When it comes to a decadent roast with tons of flavor, the Grilled Pork Roast does not get enough love! This inexpensive cut is begging to take center stage. When grilled, the meat is incredibly flavorful, tender, and juicy, and is an excellent pork recipe!
This delicious grilled pork loin recipe is a lean cut of meat that’s simple and affordable. it may not be a smoked prime rib or fancy smoked beef tenderloin, but it’s just as delicious. It makes the entire family want to sit down for special occasions or a classic Sunday dinner. It’s also a great cut to test your skills on a new grill as you learn the ins and outs, from controlling airflow to how much charcoal to use.
When you’ve mastered this one, be sure to try our bacon wrapped pork tenderloin or grilled pork tenderloin to impress the next time!
WHAT IS A GRILLED PORK ROAST?
A bone-in pork roast is cut from the loin or the back of the pig. They are more commonly sold as boneless pork loin roast (or just pork loins), rack of pork, or sliced into pork chops, and like all ‘loins,’ they are lean and tender. Always use caution, and your trusted digital meat thermometer, not to overcook and dry out this cut when grilling. Just like with our smoked pork loin, you want to aim for 140 degrees for tender juicy slices of pork.
GRILLED PORK ROAST INGREDIENTS
Not only is this an easy recipe, but it also only uses a few pantry staples.
- Bone in pork roast – if you can’t find this at your local market, ask the butcher to order it for you or check out our recommended places to order meat online.
- Salt and pepper – we always use kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- Fresh Herbs: fresh rosemary, thyme, and parsley
- Garlic cloves
HOW TO MAKE A GRILLED PORK ROAST
Where a lot of our roast recipes can be intimidating in steps, this large cut of meat is as straightforward as it gets!
- Start by removing the roast from the package and patting it dry with paper towels. If it has a visible silverskin or any unsightly bits, take the time to carefully trim and remove those now with a sharp knife. We recommend this flexible filet knife when trimming meat.
- Then, simply rub it liberally with oil and season it with salt and pepper. Allow it to rest at room temperature for about a half hour while you prep the grill.
- Next, prep the grill for a 2-zone fire (aka indirect heat, with a cool zone and a hot zone, where the coals are stacked to one side of the grill). The trick to this recipe is maintaining heat throughout the cook, so be prepared to refill the coals if needed. Get more in-depth info in our how to use a charcoal grill guide.
- Once your coals are about 70% ashed over, they are ready to go. If you want to add smoking wood chunks for smoking, add it now and wait until the smoke is clean to add the meat. We recommend hickory wood, oak, or apple wood for this pork roast.Then, clean and oil your grill grate to prevent unnecessary sticking.
- The next step is to mix the minced herbs in a small bowl and apply them to the roast, creating an herb crust.
- Then, place the roast on the cooler side (indirect heat side) of the grill, away from the open flame, and close the lid. You want to check the roast often but also keep the lid closed as much as possible. Every time you open the lid, you let air in, which affects the temperature. Be sure to flip the roast using long tongs, occasionally to avoid too much heat on any one side.
- Grill the pork roast until it the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F with an instant read meat thermometer inserted away from the bone at the thickest part of the roast. Then carefully remove the roast from the grill and allow it to rest, tented with aluminum foil, for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. Add a dollop of homemade compound butter for even more flavor.
- You can serve thick slices with your favorite bbq sauce, a pan sage gravy, or even with a delicious compound butter to really jazz it up!
SHOULD YOU TRY A GRILLED PORK ROAST?
Grilling a pork roast isn’t for everyone. But if you want to give this recipe a try, the subtle smoke from charcoal gives an incredible flavor, which is a perfect pairing for pork, and the grill makes quick work of this roast. If you’d rather use your smoker, try our Smoked Pork Loin recipe instead!
A pork roast is cheap, like $40 less than the prime rib I picked up last week. And it’s resilient. What better could you ask for when giving big roasts on the grill a go for the first time?
