take the pork out at 145 F. It will rise to 150 F. Slices will be pink and moist
- Remove pork from the heat at 150 F. It will rise to 155 F. Slices will be slightly pink and moist
- Take the pork out at 160 F. It will rise to 165 F – slices will not be pink, but still should be relatively moist
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The vinegar and salt in pickle juice help break down proteins, making pork tenderloin extra tender and juicy.
For the best flavor, marinate pork tenderloin for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
Dill pickle juice works best because it adds savory flavor without too much sweetness.
Cook pork tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145°F, then let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Yes! Roast at 400°F until the pork reaches 145°F internally.
What to serve with Dill Pickle Brined Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Black-Eyed Pea Salad Stuffed Avocados
- Bacon Ranch Twice Baked Potato Salad
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Fruit Salad
- Blue Cheese Biscuits
- 10 Kicked up Corn Bread Recipes
- Roasted Vegetables with Blue Cheese Avocado Dipping Sauce
More pork recipes you’ll enjoy
- Balsamic Pork Loin
- Air Fryer BBQ Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos
- Bacon Pear Stuffed Pork Loin
- Spicy Jalapeno Pepper Jelly and Basil Sauce Pork Burgers
- Orange Marmalade Pork Tenderloin
- LOADED SUMMER GREENS WITH DILL SAUCE
- FAVORITE TAILGATE FOOD
- LEMON DILL MAYONNAISE
- Stovetop Lemon Dill Chicken
- Dill Pickle Martini
Dill Pickle Brined Grilled Pork
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Ingredients
- 2 cups pickle juice I used dill pickle juice
- 2 (2 – 2½ pounds) pork tenderloins Most packages come with 2 tenderloins in it. You can use one or both
- 1 teaspoon garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Trim tenderloins. Place pork tenderloin in a shallow bowl and cover with the pickle juice. Cover and marinate for 2 to 12 hours in the fridge. Rotate the tenderloins periodically if the marinade doesn't cover them completely.
- Bring meat to room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling.
- Preheat gas grill before grilling to 400° F.
- Drain the pork and pat completely dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade.
- Sprinkle garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika over the entire tenderloins and rub.
- Lightly grease the grill grates. Place tenderloin in the center of the grill and close the lid. Grill 4 to 5 minutes, or until the bottom has sear marks.
- Rotate the meat, close lid, and grill 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat for the other two sides for a total of about 14 to 16 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches at least 145° F.
- Remove pork from the grill and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Nutrition