Start by prepping your pork tenderloins. Lay them on a cutting board and use a sharp boning knife to remove all of the silver skin. Slide the blade just under that tough membrane, angle it slightly upward, and work your way down the length of the tenderloin in long strokes. The silver skin will not render during the cook and it will create a tough, chewy texture if left on. Once the silver skin is gone, pat both tenderloins completely dry with paper towels. Dry surface equals better bark, and that is non-negotiable.

Mix up your dry rub in a small bowl. Combine the brown sugar, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, and mustard powder. Whisk everything together until fully incorporated. Coat both tenderloins all over with olive oil first - this acts as the binder that makes your rub stick hard. Then apply the dry rub generously on all sides, pressing it into the meat firmly with your hands. Do not be shy here. Let the rubbed tenderloins rest uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for maximum flavor penetration.

About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook, fire up the grill or smoker. Your target temperature is 225 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Set up your smoker for indirect cooking with your wood chunks positioned directly on the coals or in your smoker box. If you are using an offset smoker, get your firebox burning clean with a small hot fire. If you are using a kettle grill, bank your coals to one side and place a drip pan with a cup of water on the cool side. You want thin blue smoke rolling out of that exhaust vent, not thick white billowing smoke.

Place the tenderloins on the smoker grates over indirect heat. They should not be sitting directly over any live flame or hot coals. Insert your wireless probe thermometer into the thickest part of one tenderloin making sure the probe tip is centered in the meat and not touching the grates. Close the lid and maintain your 225 to 250 degree Fahrenheit cooking temperature. Do not open that lid for the first 45 minutes. Every time you lift the lid you lose 15 to 20 minutes of cook time.

After about 45 minutes check your smoke color and your internal temp. You are looking for thin blue smoke and an internal temp climbing steadily toward 145 degrees Fahrenheit. At the 225 to 250 degree range, a 1-pound tenderloin takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour, and a 2-pound tenderloin runs closer to 1.5 to 2 hours. If your bark is setting up nicely with a deep reddish-brown color and the surface looks slightly firm and tacky, you are right on track. Add a small chunk of wood if your smoke has died off.

When your instant read thermometer reads 140 to 143 degrees Fahrenheit, pull the tenderloins off the smoker. They will carry over cook to the USDA safe internal temp of 145 degrees Fahrenheit during the rest. Do not wait until you hit 145 on the smoker or you risk overshooting into dry territory with this lean cut. Tent the tenderloins loosely with aluminum foil and let them rest the meat on a cutting board for a minimum of 10 minutes. This rest period allows the juices to redistribute throughout the muscle fibers and is absolutely critical for maximum juiciness.

After resting, slice the tenderloins into half-inch thick medallions on a slight bias for the best presentation. You should see a beautiful pink smoke ring just under the surface of the bark - that is your proof of a proper smoke cook. Arrange the slices on a wooden cutting board, drizzle any resting juices from the foil tent right back over the top, and serve immediately. This cut is incredible on its own but pairs perfectly with grilled corn, smoked baked beans, or a tangy apple coleslaw to complement those apple wood smoke notes.