If you love crispy French fried onions, you will love this flavor packed smoked pork tenderloin recipe. A simple weeknight meal or holiday main dish too!

This recipe can be smoked on a grill or you can use your oven if needed (both are indirect heat options). The smoke just adds some extra delicious flavor. 

While I did use a smaller pork tenderloin, a whole pork loin roast can also be used as well. Tenderloins will cook faster and are usually 1.5-2 lbs. 

Prep your pork tenderloin by removing any silver skin (just simply trim with a knife). Pat it dry to remove any moisture and set it aside for dredging. 

To dredge and keep your pork tender, I used a mixture of mixture of heavy cream (other dairy can be a sub here) and an egg. Beat together with a fork.

Prep your French fried onion bread crumb next. I used my food processor to create a somewhat finer bread crumb from the crispy onions. Add a little salt and pepper to this as needed.

To coat your pork tenderloin, start by dipping it into your cream and egg wash so it's fully coated and covered on all sides. 

Then dip it into your crispy onion "bread" crumbs. Use your hands to press it onto the pork tenderloin, but it should stick fairly nicely. 

Next, I like to move the coated pork tenderloin to a mesh wire rack over a baking sheet. This makes it so much easier to move on and off the grill without loosing the breading underneath. 

Place the pork tenderloin onto your smoker on a lower heat of 250 F. Alternatively, you could also use your oven at the same temperature and set up as needed.

When the pork tenderloin reaches 115 F. internally, crank up the heat to 450 F. to let it get crispier and brown until it hits 145 F. 

Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing (super important). Slice into 1 inch size medallions and serve with veggies, polenta or mashed potatoes!

Be sure to check out the complete recipe for helpful, detailed cooking tips and more! Enjoy this amazing meal with your friends and family.