The Best Smoked Boneless Pork Roast Recipe- Juicy & Easy
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This juicy smoked boneless pork roast recipe is packed with chipotle orange flavor! Marinated in a spicy chipotle-orange cilantro sauce and smoked on a pellet smoker, this lean and healthy dinner is incredibly wholesome and macro-friendly.
For more delicious pellet grill recipes, try my Smoked Chicken Legs with Chimichurri or my Traeger pork belly burnt ends!
Recipe at a Glance
⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
❄️ Marinade Time: 2 hours (to overnight)
🔥 Smoker Time: 5 hours
🕒 Total Time: 7-8 hours
🍽️ Servings: 8-10 people (depending on size of roast)
👍 Difficulty: Easy
😋 Recipe Highlights: Smoky, citrusy, and just the right amount of heat. Perfect for a family dinner or weekly meal prep!
🛒 Featured Ingredients: Boneless pork sirloin, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, orange juice, cilantro
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This smoked pork makes a flavorful & satisfying meal that feels hearty and nourishing without being too rich.
Most often, we turn this tender, smoked pork sirloin into tacos, but it's incredibly versatile. Pile it over rice for an easy burrito bowl, tuck it into warm tortillas for chipotle-orange carnitas, or use it for quick barbecue pork sandwiches later in the week.
One protein, lots of nourishing meals-my favorite kind of cooking!
I love serving it with simple, wholesome sides like my homemade sweet potato wedges, roasted orange glazed brussels sprouts, or my air fryer butternut squash cubes recipe. These easy add-ons round out the meal and make everyone excited to eat their vegetables.
Pork Sirloin vs. Shoulder
For this pellet grill smoked pork sirloin recipe, we chose to use pork sirloin (which is cut from the back part of the whole loin) because it is a leaner cut.
This smoked pork sirloin recipe was created to scratch the itch for a smoked pork shoulder while keeping fat and calories in check to balance the macros for our health goals. While we love a good pork shoulder, it is higher in fat, and therefore, calories.
Pork loin or pork sirloin are lean cuts that can make a great smoked pork loin roast as long as it is prepared correctly, which this recipe will teach you how to do. It would be a mistake to prepare these lean cuts the same way as a pork butt/shoulder.
Key Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients needed to make this smoky, spicy, & succulent smoked pork sirloin. Check the recipe card for a full recipe list.
Boneless Pork Sirloin or Pork Loin Roast – This recipe works beautifully with either of these naturally lean cuts. I always recommend pasture-raised pork when possible for better flavor and nutrition, but any good-quality pork sirloin will work. I like to get mine from Butcher Box (affiliate link).
Because these cuts are so lean, they are a great option for a healthier weeknight meal. But it also means it needs a little extra care on the smoker.
This recipe relies on a marinade, low-and-slow smoking, and careful temperature monitoring to keep the roast moist. Follow the directions closely, and you'll be rewarded with tender, juicy pork!
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo– Chipotle peppers bring a deep, smoky heat that pairs incredibly well with pork. The adobo sauce adds depth with a touch of tang.
I find ½ a can hits the sweet spot-flavorful with a gentle kick-but you can adjust this to your heat tolerance. Using less keeps it family-friendly; using more gives you bold, spicy carnitas.
Oranges & Orange Juice– The natural acid from the fresh oranges and the juice helps tenderize the lean pork, while the gentle sweetness balances the smoky heat from the chipotle peppers.
I often use Cara Cara oranges when they're in season, but navel oranges work just as well-whatever you have on hand is perfect.
If you don't have oranges, apple juice is a great substitute and still provides the acidity needed to keep the pork moist during smoking.
How to Smoke a Boneless Pork Roast
1. Prepare Pork Sirloin Marinade
Chop half of a large onion to manageable pieces, then toss into a blender cup. Add half of a small can of chipotle chiles in adobo (about 3-3.5 oz total), 1/2 cup of the orange juice, cumin, salt, pepper, cinnamon, olive oil, garlic cloves, and half of a cilantro bunch–both leaves & stems.
Pulse your blender a few times to blend the marinade together, but it does not need to be perfectly smooth.
