New Guy with a Pork Loin Question

[Dockmaster]

New guy here!  So, we're looking to upgrade our smoking equipment and my wife comes upon Smokin-It!  What a great find.  After much study, we decide on a #2.  In fact, it looks so good, we ordered a #2 w/ cart for us . . . and a #2 w/ cart for our son!  All four units shipped on 11/10 with a delivery date of 11/13.  What I found interesting was a Fedex truck delivered one #2 mid-day 11/12.  Three hours later a second truck delivered the first cart.  Via tracking numbers I see the other #2 & cart are in town and I should get them today, right on schedule.  I seasoned the smoker once unpacked and now I want to smoke a 3 pound pork loin.  Any recommendations on smoker temp setting and approximate cooking time??

 

[AlinMA]

Dockmaster...check out the PDF file on this link. It's a good resource and should get you in the ball park.

 

[smokeasaurus]

Head over to this link on the forum. Done this many a time.............

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=858.0

 

[Dockmaster]

OK, AlinMA, I'm stupid. . . where is the PDF file??  What am I looking for?  Thanks for the help.

 

[Dockmaster]

Thanks smokeasaurus!

 

[smokeasaurus]

Thanks smokeasaurus!

 

[AlinMA]

OK, AlinMA, I'm stupid. . . where is the PDF file??  What am I looking for?  Thanks for the help.

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=2151.0. The PDF file is on the page. Let me know if you have a problem
Sorry the link was not on my first reply

 

[elkins20]

Hey Steve, Welcome from Kansas City, you can also do a search for pork loin in the pork section and will find many smokes. I know Tony/aka Divotmaker does quite a bit of them. But, the smoking guide will be a great place to start. Good luck

 

[grogorat]

Hey Steve, Welcome from Kansas City, you can also do a search for pork loin in the pork section and will find many smokes. I know Tony/aka Divotmaker does quite a bit of them. But, the smoking guide will be a great place to start. Good luck

+1 on the guide.  I got my wife to get it laminated at her school.

 

[swthorpe]

The guide gives a good estimate for smoker temp and time.  Be sure to use a remote therm to keep an eye on the IT of the loin.  Enjoy!

 

[DivotMaker]

Hey Steve, congrats on the #2!  I love full pork loins...best pork sammies on the planet!  I brine mine, using my Brine for Pork Loin. 
Yours is a little smaller than I normally smoke, so I'd probably leave it in the brine for 6-8 hours.  Remove from the brine, rinse thoroughly (to get the salt off the surface), coat with yellow mustard and rub of your choice (I like Famous Dave's Rib Rub for an easy, off-the-shelf solution).  Smoke at 225 until internal temp reaches 145, then "reverse sear" on a hot grill or 500° oven for a few minutes to caramelize the rub.  Slice thin, and enjoy the best pork sandwiches ever!

As far as wood, I prefer cherry on pork loin, but hickory or any other fruit wood is good.  About 2-3 oz will be plenty for this size loin.  It probably won't take much more than an hour to hit 145....maybe 1 1/2. 

If you don't have a digital kitchen scale to weigh wood, and a remote thermometer, I strongly suggest you get them.  These are 2 "must have" accessories.  You can't do meat like this by time, or you'll never get it right.

Glad to have you with us!  Let us know how it goes!

One more valuable tip:  There is a "search" bar, at the top right of your screen.  Go to the Pork section, under Recipes, and type Pork Loin in the search bar.  You will find lots of great posts on the subject!

 

[Dockmaster]

Thanks so much to all of you for all the advice!  And Al, I found the PDF, thanks.  My first smoke was a 3 lb pork loin and it was great.  I used an over the counter rub we had on hand and after a couple of hours, put it in the #2 set at 225.  In a smoking book I read the cook time recommended for a loin a little smaller than mine and estimated 2 hours.  I wanted it rare, so an IT of 140 is what I was shooting for.  Two hours after cranking her up, IT was 148 so wrapped in foil and let it rest for about an hour.  It was light pink in the middle, not as much as I wanted, but it very good and moist.  Success!  Then, we had read about ABT's, so we put about 8 in at 250 for 90 minutes.  What a treat!!  I can really see the value in an external temp monitor - going to order one today.  Thanks again everybody!!

 

[elkins20]

Hey Steve quick question, I was stationed in Jacksonville at the Naval air station. When you come out of the base and turn right. Down the road was a small diner called Thorni's, it had the best grits in town. Wondering if it is still there also the name spelling I have could be wrong. As we are talking about 45 years ago. Great breakfast diner. Thanks.

 

[Dockmaster]

Hey Bill . . . do I understand it was 45 years ago that you patronized that diner?  If that's the case, you wouldn't know the area today!  Right outside the base, Roosevelt Blvd is . . . SIX lanes - 3 in each direction; and lots of shopping centers.  We were over that way yesterday and looked for the diner, but no luck.  Sorry.  If you got 'em, smoke 'em, right?  Take care, Steve

 

[elkins20]

Wow as I remember was just a 2 lane road. And hardly anything around the base. That saying cost me 50 push ups in boot camp. But, is a funny story will share with you in a pm. Thanks for the info on the dinner as was very small. Just 4 booths and 8 stools at the counter. After the bars would close there might be as many as 50 people outside waiting to get in for a meal. That tells you how good they were.