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This easy Grilled Pork Roast is prepared with a delicious spice rub plus a sweet and savory 7-Up marinade. You won’t find a more flavorful and juicy pork loin recipe!
While you are here, get my recipe for this easy and delicious Crock Pot Pork Loin or my very popular Honey Glazed Pork Loin Roast!
A Delicious Grilled Pork Loin Recipe
Get ready for this super easy Grilled Pork Roast jazzed up with a tasty spice rub and a 7-Up marinade. This recipe will give you the most flavor-packed, juicy pork loin you’ve ever tasted, and it is a must-make for grilling season. It’s incredibly juicy and tender, packed with tons of sweet and savory flavors. It’s great for making ahead of time and for feeding a crowd.
You might not have considered grilling a hefty pork loin before, but this recipe is sure to shake things up. Prepare to be amazed by how juicy a grilled pork loin can get. Once the pork has soaked up all the flavors from the marinade, it gets a nice coating of a straightforward brown sugar rub before hitting the grill. I personally enjoy giving my pork a slight char on the outside before letting it cook all the way through.
Recipe Ingredients
The following simple ingredients come together to create a flavorful, juicy, and perfectly seasoned pork loin that’s perfect for grilling.
- Pork Loin – You’ll need a 3-pound pork roast for this recipe. Please do not substitute with a pork tenderloin or pork chops.
- Salt & Black Pepper – To season the meat.
- 7-Up: This classic soda tenderizes the meat, adding flavor and sweetness to your marinade.
- Olive Oil – Helps to keep the pork moist and enhances the marinade’s flavors.
- Soy Sauce & Worcestershire Sauce – These two sauces add depth and a savory tang to the marinade.
- Light Brown Sugar – Helps caramelize the meat.
- Minced Garlic – I always use fresh garlic, but garlic powder will also work here.
- Dried Thyme – You can also use dried rosemary or oregano.
Ingredients For the Spice Rub
- Cajun Seasoning Blend – Adds a spicy and savory kick to the pork. You can substitute it with Creole seasoning or your favorite spice blend.
- Light Brown Sugar – Provides sweetness.
- Sweet Paprika – If you want your pork roast to be a bit spicier, use smoked paprika instead.
- Dried Oregano – Again, you can also use any other favorite dried herbs like thyme or basil.
How to Grill Pork Roast
Grilling pork is a delicious way to enjoy this lean and flavorful cut of meat. For this recipe, I recommend a long marinate to infuse the pork with rich flavors and ensure it stays tender and juicy. With a sweet and savory brown sugar rub, this pork loin roast will be a hit at any gathering.
- Make the Marinade: In a large Ziploc bag, combine 7-Up, olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and thyme; whisk to combine.
- Prep the Pork: Pierce the pork loin all over with a knife, add it to the marinade, seal the bag, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Heat the Grill: Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat, about 375˚F to 400˚F.
- Prepare the Meat: In the meantime, remove the pork loin from the marinade and discard the marinade. Lightly pat the pork dry with paper towels and season it with salt and pepper.
- Make the Spice Rub: In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the spice rub.
- Season the Pork: Season the pork loin with the spice rub all around. You don’t have to use up the entire spice rub.
- Grease the Grill: Oil the grill grates with cooking oil.
- Grill: Place the pork roast over direct heat and grill, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Then, set the roast over indirect heat and grill, covered, for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers at 145˚F.
- Let Cool: Remove the pork from the grill and let it stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- Cook Evenly: If the pork loin is not of even thickness, tie it with kitchen twine spaced 2 inches apart after seasoning it with the spice rub. This will ensure that your pork loin cooks evenly.
- Roast Before Covering: I highly recommend roasting your pork over direct heat before you cook it covered. This will help your pork brown perfectly every time.
- Grease Grill Grates: As usual, be sure to brush your grill grates with cooking oil so nothing gets stuck.
- Check Internal Temperature: Use an instant read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your pork. When it registers at 145°F, you’ll know your roast is done cooking.
