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This Braided Pork Loin is the perfect centerpiece for your next dinner party! It’s a showstopper that not only looks pretty but tastes amazing! The seasoning is more present in this dish because the braiding allows for more coverage. Finished in a homemade Delicious Sweet and Tangy BBQ Sauce, it adds a punch of brightens to the dish.
For other tasty pork recipes, check out my Grilled Pork Tenderloin With Chimichurri and Grilled Honey Garlic Pork Tenderloin.
Table of Contents
Ingredient list for a braided pork loin.
- Pork Loin: Costco carries a really nice and long pork loin by Swift meats. Great price and quality for just over $2 per lbs! Such a large cut of meat can be used for multiple recipes. Slice what you need for the braided pork loin and freeze the rest for a different day. Maybe make a French Onion Pork Loin or Grilled Soy Honey Pork Chops.
- Seasoning: I used my own Sweet BBQ and All Purpose seasonings which both compliment the natural flavors of pork. Feel free to use whatever BBQ seasonings you like.
- BBQ sauce: use a favorite store bought BBQ sauce or try my sweet and tangy sauce. It’s easy to make and customizable to your heat and sweetness preferences.
Step 1: How to braid a pork loin.
After removing the pork loin from the packaging, make sure to pat it dry. This will help remove any access liquids from the meat and make it easier to handle.
Next, remove any silver skin from the pork. It does not cook well and will be tough to eat making for an unpleasant experience.
In order to make the braid, you need to separate the loin into 3 long pieces. The easiest way is to cut down the length of the pork loin, leaving about 2 inches at the top. This will help the braid to stay together. Make 2 cuts to create 3 strands of meat. Try to make each strand about the same size so they will all cook at the same time.
Season the entire pork loin with Dad’s All Purpose and Sweet BBQ rubs. Each brings out the natural flavors of the pork. Here’s where the braiding comes in handy. By cutting the pork into 3 strands, you can get much more seasoning all over the meat. This will give you a more flavorful finished product compared to cooking it whole.
For my girl dads, braiding might be familiar to you. For all the other dad’s, don’t worry, the process is simple.
Lay down the pork loin with the 3 strands. Move the strand on the left to the middle, goin over the middle strand. Next, move the strand on the right to the middle, going over the middle strand. Repeat this process until you get to the end of the pork loin. Use a wooden skewer to secure the braid at the very end.
Check out the full video below to see this process in action.
Recipe Tips
Be sure to season each strand on all sides. The benefit of braiding is that you get much more seasoning on the pork.
Do not braid too tight. The pork will shrink as it cooks.
Step 2: How to grill a perfectly tender pork loin.
Preheat the grill to 250 degrees and set for indirect heat. I used my pellet smoker for a nice low and slow cook, but any grill or oven will work here. The smoker adds a layer of smokiness to this dish that I personally enjoy.
Place the braided pork loin on the grill and cook until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. The time will depend on the size of your pork, mine took about 90 minutes.
When the internal temperature of the meat reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit, brush the braided pork loin with BBQ sauce. Warm up your BBQ sauce beforehand. It will be easier to spread and it will stick better to the meat. Be sure to get all sides and the crevices coated. Close the grill and continue cooking until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 140 degrees. Carefully remove the pork loin from the grill and allow it to rest on a cutting board for 10-15 minutes.
The resting process will allow the juices to redistribute making for a much better final product. Slice this tender and flavorful braided pork loin, pour some more sauce over the top and serve. Enjoy!
Products featured in the video
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Frequently Asked Questions:
For a perfectly grilled or cooked pork loin, remove it from heat before it reaches its required doneness. The ideal temperature for pork is 145 degrees but it’s best to remove it from the grill or oven when it reaches 140 degrees and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to climb during the rest and will reach the ideal 145 degrees. This will ensure you get a perfectly juicy and tender pork loin every time.
But cutting the pork into 3 separate strands, we can get more seasoning on the meat. This will result in a more flavorful final product. And it also looks pretty cool when done!
Other Grilled Pork Ideas To Consider:
If you tried this Braided Pork Loin or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Braided Pork Loin
Ingredients
- 7 lbs Pork Loin
- 1/4 cup All purpose BBQ seasoning
- 1/4 cup Sweet BBQ seasoning
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Remove the pork loin from the packaging and pat it dry.
- Carefully trim off any silver skin from the meat.
- Starting from one end, cut down the length of the pork loin leaving the top attached. Make 2 cuts to create 3 strands.
- Season all 3 strands with the all purpose and sweet bbq rubs.
- To make the perfect braid, separate the 3 strips leaving 1 in the middle. Next place the left strip over the middle one, creating a new middle strip. Then place the right strip over the middle. Continue to repeat this sequence until you reach the end. Secure the braid at the end with a wooden skewer.
- Preheat the grill to 250 degrees and set for indirect heat. Place the braided pork onto the grill and cook until it reaches 130 degrees internal temperature.
- Warm up your favorite BBQ sauce and brush the outside of the braided pork loin. Close the grill and continue cooking until it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees.
- Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- Slice and serve with a side of left over BBQ sauce.
Notes
- If you have access to a membership warehouse like Costco or Sam’s Club, purchase the pork loin from there. Great price and quality with just over $2 per lb!
- Such a large cut of meat can be used for multiple recipes. Slice what you need and freeze the rest for a different day. Pork chops, roast, etc…
- When braiding for the first time, make sure to always have a middle strip and one on each side.
Remember, left, right, left, right and braiding the strips one over the other.
Do not braid too tight. The pork will expand while cooking.
- Try making a homemade bbq sauce. Use what you need for one recipe and save the rest for a different day. Use airtight container and store in fridge for freshness.
- Warm up your BBQ sauce before brushing it on. It makes the sauce easier to spread and it will stick better to the meat.
Nutrition
Check out the Recipes Page for other tasty ideas!
Is that 250 degrees F or C?
Always in Fahrenheit
What are ingredients for bbq sauce
Check out my BBQ recipe in the link below.
https://grillinwithdad.com/2025/01/sweet-and-tangy-bbq-sauce/
Great crowd pleaser! Made over 4 meals for our family.
I cooked this on my regular grill.. My entire family loves this. And it’s beautiful to serve.
Looks amazing. Can’t wait to try it
Did mine of my Traeger, turned out amazing!
Any modifications to the cook? I want to do it on the smoker too.
No, same time and temp.