Question Re: Multiple Port Tenderloins

[Jumanji]

First tenderloin smoke went very well, but only did two of them - and one disappeared to in-laws!  So this time I am smoking four (4) pork tenderloins.  Total weight is 5 lbs.  One of them is a little fatter than the other three.  Brined them with a half-recipe (1/2 gal) of the Pork Butt Brine for fourteen hours.  Rinsed, mustard, and then covered with pork rub, and wrapped in plastic.  Due to schedule, they'll be in the fridge about 1-1/2 days - to tomorrow, around early afternoon - before they are smoked.  (So if overnight is "happy", these are going to be delirious!)  I have a 3D, so plenty of room.  I plan cook at 225 deg F to internal temp of 145 deg F (same as directions for a pork loin, and what I before). 

So I have some questions on meat and probe placement.  Am thinking about using two racks, placed in the upper half of the smoker.  And put two thicker tenderloins on the bottom rack, the fattest tenderloin with the probe in the thickest section.  I can offset the meat in the two racks a bit so that smoke is not "blocked" as it rises.  My reason behind this meat and probe placement is that I think the lower rack closer to the smoke box would be hotter and cook faster, and maybe be at internal temp the same time as the smaller tenderloins above?

Of course, I also have the option of putting them all on one rack.  (The 3D has the room.)

Finally, last (first) time I smoked tenderloins, it was two at total weight of 2.5 lbs.  That took 1-1/2 hours to reach internal temp of 145 deg F.  So how much time would you think for four tenderloins at 5 lbs?  I'm guessing maybe two hours, i.e., only a little longer?

I know I am probably way oversciencing this!  I'm an engineer (although retired now), and it's still a curse!





Finally, am thinking 2-2.5 oz of wood - maybe cherry. 

 

[SuperDave]

I would put the probe in the smaller tenderloin on the bottom rack to start.  Your tenderloins will probably come off at different times and using the biggest tenderloin might produce overdone pieces.  I also think that you are running the risk of over brining cuts as small as a tenderloin.  If it was me, 4 to 8 hours would be max for a tenderloin. 

 

[ibbones]

Michael, so far this month I have smoked four tenderloins and have two more coming up soon.  I take the two (from HEB) and tie them together to make one bigger chunk of meat.  I have found that to be WAY better than just doing them separate.  I learned that trick from this group and will not do it any other way.  You can also tie the bigger piece to the smaller piece and make the two tenderloins closer to the same size.
Good luck...

 

[Jumanji]

Good point, Dave.  That makes sense.  Re: the brining time, last time I did 12 hours, and it didn't taste salty.  This time I planned to do the same, but got busy.

"Bones", when you tie them together, I guess you do that before you rub?  At this stage, I'd be concerned with tying together and have the rub not cook off in between.

Oh, and am I right in thinking that the meat in racks closer to the firebox is getting more heat and cooking faster than rack above?

 

[SuperDave]

Yes on the bottom rack getting more heat.

 

[Jumanji]

Dave and Michael, thought I would let you know how these turned out.  One of the pork tenderloins was only a bit larger than the other three.  I went ahead and put it on bottom, and put the probe in it.  Set temp at 225 deg and cook to 145 deg F temp.  Used 2-1/2 ozs of maple and cherry mix.  Surprisingly, it only took 1 hr 20 min to reach internal temp target.  I actually missed it, and came down to check after 1-1/2 hrs, and the temp was 147 deg and the smoker temp had dropped off to 220 deg F.  (I had programmed to drop to 140 deg F when it reached internal temp target.)

The outside of the loins was a bit "wetter" than I liked - the rub was sort of pasty.  So I fired up the gas grill and tried a reverse sear for 3 minutes per side.  That dried up the exterior a bit.  Inside was still moist.  Probably won't do that again as you risk overcooking, I suspect.

Here are some pics.  First pic is showing meat and rack placement, second is when it got smoking good, third and forth are out of the smoker, and after the reverse sear (which didn't change the outside appearance much).  The last two pics shows the three tenderloins sealed up for freezer, and finally my dinner.  Wife has a bad cold and I had to make her soup instead!

 

[SuperDave]

Looks delicious Michael.

 

[Jumanji]

Oh, and another thing I learned.  In December, I smoked two tenderloins at 225 deg to an internal temp of 145 deg F.  That was two pieces of meat, with total weight of the two at 2.5 lbs.  Took 1-1/2 hours.  This round, four separate tenderloins at total weight 5.0 lbs.  Took the same amount of time to reach internal temp target.  Which probably just says that the 3D is generating plenty of heat and smoke, and the additional mass of tenderloins didn't matter.