This smoked pork loin is juicy, easy to make, and doesn't take very long to get that wonderfully smoked flavor! It's perfect for serving at summertime gatherings of family and friends! Plus, the leftovers make incredibly delicious sandwiches!
Best Way To Smoke Pork Loin
I love a good pork loin, and part of what makes a really good pork loin for me is when it turns out incredibly tender and juicy! So take the time to let this pork loin roast sit and marinate. It's totally worth it! A minimum of 4 hours, but ideally for 8 - 24 hours, to really let the pork take on the marinade flavor.
My usual smoking had to wait this year, as my poor little electric smoker needed a replacement cord. I ended up buying a Traeger smoker after I made this recipe and have repeated this process using the Traeger. Cook times for me were pretty spot on!
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❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- A Beautiful Flavor - Pork belongs with apples, and this brings them together perfectly!
- Easy - This recipe is super simple. Any type of smoker will work whether you have an electric, pellet, gas, or wood smoker.
- The Leftovers are really good- Make a sandwich, or just warm up a plate!
🥘 Smoked Pork Loin Ingredients
You only need a short list of super simple ingredients. I promise that the apple cider marinade is worth the small effort!
- Pork Loin Roast - Choose a good-sized pork loin (about 5 pounds), then trim fat as needed.
- Apple Cider -2 cups of apple cider (see my recipe or use store-bought). If you can't find the cider in your store, you can use apple juice. If using apple juice, reduce or eliminate the honey in the marinade because the juice will be sweet enough.
- Honey - 1 tablespoon of honey. Raw, unprocessed natural honey is my go-to choice. You can also use try one of the honey substitutes found here.
- Garlic - ½ tablespoon of minced or crushed garlic adds just enough bite to help balance the sweetness.
- Dijon Mustard - 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Ground mustard can work in place of Dijon. You can also use a Dijon mustard substitute.
- Kosher Salt - 1 teaspoon of salt. Kosher is my first choice for smoking meats, but table salt or sea salt is OK as well.
- Ginger - ½ teaspoon of minced or crushed ginger. Fresh is best, but you can substitute dry ginger.
- Pepper - ½ teaspoon of white or black freshly ground pepper.
- Ground Sage - ½ teaspoon of ground sage. A must-try flavor with pork!
- Parsley - ½ teaspoon of fresh or dried parsley.
- Brown Sugar (optional) - 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to coat the roast so the outside gets some sweet caramelization!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Smoke Pork Loin
Once you have your pork loin in the smoker, the rest of the process is a breeze! You'll need a sharp knife and cutting board, your measuring utensils, a large Ziploc bag, a smoker, and some tongs.
A 5-pound pork loin makes about 10 servings, so you should have plenty of delicious leftovers!
Prep The Pork Loin
- Pat dry. To get your smoked pork loin started, remove it from the packaging and pat the roast dry with a couple of paper towels.
- Remove fat. Remove the fat in excess of a quarter inch in thickness and silverskin, if desired. *I left my fat cap in place as it wasn't super thick, and I wanted the fatty section to melt down into my pork loin as much as possible.
Apple Cider Marinade
- Combine the ingredients. Use a one-gallon Ziploc plastic storage bag and add the marinade ingredients, including 2 cups (473.18 milliliters) of apple cider, 1 tablespoon (14.79 milliliters) of honey, ½ tablespoon (4 grams) of minced or crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon (1 gram) of minced or crushed ginger, and ½ teaspoon of coarse ground pepper (1 gram), ground sage(0.05 grams), and chopped parsley (0.05 grams).
- Mix. Squeeze the bag to mix the marinade ingredients, then place the prepared 5-pound (2.27 kilograms) pork loin roast into the Ziploc storage bag.
- Remove air. Squeeze out as much air as possible when sealing the plastic bag, then massage the marinade around the pork loin until well coated.
- Marinate. Place the bag of pork and marinade in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours, with 8 - 24 hours being optimal.
Smoking The Pork Loin
- Bring to room temperature. Once the pork loin has been marinating and you are ready to fire up your smoker, remove the pork loin in marinade from the refrigerator and allow it to warm at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Preheat. Preheat your smoker to 225ºF (107ºC) and load your wood tray with the wood chips of your choice.
- Place in the smoker. When the pork has warmed, and the smoker is preheated, remove the pork loin from the bag of marinade and drain off any excess marinade. Place directly onto your smoker grill grate and discard the remaining marinade.
- Add sugar (optional). Pat the pork loin mostly dry using paper towels, then rub 2 tablespoons (27.5 grams) of light brown sugar over the entire surface of the pork loin roast.
- Smoke. Close the door or lid and smoke the marinated pork loin roast for 2 ½ - 3 hours or until the internal temperature is 145ºF (63ºC) as read by a digital meat thermometer.
