Grilled maple Dijon pork tenderloin
- Preparation 10 min
- Refrigeration 3 h
- Cooking 16 min
- Servings 6
- Freezing I do not suggest
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🍁 The marinade I fell head over heels for
I’ll be honest: I’ve rarely loved a marinade as much as this one. The maple, the herbes salées du Bas-du-Fleuve, the little kick of lime, the smoked paprika. Everything plays off each other perfectly. I was the first one surprised by how obsessed I was with it. The next day, I ate the leftover pork with a fresh batch of marinade, and a few days later, I had just enough left to marinate some beef. It was insane every single time.
🥄 The secret: keep half the sauce for dipping
The real trick is to split the marinade in two before the meat ever touches it. Half goes to marinate the pork, the other half stays clean in the fridge and becomes a dipping sauce at serving time. Since it never touched raw meat, it’s perfectly safe. And trust me, everyone will be dunking their slices into it. That’s what takes this dish from good to completely addictive.
🔥 Juicy pork, never a frisbee
Pork tenderloin is simple, but it goes wrong in the blink of an eye if you overcook it. Here in Quebec, we eat our pork juicy and rosy, not turned into a baseball. We grill it over high heat, turning it regularly until it hits 140 °F in the centre, then we let it rest. Sliced thin against the grain and finished with a pinch of fleur de sel, it’s a BBQ dinner that looks like a lot of effort but comes together without breaking a sweat.
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🥄 Keep half the marinade for dipping
This is the trick that changes everything. Split the marinade in two before the meat ever touches it: one part to marinate, one clean part set aside in the fridge that becomes a dipping sauce at serving time. Since it never touched raw meat, it’s perfectly safe. Everyone will be dunking their slices into it.
🌡️ Aim for 140 °F, never more
Pork tenderloin is done at 140 °F (60 °C) in the centre, then you let it rest, for meat that’s rosy and juicy. The number one mistake is overcooking it: it turns dry and tough as a frisbee. We eat our pork juicy, not turned into a baseball.
🔪 Rest and slice against the grain
Always let the tenderloin rest for 5 minutes after cooking so the juices redistribute, then slice thinly against the grain. That’s what guarantees tender bites rather than chewy ones.
🌿 The herbes salées do the salting for you
Herbes salées du Bas-du-Fleuve are already quite salty, so there’s no need to add salt to the marinade. Save a pinch of fleur de sel for the very end, just before serving, for that little salty crunch that wakes up every slice.
♻️ This marinade is too good to waste
It’s so flavourful that it works wonders beyond pork. Make a fresh batch to drizzle over the leftovers the next day, or use it to marinate beef or chicken. Every time, it’s a hit.
🔥 No barbecue? The oven works too
Cook the tenderloins in the oven at 425 °F (220 °C) for about 20 to 25 minutes, until 140 °F in the centre, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes for a nice colour. Let rest before slicing, just like on the barbecue. And if you’re going straight to the oven, my pork tenderloins with mustard, smoked paprika and honey are built for it.
✅ What to serve with my grilled maple Dijon pork tenderloin?
At home, I serve it with grilled or smoked potatoes and vegetables done on the barbecue. It’s also perfect with my Roasted garlic and maple carrots to stay on theme, or with a Creamy Corn Salad to balance everything out.
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Marinade
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup
- 4 large garlic cloves, finely minced
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1 tsp (5 ml) herbes de Provence
- 1 tsp (5 ml) herbes salées du Bas-du-Fleuve
- 1 tsp (5 ml) smoked paprika
- 1 tsp (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper
Pork
- 2 pork tenderloins (about 2 lb / 900 g total)
- Fleur de sel, to finish
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Preparation
- Make the marinade. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic, lime juice and zest, herbes de Provence, herbes salées, smoked paprika and pepper until well combined.
- Divide the marinade into two equal parts. Set one half aside in the fridge in a separate container. It will be used as a dipping sauce at serving time. Pour the other half over the pork tenderloins in a resealable bag or dish, coat well, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Preheat the barbecue to maximum heat. Clean and oil the grates.
- Remove the tenderloins from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, then discard the marinade that touched the raw meat. Grill the pork for 12 to 16 minutes total, turning every 3 to 4 minutes, until golden on all sides and the internal temperature reaches 140 °F (60 °C).
- Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice thinly against the grain, sprinkle with fleur de sel and serve hot, with the reserved dipping sauce on the side.
One that balances sweet, salty and acidic. Like this one made with maple syrup, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, lime and smoked paprika. The maple caramelizes during cooking, the mustard and lime bring a punch, and the herbes salées add depth. The secret is keeping half of it as a dipping sauce.
Three hours in the fridge is ideal: long enough for the flavours to penetrate the meat without breaking it down. You can go up to overnight if you’re prepping ahead. Take the pork out 20 to 30 minutes before cooking to let it come to temperature.
Aim for an internal temperature of 140 °F (60 °C), then let it rest for 5 minutes. Residual heat finishes the cooking and the pork stays rosy and juicy. Beyond that, it turns dry and tough. A meat thermometer is your best friend here.
Yes. Cook the tenderloins in the oven at 425 °F (220 °C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until 140 °F in the centre, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes for colour. Let rest before slicing, exactly like on the barbecue.
It’s perfect with grilled potatoes, barbecued vegetables, my roasted garlic and maple carrots or a creamy corn salad. And don’t forget the reserved dipping sauce. It makes all the difference.
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