Pork loin help please
- Thread starter dannyboy
- Start date
Grampy
New member
Dannyboy, this is how I do pork loins. Normally I'll buy the whole loin like you are talking about and cut it in half just because it is easier to work with. I brine it using DM's pork loin brine recipe over night. Take it out of the brine and rinse off and use plain yellow mustard as a binder and cover it with my favorite rub. Put it in my SI #2 at 225 degrees with 3.20 ounces of hickory (I also use pecan and sugar maple sometimes). Smoke it to an internal temperature of 150 degrees (approximately 3 1/2 to 4 hours). I double wrap it in foil and put it into a cooler with towels on top of it for 2 hours.
Glock_21
Member
+1 on Divot Maker's brine for pork loin. I usually cut them in half so I can use 2 different rubs. Smoke at 200 - 225 until internal temp hits 145-150. Keep an eye on it. Those things cook way faster than you would expect. I've had some done in 2 hours.
The brine seems to make a huge difference in how moist they stay.
The brine seems to make a huge difference in how moist they stay.
Grampy
New member
dannyboy said:
Here's DM's recipe (with a couple of my comments in red)
1 gallon water (I use 1/2 gallon in the pan, then add the other 1/2 gallon in the form of ice when I've cooked the brine)
1 1/8 cup kosher salt (Brining over night I cut the salt down to about 3/4 cup)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. granulated garlic
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tsp. #1 curing salt (I do not use this when I brine loins)
I pretty much follow the same process as noted above.. Brine overnight and in the smoker at 225 until the IT hits 145.. I do agree with Glock and I have had some large pork loins (cut in half) done in 2 hours. One of the my favorites things to smoke and they turn out moist and juicy.
I did put my last one under the over broiler for 5 minutes with my homemade BBQ sauce to give it a nice glaze.. YUMMY!!!
I did put my last one under the over broiler for 5 minutes with my homemade BBQ sauce to give it a nice glaze.. YUMMY!!!
Durangosmoker
Member
Add me to the fan club. Pork loin is probably my favorite thing to smoke, and it has always come out well. I use Tony's brine as above, with the pink salt if I want a smoke ring, and then just probe the meat and bring to 145.
Love the idea of wrapping in bacon!
Love the idea of wrapping in bacon!
JustChillin
New member
This thread got me motivated to smoke a pork loin. I brined it overnight in DM's brine, rinsed it, dried it and rubbed it with a combination of softened butter & mustard for a binder with a nice coating of coarse black pepper and garlic powder. It just went on the smoker at 225 and be be removed at an internal temp of 145. Will update later, hopefully with photos.
I also love making pork loins... they are super easy to make, relatively fast to smoke, and easy to chunk/seal/freeze. I try to always keep some brisket, pulled pork, and pork loin chunks in the freezer. Nothing like coming home dead and not even wanting to make dinner and then remembering how easy it is to reheat a chunk for smoked-something and how great it tastes with practically no effort. Grab a bag of salad and some bread/butter and dinner is done. 
Pork Belly
Moderator
I prefer to cut whole loins into 1/3's rather than in half it cooks more evenly. If your using a probe thermometer, put it in the smallest piece.
