First pork loin smoke

[23buzz]

My wife brought home a 10 lb pork loin she got on a good sale.  So naturally, on the smoker it went.  Sunday was my first time smoking a pork loin.  We cut it in half to make it fit and try it a couple different ways.  One half was simply olived oiled and rubbed.  The other half was cut butterfly style, stuffed with stove top stuffing and mushrooms, then tied up and rubbed.  Sunday was very busy so I only got a picture of them after coming off the smoker.  

loins.jpg

• 23buzz
• Jul 20, 2015

I had trouble getting the stuffed loin into a roll, so it's more like a sub sandwich.  Taste was good, but next time I'll try harder to get it rolled, and add some more flavor of some sort into the middle.

I pulled them at 155 IT and wrapped them in foil for a little while.  When unwrapped there was a ton of juice in the foil, which was nice to see.  But when I cut a slice off the end it was just a bit tough and dry.  So then I cut another slice because it should be softer and juicier - nope - still a bit tough and dry.  But the flavor was good.  Oh well.  It was too late for supper so we cut them in half to bag up and refrigerate until tonight.  When I cut them in half I discovered a treasure trove of soft, moist, tender, juicy meat!  Who cares if the first inch on each side didn't come out right - the rest of it is good!

So far, pork loin is not one of my favorite things to smoke.  But this was my first time and I will try it again down the road.

 

[jcollins]

looks good i have done a couple of the smaller tenderloins never done a whole loin ill have to give it a go 

 

[crazymoon]

23B, the loins are very lean and can dry out easily from high heat and a bit too long in the smoker. Have you ever tried a stuffed loin ? They are awesome and the fillings are endless, don't dry out as easy as an unstuffed loin.

 

[jesse t]

I suggest pulling around 145 and letting it rest. 

 

[23buzz]

Thanks for the tips.  I will definitely pull them at 145 next time.  I did stuff one of these, sort of.  Will have to try a bit harder at stuffing the next one.  Can pork loins be injected?  I've never injected anything before, but my wife suggested checking into it.

 

[cael]

Oh, just an FYI on cutting the loin to be stuffed.   You butterflied yours...making it exactly as you described, like a sub sandwich.    Which is still very nice.

If you want the full roll, then start cutting and go in a spiral.   Its a practice makes perfect kind of process.    Just pick a thickness and start your cut, roll the meat a little away from the cut (so that the thin flap is now moving to the left), cut some more same thickness, and keep going.    Eventually you will end up with (hopefully) with a flat length of meat.    Then place your filling over most of it, leaving a couple of inches on all 4 sides.   Then roll it back up and tie it.     Its easier if you flip the meat over before putting the filling on, cause then it will roll the same direction it started in originally.   

 

[23buzz]

Awesome!  Thanks Cael.  

 

[dirtsailor2003]

 
Thanks for the tips.  I will definitely pull them at 145 next time.  I did stuff one of these, sort of.  Will have to try a bit harder at stuffing the next one.  Can pork loins be injected?  I've never injected anything before, but my wife suggested checking into it.

If you'd like to change the flavor of the loin you can inject as long as you observe the 40°-140° in four hours rule. There really is no need to inject for moistness though. If you do as mentioned above and pull your loin at an IT of 145° rest wrapped in foil for 30-45 minutes you will have a super moist juicy loin. Another option for flavor enhancement (not for moistness) is to brine the loin. If you use a brine like Pop's brine then you can get a hammy flavor, or if so inclined you could make your own Canadian bacon.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/131123/the-bacon-trifecta-thats-a-wrap