Put the pork sirloin roast in a large Ziploc bag and then pour the marinade on top. Squish the bag around to make sure the marinade covers every part of the roast. Seal & refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
2. Prep Roast for Smoker.
Preheat the smoker to 250°F.
Take out a 9×13 pan. Rip off 2 sheets of aluminum foil a little longer than your pan. Lay them side by side inside the pan, overlapping the edges by about an inch. Fold the edges over to create a seam that can trap the pork’s juices.
Pour out your pork sirloin roast and the entire marinade into the pan on top of the foil. Do not fold the edges of the foil over–leave it open for the pork to absorb the smoky flavor.
Insert your meat thermometer into the thickest part of your roast.
3. Smoke the Pork Roast.
When your smoker is ready and heated, place your pan with the roast onto the grill grates.
Close the lid and leave it to smoke for about 2 hours over at 250°F, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
The best way to determine the temperature of your piece of meat is to use a meat probe thermometer. I recommend the Meater+. It’s a game-changer!
4. Create Foil Tent.
When the internal temperature of the meat reaches 145°F, take it off the smoker temporarily to add another 1/2 cup of orange juice around the roast. Slice an orange and lay the slices on top of the roast.
Fold the sides of the foil up around the roast to seal it in, adding another small sheet on top if needed to completely cover it.
Turn the smoker up to 350°F and place the wrapped roast back on the smoker until it reaches an internal temperature of 202-205°F. This may take another hour or more if your roast is on the larger side.
3. Rest Meat.
Once your pork roast reaches the desired internal temperature of at least 202-205°, remove it from the smoker and let it sit on the counter, still covered in foil, for at least 30 minutes.
This resting period is important to allow the juices to redistribute so the meat is tender, not tough. It will be hard to wait, but it’s worth it!
4. Slice or Pull Meat.
After the meat has rested, decide how you want to eat the roast and either slice the meat or pull it apart.
We love it pulled apart! It’s so versatile, and the spicy, smoky flavor is perfect for so many dishes.
Expert Smoked Pork Roast Tips
💥 1. Marinate is Non-Negotiable
Pork sirloin doesn't have the internal fat that protects cuts like pork shoulder, so moisture has to come from outside the meat. Even a quick 2-4 hour marinade makes a noticeable difference.
💥 2. Smoke at a Low Temperature.
Lean cuts love gentle heat. This recipe uses 250°F, but you could even go down to 225°F.
💥 3. Use a Mild Wood.
I use a general hardwood pellet blend for this recipe, but apple wood, pecan, or cherry would also be great choices. A mild wood highlights the natural sweetness of the pork without overpowering it.
💥 4. Keep it Moist.
We add more orange juice to the roast partway through the cook, but keep an eye on it and add even more as needed. You do not want to let your roast dry out!
We also enclose the pork with a foil wrap at an earlier temperature (145°) than other smoked meats to keep the meat as tender as possible.
💥 5. Try this marinade with other cuts of pork.
Try it with pork shoulder, pork tenderloin, or even pork chops.
💥 6. Don’t have a smoker?
Toss your marinated meats in a slow cooker and cook them low and slow that way–it would be fabulous!
Smoked Boneless Pork Roast FAQs
This depends on how far you want to take the smoke! Pork roasts are safe to eat at 145°F internal temperature, and you should be able to get a 2 lb pork roast to that point within 2-3 hours. However, we like to take our pork roasts to a shredding temperature, which requires an internal temperature of 202-204°F to break down the collagen, which can add another 2 hours.
Overall, a general estimate is 2 hours per pound.
Generally speaking, 225 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for smoking pork— it just depends on how soon you want to eat! This recipe calls for 250°F, but you could go down to 225° if you want a longer smoke time, or bump up the temp to 275° partway through if you want to get it done faster.
Yes, you can use a pork roast with bones! Roast with bones take longer to cook than a boneless roast, so always cook and smoke to the proper internal temperature (in this case, about 202-205°F).
Yes, you can smoke a boneless pork loin roast, but it requires some special care for a tender result. Other pork roasts with lots of fat marbling stay moist while cooking much more easily. Since a pork loin or pork sirloin roast is quite lean, we can utilize several strategies.
