• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Vindulge

BBQ and Grilling Recipes with Wine Pairings

  • Home
  • About
    • About Mary
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work With Me
  • Cookbook
  • Wine
    • Food and Wine Pairing
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Resources
    • Fundamentals For Learning How to Grill
    • Guide to Pellet Grills – Common Q and A
    • Best Pellet Grill – MAK Two Star General – Versatile American Made Pellet Smoker
    • Blogger Resources
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop Wines
  • Cookbook
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Wine Guides
  • Blogging Resources
  • Connect with us!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You are here: Home » Food » Recipes » Grilled Pork Loin with Blackberry Balsamic Wine Glaze

    Grilled Pork Loin with Blackberry Balsamic Wine Glaze

    August 3, 2020 By Sean Martin 3 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    606 shares
    • Facebook387
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe
    Grilled Pork Loin Pin
    Grilled Pork Loin Pin
    Grilled Pork Loin Pin
    Grilled Pork Loin Pin

    Grilled Pork Loin is a great way to add outdoor flavor to an incredibly rich and delicious pork roast. Add a glaze with blackberries, red wine, balsamic, and caramelized shallots for the perfect flavor combination of rich tender pork with the tangy and rich glaze.

    Grilled Pork Loin with Blackberry Wine Glaze on a platter with roasted potatoes
    Grilled Pork Loin is an amazing cut for the grill.

    This post is sponsored by the National Pork Board, all opinions and commentary are our own. And highlights the awesomeness of celebrating grilled pork outside all summer long!

    When it’s summertime, and it’s hot, there is no better way to cool off than firing up the grill outside and cooking your favorite dishes. One dish that is a favorite in our house, is to buy a whole pork loin roast and cook it on the grill. Not only does the pork loin feed a crowd, it also is easy to make and is packed with flavor and tenderness.

    Turn off the oven, warm up the grill, hang out with your family and enjoy a new take on a grilled pork recipe.

    Jump to:
    • The Cut
    • Buying Pork Loin
    • Preparation
    • Grilling Pork Loin
    • How Long Until It’s Done
    • Wine Club
    • Blackberry, Wine, Balsamic Glaze
    • Wine Pairing
    • Variation for Gas Grill
    • Leftover Ideas for Pork Loin
    • Sides Great with Grilled Pork
    • Grilled Pork Loin with Blackberry, Caramelized Shallots, and Red Wine Glaze

    The Cut

    First, let’s start with the cut. pork loin is not the same as pork tenderloin. They are two different parts of the pig. Pork loin is a tender and lean muscle that comes from along the rib cage of the pig. A loin is often seen as a large roast and can be bone-in or boneless. The tenderloin is a smaller boneless cut that is from along the backbone of the pig and is very different in size and is much smaller than a loin.

    Pork loin on its own is a leaner cut, but also full of buttery flavor and tenderness. It is one of our favorite things to grill and to buy to cut up into steaks. And there is no better way to taste the amazing flavor than on the grill.

    Buying Pork Loin

    You likely have seen a loin without realizing it. A boneless pork loin roast (often up to 7 or 8 pounds) is often cut up into pork steaks or pork chops. But buying it as a whole roast is a great idea for the grill, as the larger cut is much easier to grill to the proper internal temperature so that it remains juicy. It also makes it easier to present all the meat at once versus several individual steaks.

    A raw pork loin on a baking sheet
    Pork Loin cut in half and wrapped with butcher twine.

    When buying a pork loin, look for the entire roast. The full roast can be up to 18 inches long, so it is not uncommon to see the full pork loin cut in half and tied together (like the photo above). If you have a smaller crowd, then a half a roast should easily feed 4 – 6 people.

    When planning how much pork loin to buy, we plan ½ pound of meat per person.

    Preparation

    Before putting the pork loin on the grill, remove the string if the two halves are tied together. It will be easier to grill both sides separately and avoid an under-cooked interior and burned exterior.

    When trimming the meat, remove any excess fat using a sharp boning or filet knife. It’s unlikely you will have to remove much as the loin is generally a leaner cut. But there may be some pockets of extra fat on one side of the loin.

    For grilled pork loin, any seasoning used should have no or minimal sugar. Sugar over a direct flame can burn, creating a bitter flavor. In addition to the sugar, the small layer of fat along one side of the loin will also render and drip into the flame causing flare ups. So, it’s important to minimize sugar to avoid an unpleasant flavor.

    For pork on the grill, a savory herb rub with a touch of salt and paprika is our favorite. It adds a nice balance of flavor, but still allows the natural delicious pork flavor to shine.

