A high-protein BBQ is built on a lean cut that can take heat, and pork tenderloin is the best value on the grill: it’s as lean as chicken breast, cooks in about 20 minutes, and stays juicy if you pull it at temperature. Served with a cob of corn and a Greek yogurt coleslaw, one plate comes to about 410 calories and 51 grams of protein. The recipe feeds five, so it works for a backyard dinner or for leftovers through Tuesday.
The plate: pork tenderloin, corn and yogurt slaw
Serves 5. Prep 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes for the rub to sit, if you have it). Grill 20 minutes.
Spice-rubbed pork tenderloin
| Ingredient | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Pork tenderloin (usually two per pack) | 1 kg | 2.2 lb |
| Canola oil | 15 ml | 1 tbsp |
| Smoked paprika | 15 ml | 1 tbsp |
| Garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin | 5 ml each | 1 tsp each |
| Dry mustard, black pepper, salt | 5 ml each | 1 tsp each |
| Barbecue sauce, for glazing | 60 ml | ¼ cup |
Yogurt slaw
| Ingredient | Metric | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Green cabbage, finely shredded | 500 g | ½ medium head |
| Carrots, grated | 150 g | 2 medium |
| Plain Greek yogurt, 0% | 200 g | ¾ cup + 1 tbsp |
| Apple cider vinegar | 30 ml | 2 tbsp |
| Honey | 10 g | 1½ tsp |
| Celery seed, salt, pepper | to taste | to taste |
Plus 5 cobs of corn.
Method
- Trim and rub. Pull off the thin silver skin on the tenderloins with a sharp knife. Rub with oil, then the mixed spices. Let them sit 30 minutes at room temperature or up to a day in the fridge.
- Make the slaw. Whisk the yogurt, vinegar, honey and seasonings, then toss with the cabbage and carrot. It’s better after 30 minutes in the fridge and still good the next day.
- Heat the grill to medium-high, about 200 to 230°C (400 to 450°F) on the lid thermometer. Oil the grates.
- Grill the pork with the lid closed, turning a quarter turn every 4 to 5 minutes, about 18 to 22 minutes in total. Brush with barbecue sauce in the last 3 minutes only; sugary sauces burn if added early.
- Grill the corn alongside, husked, turning every few minutes for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Check and rest. Take the pork off at 71°C (160°F) in the thickest part, the Health Canada temperature for pork cuts. Rest it 5 minutes, then slice on an angle.
Approximate nutrition per plate
Using standard per-100 g values from USDA FoodData Central for raw pork tenderloin, corn kernels, cabbage, carrot, yogurt and barbecue sauce.
| Item | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 200 g raw pork tenderloin (about 150 g cooked) with rub and glaze | about 265 | about 42 g |
| One medium cob of corn | about 75 | about 3 g |
| A fifth of the yogurt slaw | about 70 | about 6 g |
| Plate total | about 410 | about 51 g |
Carbs land around 34 g and fat around 9 g per plate. Add a toasted bun or a scoop of potato salad on a training day.
How common BBQ meats compare
Approximate values per 100 g raw, from standard nutrient tables:
| Meat | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pork tenderloin | about 110 | about 21 g | about 2 g |
| Skinless chicken breast | about 120 | about 22 g | about 3 g |
| Shrimp | about 85 | about 20 g | under 1 g |
| Top sirloin, trimmed | about 135 | about 22 g | about 5 g |
| Extra-lean ground beef (burgers) | about 135 | about 21 g | about 5 g |
| Regular ground beef (burgers) | about 255 | about 17 g | about 20 g |
| Pork side ribs | about 275 | about 16 g | about 23 g |
The pattern is clear: the bottom two rows give you less protein for roughly twice the calories. You don’t have to skip ribs at a family barbecue, but making the lean option your default on ordinary weekends adds up over a summer.
BBQ season without backsliding
Summer weekends in Ontario are long, social and full of food. A plan helps more than willpower: eat a normal lunch so you don’t arrive starving, fill your first plate with the lean meat and vegetables, and decide in advance how many drinks you’ll have. The guide on weekend eating that undoes progress has more on this. For another grill-friendly dinner, the shawarma bowl chicken can be grilled instead of roasted.
Make this the default
A pork tenderloin on the grill is a habit worth building: it’s cheap, it’s quick and nobody at the table thinks of it as diet food. If you’d like your weekends and weekdays planned around your targets, monthly 1:1 coaching includes nutrition guidance and weekly accountability.
Questions people also ask
What is the leanest meat to barbecue?
Pork tenderloin, skinless chicken breast, shrimp and lean steaks such as sirloin are the leanest common choices. Ribs, regular burgers and most sausages carry two to three times the fat per bite.
How long do you grill pork tenderloin?
About 18 to 22 minutes over medium-high heat, turning every 4 to 5 minutes, then a 5-minute rest. Use a thermometer: Health Canada lists 71°C (160°F) for pork pieces and whole cuts.
Can I make high-protein burgers?
Yes. Extra-lean ground beef or a mix of lean beef and ground chicken makes a leaner patty. Add a grated onion or a spoon of plain yogurt to keep it juicy, and don't press the patties on the grill.