Rotisserie Brined Pork Tenderloin

If you're looking to shake up your Easter table this year, here's an idea worth trying: brine a pork tenderloin overnight, spit it on the rotisserie, and let it slowly turn to juicy, flavour-packed perfection. It's a lovely alternative to a big glazed ham — impressive enough for a crowd, but genuinely straightforward to pull off.

The brine is the real hero here. A simple salt, sugar, and herb solution works overnight to season the meat all the way through and keep it wonderfully moist as it cooks over indirect heat on the rotisserie. The result is pork that's tender, fragrant, and anything but dry.

Ingredients

For the Brine

• 1 litre cold water
• 60g fine salt
• 50g light soft brown sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

For the Pork

• 2 pork tenderloins (approximately 400–500g each)
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp fine salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Brine the pork (the night before): Combine all the brine ingredients in a saucepan and warm gently, stirring until the salt and sugar have fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely to room temperature — do not add the pork while the brine is warm. Once cool, transfer to the fridge until cold, then submerge the pork tenderloins in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Prepare the pork: Remove the tenderloins from the brine and pat thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Discard the brine. Mix together the rapeseed oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, and pepper to form a loose paste and rub it all over the meat. Allow to rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes while you set up your grill.
3. Set up the rotisserie: Preheat your grill for indirect cooking at around 190–200°C. Fit the tenderloins onto the rotisserie spit, trussing them together end-to-end if needed to balance the load. Secure firmly with the rotisserie forks so the meat spins evenly without wobbling.
4. Cook: With the rotisserie motor running, cook the tenderloins over indirect heat for 25–35 minutes. The meat will spin continuously, basting itself in its own juices and developing a beautifully even crust all the way round.
5. Check the temperature: Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature — you're looking for 75°C throughout. When it reaches that, remove the spit from the grill.
6. Rest: Transfer the tenderloins to a board, tent loosely with aluminium foil, and rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This lets the juices redistribute so every slice stays moist.
7. Serve: Slice thickly on a diagonal and serve straight away. Works beautifully alongside roasted new potatoes, a mustardy green salad, or whatever your Easter table calls for.

Originally published by Bull BBQ. Adapted for UK audiences by Cedar Kitchen in the Garden.