    A raw pork loin coated with seasoning
    Liberally coat the Pork Loin with a low or no sugar rub.

    Coat the pork loin with olive oil. This will allow a layer of moisture the rub will stick to. Then liberally apply your favorite low or no sugar savory rub to the loin on all sides. You can do this the night before or just before putting on the grill.

    Grilling Pork Loin

    The best method for grilling pork loin is to use a two-zone method of cooking, where you have one side of the grill with the heat source directly under the pork and one side of the grill with no direct heat underneath.

    1. Prepare the grill with charcoal using the two-zone method, targeting 400 – 425 degrees Fahrenheit over the direct heat.
    2. Grill one side the seasoned pork over direct heat for up to 5 minutes or until you see a nice char on the outside.
    3. Flip the pork loin and continue grilling the other side over direct heat for 4 – 5 minutes until you like the color.Pork loin grilling over direct heat
    4. Move the grilled pork loin to the indirect side of the grill and insert two remote meat thermometer probes into the thickest part of the roast and close the lid.
    5. Continue grilling over indirect heat until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 125 degrees F, using the probes or an instant read thermometer. This can take up to 30 minutes, so plan up to an hour of total grilling time for a full roast.
    6. At 125 degrees, glaze the roast and then continue grilling over indirect heat. The glaze will caramelize, or tack up, while the pork loin continues to cook. Applying a wine glaze to a pork loin
    7. Remove from heat when the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Glaze the pork loin again as soon as you remove it from the grill and while it rests. Carryover cooking will occur bringing the internal temperature of the pork to 145 degrees F (or medium rare) while it rests.
    8. Slice and serve with your favorite sides, like Grilled Green Beans.

    How Long Until It’s Done

    With all of our grilling and barbecue recipes, we stress the importance of cooking to the correct temperature, not time. For a 6 pound roast, expect about 40 – 60 minutes to get to 145 degrees F.

    Besides, this gives you time to enjoy outside with everyone.

    This is also another reason why investing in a reliable digital meat thermometer is important.


    Wine from Vindulge Wine shop being poured into a glass with grilled lamb chops.

    Join our

    Wine Club

    Receive small production, high quality wines from sustainable, small, and family- owned producers.

    Learn More

    Blackberry, Wine, Balsamic Glaze

    A glaze is a thicker sauce that is used to brush onto the roast. This glaze is meant to have a savory and sweet flavor profile and is offset with the acidity from the wine and balsamic. This is best to do ahead of grilling so it is ready when you glaze the grilled pork loin.

    Pork Loin on grill with wine glaze

    To make the glaze for grilled pork loin:

    1. In a medium size sauce or cast-iron pan over medium heat, add butter, olive oil, and shallots. When shallots start to sauté, reduce the heat to as low as you can go while still seeing some slight bubbles occurring. Stir the shallots frequently for up to 25 minutes allowing the shallots to caramelize and get sweet. Add garlic toward the end to soften when the shallots have the right color.
    2. Increase the heat to medium and add wine and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer for 5-6 minutes.
    3. Add the blackberries and brown sugar and continue to stir and simmer. The blackberries will render as the ingredients simmer and the sauce will thicken. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
    4. If you want a finer texture (or to reduce chunks from the berries), place the glaze into a food processor and blend the glaze until smooth and creamy.
    5. Let cool and thicken and use as the glaze.

    Wine Pairing

    Two Grilled Pork Loins on a platter with roasted vegetables

    Use a dry red wine for the glaze, like a Malbec or a bolder style Pinot Noir. It complements the dark berry flavor and is a natural match with pork. Simply use that same wine to pair with the grilled pork loin. Check out our wine selection at VindulgeWine.com

    Variation for Gas Grill

    On a gas grill, the flames can be adjusted or lowered, but we still suggest a two-zone method of grilling. Have one side with one or two burners going at the same temperature (400 – 425) and then after the sear, move the loin to the indirect side to finish.

    Slices of Grilled Pork Loin on a platter with roasted potatoes

    Leftover Ideas for Pork Loin

    It happens. You may have leftovers (or you purposefully buy more just for the amazing leftover ideas). How about a variation of this Porchetta Sandwich using the loin leftovers. Yes please.

    Sides Great with Grilled Pork

    • Oven Roasted Potatoes
    • Grilled Green Beans
    • Vegetable Platter on the Grill
    • Grilled Romaine Lettuce with Tomatoes and Basil

    *This post may contain affiliate links. We only recommend and promote products we use and love and contribute to great barbecued and grilled foods, like a good digital thermometer! 