- Rest the pork: After grilling it, rest the roast on a cutting board for 15 minutes before slicing; this gives the meat time to reabsorb all the juices.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many different things you can serve with this pork loin recipe. I love chopping my pork roast into bite-sized pieces and serving it over this Fluffy Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or in these pork tacos! This is especially useful if you’re feeding the family with last night’s leftover roast.
This dish tastes incredible with a side of Mashed Potatoes or Creamy Mashed Cauliflower. This smoky pork roast pairs brilliantly with any side dish you fancy. How about some Zucchini Salad on the side? I also like pairing it with my Garlic Parmesan Roasted Vegetables.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate leftover pork roast in an airtight container for about 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze it for 2 to 3 months.
- To reheat, I recommend cooking the roast in a pan with a shallow layer of water or broth. The liquid will help your pork stay juicy. You can also pop it in the oven at 300°F until warm.
More Easy Pork Recipes
- Instant Pot Pork Loin
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin
- Garlic Butter Fried Pork Chops
- Easy Stuffed Pork Chops
ENJOY!
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Grilled Pork Roast
Ingredients
- 3 pound pork loin
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Marinade
- 1 cup 7-Up
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
For the Spice Rub
- ½ tablespoon Cajun seasoning blend
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- In a large ziploc bag, combine 7-Up, olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and thyme; whisk to combine.
- Using a knife, pierce the pork loin several times, all around the meat.
- Add the pork loin to the marinade; seal and marinate in the fridge, overnight. Be sure to marinate for at least 8 hours, and/or up to 24 hours.
- Preheat a gas grill to medium-high heat; about 375˚F to 400˚F.
- In the meantime, remove pork loin from marinade; discard marinade.
- Lightly pat the pork dry with paper towels. Season as desired with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the spice rub.
- Season the pork loin with the rub all around. You don’t have to use up the entire spice rub; adjust to taste. At this point, iF your pork loin is not of even thickness, tie it with kitchen twine, spaced 2 inches apart. This will help with even cooking. This step is NOT a must, but it does help.
- Oil the grill grates with cooking oil.
- Place the pork roast over direct heat and grill, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until browned.
- Then, set the roast over indirect heat and grill, covered, for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers at 145˚F.
- Remove the pork loin from the grill and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For even cooking, tie the pork loin with kitchen twine after adding the spice rub.
- Start by roasting the pork over direct heat for perfect browning, and always oil your grill grates to prevent sticking.
- Check the internal temperature with a thermometer, aiming for 145°F.
- Let the roast rest for 15 minutes before slicing so as to let the juices reabsorb.
- Refrigerate leftover pork roast in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Do you think I could use diet ginger ale instead of 7up?
Yes, that will also work, and it will add a bit more to the flavor.
Can this be done on a charcoal grill or smoker??
Thank you!
Hi! Yes, it can. A good rule of thumb for the charcoal grill or smoker is to cook the pork loin for 25 to 30 minutes per pound. If you have an instant-read meat thermometer, definitely use that to check for doneness. Pork is done when the internal temperature registers at 145˚F. Remove it from the heat source and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
Can this be cooked in oven? I don’t have a grill.
Absolutely. You can roast it in the oven at 375˚F until the internal temperature reaches 145˚F, about 45 to 55 minutes.
Really Katerina,adding 7up to a marinate you have to be kidding . Since my retirement Ive enjoyed making homemade pasta’s ,breads ,cheese cakes and assorted dishes. I love pork tenerloin as it is the filet mignon of steaks. I thought the 4 garlic cloves ( over kill ) ,sugar,soya sauce and 7 Up would ruin my 3 1/2 pound roast with sweetness after marinating for 20 hrs. With the exception of the Cajun spice ( I used lawrys general spice ) and this b q bar recepie blew my socks off 10 fold. I served it with creamy mashed potatoes and garlic fresh green beans. Kudos Katerina this is more than a keeper, it will become a staple of future family gatherings for us. Thanks again
That’s wonderful to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