Marinating the roast, cooking it at a low temperature, creating a foil tent, and adding enough liquid is helpful to keep the meat moist during cooking.
Check out the Expert Smoked Pork Roast Tips section above.
More Traeger Recipes
I have a great collection of pork recipes, one of my favorites being Hearty Irish Pork Stew. Here are some of my other favorite recipes.
Smoke Yourself a Juicy Pork Sirloin Roast Today!
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📖 Recipe
Smoked Boneless Pork Roast
Equipment
- Smoker
Ingredients
- 2-3 pound Boneless Pork Sirloin or pork loin
- 1/2 large Onion diced
- 3.5 ounces Chipotle Peppers in Adobo (half of a 7 oz can)
- 5 cloves Fresh Garlic
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 cup Orange Juice divided into two 1/2 cup portions
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 bunch Cilantro (stems and leaves)
- 1 orange sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade. Chop onion into pieces and toss into the blender cup along with the chipotle peppers in adobo, garlic cloves, olive oil, 1/2 cup of orange juice (save the other half cup for later), cumin, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and cilantro. Pulse the marinade ingredients in your blender a few times to mix, but it does not need to be perfectly smooth.1/2 large Onion, 3.5 ounces Chipotle Peppers in Adobo, 5 cloves Fresh Garlic, 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, 1 cup Orange Juice, 1 teaspoon Cumin, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Pepper, 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon, 1/2 bunch Cilantro (stems and leaves)
- Place the roast in a gallon-size ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the meat. Close the bag and squish it around to evenly coat everything. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.2-3 pound Boneless Pork Sirloin
- Preheat your smoker to 250° degrees. Take out a 9×13 pan. Rip off 2 sheets of aluminum foil a little longer than your pan. Lay them side by side, overlapping the edges by about an inch. Fold the edges over to create a seam that can trap the juices. Lay the foil pouch in your 9×13 pan, then dump the pork sirloin roast and the entire marinade into the pan on top of the foil. Insert your meat thermometer into the thickest part of your roast.
- Place on your smoker and smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 145° F, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- When the internal temperature reaches 145°F, take it off your smoker temporarily to add another 1/2 cup of orange juice around the roast. Slice an orange and lay the slices on top of the roast. Fold the sides of the foil up around the roast to seal it, adding another small sheet on top if needed to completely wrap it. Turn the smoker grill up to 350°F and place the pork roast back on until it reaches an internal temperature of 202-205F.–this may take another hour or more if your roast is larger.1 orange sliced, 1 cup Orange Juice
- Remove the roast from the smoker and let it sit on the counter, still covered in foil, for at least 30 minutes. This resting period is really important to allow the juices to redistribute so that the meat is tender, not tough. It will be hard to wait, but it's worth it!
- When the rest is finished, decide how you want to eat the roast and either slice the meat or pull it apart. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Pork sirloin doesn't have the internal fat that protects cuts like pork shoulder, so moisture has to come from outside the meat. Even a quick 2-4 hour marinade makes a noticeable difference. 2. Smoke at a Low Temperature.
Lean cuts love gentle heat. This recipe uses 250°F, but you could even go down to 225°F. 3. Use a Mild Wood.
I use a general hardwood pellet blend for this recipe, but apple wood, pecan, or cherry would also be great choices. A mild wood highlights the natural sweetness of the pork without overpowering it. 4. Keep it Moist.
We add more orange juice to the roast partway through the cook, but keep an eye on it and add even more as needed. You do not want to let your roast dry out! We also enclose the pork with a foil wrap at an earlier temperature (145°) than other smoked meats to keep the meat as tender as possible. 5. Try this marinade with other cuts of pork.
Try it with pork shoulder, pork tenderloin, or even pork chops. 6. Don’t have a smoker?
Toss your marinated meats in a slow cooker and cook them low and slow that way–it would be fabulous!
Can I marinate overnight or 24 hours beforehand?
Yes! 🙂 Either is fine.
Very delicious! Love this for tacos. SO good, smoky, with some spice–just perfect
We loved this so much! It was a great way to use the pork sirloin I got from butcher box, and we loved this lean, healthy dinner that tasted just as good as a butt/shoulder without all the fat!