    If you like these recipes we’d truly appreciate it if you would give this recipe a star review! And if you share any of your pics on Instagram use the hashtag #vindulge. We LOVE to see it when you cook our recipes. 


    Slices of Grilled Pork Loin on a platter with roasted potatoes

    Grilled Pork Loin with Blackberry, Caramelized Shallots, and Red Wine Glaze

    A tender and delicious pork loin roasted on the grill and finished with a sweet and savory berry and wine glaze.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Resting Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Servings: 8 people
    Calories: 129kcal
    Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge
    Cost: $40.00

    Equipment

    • Instant Read Thermometer
    • Silicone Brush for Glaze

    Ingredients

    For the Glaze

    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup finely diced shallots
    • 2 cloves diced garlic
    • ⅔ cup dry red wine (We used Malbec)
    • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 1 pint fresh blackberries, rinsed
    • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

    For Grilled Pork Loin

    • 1 6 pound pork loin roast, trimmed and any twine removed
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup dry rub
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Glaze

    • In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, add butter, olive oil, and shallots. When shallots start to sauté, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking. Stir the shallots frequently for up to 25 minutes allowing the shallots to caramelize. Add garlic toward the end to soften when the shallots have the right color.
    • Increase the heat to medium and add wine and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer for 5-6 minutes.
    • Add the blackberries, brown sugar, and salt and continue to stir and simmer. The blackberries will render as the ingredients simmer and the sauce will thicken. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
    • Pour glaze into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Place in a dish for glazing the pork. Use any leftover to serve with the finished pork.

    Grilled Pork Loin

    • Prepare the grill with charcoal using the two-zone method, targeting 400 – 425 degrees Fahrenheit over the direct heat.
    • Grill one side the seasoned pork over direct heat for up to 5 minutes or until you see a nice char on the outside. Flip and grill the other side over direct heat for additional 4 – 5 minutes until you see good color.
    • Move the grilled pork loin to the indirect side of the grill and insert two remote meat thermometer probes into the thickest part of the roast and close the lid. Continue grilling over indirect heat until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 125 degrees F, using the probes or an instant read thermometer. This can take up to 30 minutes, so plan up to an hour of total grilling time for a full roast.
    • At 125 degrees, glaze the roast one time and then continue grilling over indirect heat. The glaze will caramelize (or tack up) while the pork loin continues to cook. Continue grilling over indirect heat an additional 20 minutes or the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Remove the pork from the grill.
    • Brush the glaze on the roast again and let rest 10 – 15 minutes to allow carryover cooking occur. The roast will rise in temperature to 145 degrees F (or medium rare) while it rests and the additional glaze will thicken.
    • Slice the roast and serve with your favorite sides. Use any remaining glaze with the meal.

    Notes

    Note: Blending glaze is optional if you don’t like a thicker chunky glaze. We recommend it.
     
    Find the perfect wine pairing at the Vindulge Wine Shop

    Nutrition

    Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 228IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge

    « Smoked Mexican Burgers with Chorizo and Smoked Poblanos
    Watermelon Cocktail with Sparkling Wine »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cindy Brown says

      October 07, 2022 at 2:20 pm

      I love your food and your style. Can you please tell me what cast iron pan you used for the presentation. This is on my menu for Christmas Eve. Also how were the halves of garlic prepared? In Az grilling for Christmas. Thank you

      Reply
      • Sean Martin says

        October 08, 2022 at 7:37 am

        Thank you! For the garlic, we cut the top off the bulb and grilled it. On the pan it’s actually a serving tray we purchased from Crate and Barrel.

        Reply
    2. Becca says

      August 24, 2020 at 4:16 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe sounds so delicious!! And it’s perfect for summer because we have tons of blackberries growing everywhere right now!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

    Learn More...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

    Fire and Wine Cookbook Cover.

    Get Ready for Summer

    Smoked Brisket

    What’s on our Grill

    The Best Gluten Free Drop Biscuits – 5 Ingredients

    Smoked Hot Honey Ribs Recipe

    Vegetarian Chorizo Recipe with Cauliflower

    Hot Honey Pizza on a serving dish

    Hot Honey Pizza with Prosciutto and Ricotta

    More

    As Seen On

    Products we love

    taking the temperature of a porchetta roast on the grill
    We use Thermoworks Signals BBQ Alarm to monitor the internal temperature of the meat while it’s cooking, then double check with an instant read thermometer, like the Thermapen One.

    Vindulge Wine Club

    join the wine club side bar

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Vindulge

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    606 shares
    • 387