- Rest and serve. Remove the smoked pork loin from your smoker and transfer it to a serving plate or cutting board. Loosely 'tent' the pork loin with a square of aluminum foil and allow the pork to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
🥗 What To Serve With Smoked Pork Loin
Serve your perfectly delicious smoked pork loin with some of my creamy smoked mac and cheese! You could also try my fabulous au gratin potatoes (that you can smoke with the pork loin during the 1 ½ hours of cooking time). Enjoy!
Take a look at my post on what to serve with pork tenderloin for more great serving suggestions!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- I use apple wood with my apple cider marinated pork loin roast, but hickory, sugar maple, pecan, and oak are also good choices. Fruit woods like orange and peach have a citrus hint to them, and pear is a close flavor to apple.
- Smoking times will vary based on the thickness of your pork loin roast portion, your model of the smoker, and the temperature consistency while smoking. Always use a meat thermometer for the most accurate tracking.
- You want to marinate your pork roast for at least 4 hours. However, for the most flavor, you should aim to marinate it for somewhere between 8 and 24 hours!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Let your smoked pork loin cool to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing Smoked Pork Loin
Whole pork loin can be wrapped in plastic wrap or foil and placed in an airtight container. Sliced pork loin can be placed in a heavy-duty freezer bag with the air squeezed out. Freeze for up to 4 months and defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating Smoked Pork Loin
Add your leftover pork loin to a baking dish with a splash of broth and cover it with foil. Reheat in the oven at 325°F (160°C/Gas Mark 3) for 25-30 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135°F (57°C).
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use a regular grill for smoking pork loin as long as you are using indirect heat. Set up your grill for two-zone cooking by placing the charcoal or burners on one side and the pork loin on the other side. This way, you can maintain a consistently low temperature for smoking.
The USDA recommends that pork loin should reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) to be safe for consumption. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the meat is properly cooked without overcooking it.
Yes, you should always rest a pork loin for 15 to 20 minutes after taking it off the smoker. Resting allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, resulting in a more succulent and tender final product!
🥩 🥓 More Pork Recipes
- Pork Tacos - Carnitas-style pork tacos made with leftover pulled pork!
- Grilled Pork Rib Tips - Meaty pork rib tip morsels coated in a delectable pork seasoning and BBQ sauce!
- Thai BBQ Pork Skewers - These marinated and grilled pork skewers are a classic Thai street food!
- Cream of Mushroom Pork Chops - Tender pork chops slathered in a creamy mushroom sauce.
- Slow Cooker Ribeye Pork Roast - A delicious pork roast dinner has never been easier!
- Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin - Everything tastes better with bacon, especially when it crisps up in the air fryer!
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📖 Recipe Card
Smoked Pork Loin
Ingredients
Smoked Pork Loin
- 5 lbs pork loin roast
Smoked Pork Loin Marinade
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ tablespoon garlic (minced or crushed)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or ¼ teaspoon ground mustard)
- 1 teaspoon salt (kosher salt)
- ½ teaspoon ginger (minced or crushed, or ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (fresh ground)
- ½ teaspoon ground sage
- ½ teaspoon parsley
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Remove pork from packaging and trim excess fat, more than ¼ inch thick, and silverskin if desired. Pat your pork loin roast dry.
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a one gallon Ziploc plastic storage bag (apple cider, honey, garlic, Dijon, salt, ginger, pepper, ground sage, and parsley). Squeeze the contents until well combined.
- Transfer the prepared pork into the Ziploc storage bag with marinade, then squeeze the air out while sealing the bag. Massage the marinade into and around the pork loin roast to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours, up to 12 hours.
- Once the pork loin has marinated and you are ready to get it started smoking, remove the marinating pork loin from the refrigerator, drain, and allow it to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C).
- When your smoker is preheated and the pork has warmed, remove from marinade and place directly onto your smoker grill grates. Discard the remaining marinade. Pat the marinated pork loin to remove excess liquid. (Optional) Rub entire pork loin with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, if desired.
- Transfer the prepared pork loin to your preheated smoker and close the door or lid. Smoke for 2 ½ - 3 hours (depending on the thickness of your pork portion) or until the pork loin reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).
- Remove the pork loin when done and place on serving tray or cutting board. Loosely 'tent' a square of aluminum foil over the pork loin roast and allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I use apple wood with my apple cider marinated pork loin roast, but hickory, sugar maple, pecan, and oak are also good choices. Fruit woods like orange and peach have a citrus hint to them, and pear is a close flavor to apple.
- Smoking times will vary based on the thickness of your pork loin roast portion, your model of the smoker, and the temperature consistency while smoking. Always use a meat thermometer for the most accurate tracking.
- You want to marinate your pork roast for at least 4 hours. However, for the most flavor, you should aim to marinate it for somewhere between 8 and 24 hours!
Vitalii says
Hi.
I can't find cider in the stores. Do you use cider or perhabs apple cider vinegar?
Used apple juice instead of cider.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Apple juice works! It's sweeter than the cider, but you can always add some cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, or allspice to add some warmth and depth of flavor to the marinade. How was it with the apple juice?? I'd love to hear! Thanks! ~ Angela