How Long To Cook 2.5 Pound Pork Loin

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!

sliced smoked pork loin on a wooden cutting board with fresh herbs on the side.

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.

seasoned and scored pork loin on the smoker.

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.

smoked pork loin on a wooden cutting board next to a fork and knife.

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

Prep Time : 5 mins

Cook Time : 2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time : 2 hrs 35 mins

Servings : 4

Calories : 630 kcal

▢ 4-5 pound pork loin roast
▢ 1 Tablespoon olive oil
▢ 2-3 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Signature Sweet Rub

Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees F.
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.
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.
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.
Remove the roast from the smoker. Tent with foil. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes, then slice against the grain and serve.

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