# Dry Cured Pork Tenderloin



## dukeburger (Nov 21, 2015)

Been meaning to try this one for a while. I'm thinking of new things to give out for Christmas gifts this year and I hate shopping, but funny enough, I love smoking.

I treated this pretty much the same way as back bacon (Canadian bacon).

For me this a test-run of dry cured pork tenderloin to see if I'd enjoy it before doing up a larger batch and giving it away to people without even trying it.

*Day #1 (Prep day):*

Yanked a pack of two pork tenderloins out of the freezer, weighed in at close to a pound each (one a few grams over, one a few grams under), measured out the TQ and brown sugar and started the curing process. I gave these little guys 8 days.

*Day #7:*

Took them out of the fridge, rinsed in cold water and pat dried. Sliced one in half at the thickest point to check cure, looked good. Sliced off a piece for a salt fry-test. Tasted perfect!

Seasoned them up with forluvofsmoke's Hawg Heaven Rub, placed on smoker rack and into the fridge uncovered overnight to form pellicle.

*Day #8 (Smoke day):*

*7:15: *Woke up, flicked on the Big Chief. Made some coffee while the Big Chief warmed up. Checked the weather... -20*C! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






*8:00:* Dressed up for the arctic cold and put my cured tenderloins into the Big Chief with a 50/50 mix cherry and apple chips and set my probes up.  Big Chief at 60*F.

*9:00: *Big Chief - 93*F, IT - 72*F

*10:00:* BC - 97*F, IT - 82*F.... added some more chips, same mix. Big Chief temp seemed to max out here uninsulated, Since my Big Chief has no heat control (it's either on or off) I put on it's silver insulation parka.

*11:00:* BC - 120*F, IT - 91*F

*12:00:* BC - 151*F, IT - 108*F...added more chips, same mix, BC temp plummeted to 115*F after taking the hot smoldering chips out. Slowly made it's way back up.

*13:00:* BC - 151*F, IT - 111*F

*14:00: *BC - 147*F, IT - 129*F...out of apple chips, threw in the last of my cherry chips. Knowing the temps would plummet again, and I'm ready to bring the meat up to temp, I added 2 lit charcoal briquettes to the pan to combat that.

*15:00: *BC - 180*F, IT - 138*F

*15:45:* BC - 181*F, IT - 149*F....Done. Probed the others at 151*F and 150*F. Pull the rack out and set on the counter to cool down.

*17:00: *Put tenderloins on a plate, wrapped up and let rest in the fridge to mellow overnight.

*Day #9:*

Sliced up some tenderloin for a little snack with some crackers, left small pieces in a sandwich bag for more snacking later. Vac sealed the rest up and put in the freezer.

I'll be keeping my eyes open for sales on pork tenderloin, I'll be doing this again soon in a larger batch. Delicious!

Prep time













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__ dukeburger
__ Nov 20, 2015






Fat and sliver skin trimmed













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__ dukeburger
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TQ weighed for each after trimming













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__ dukeburger
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Before anyone points it out, I did in fact use my good zip bags.













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__ dukeburger
__ Nov 20, 2015






After 7 days..Cured to the center













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__ dukeburger
__ Nov 20, 2015






Salt fry-test. Perfect!













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__ dukeburger
__ Nov 20, 2015






Sent to Hawg Heaven













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__ dukeburger
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Time for some smoke













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__ dukeburger
__ Nov 20, 2015






Post-smoke













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__ dukeburger
__ Nov 20, 2015






Sliced pics













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__ Nov 21, 2015


















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__ dukeburger
__ Nov 21, 2015


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## tropics (Nov 21, 2015)

DB that is a great curing job perfect color,even though you screwed up the last pic LOL 11/22  just bustin Thanks for sharing

Richie


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## b-one (Nov 21, 2015)

Looks great,and I'll be waiting for that Christmas gift!


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## dukeburger (Nov 21, 2015)

tropics said:


> DB that is a great curing job perfect color,even though you screwed up the last pic LOL 11/22  just bustin Thanks for sharing
> 
> Richie


Thanks Richie! Appreciate it.

Well how about that, it's the 21st...


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## dukeburger (Nov 21, 2015)

b-one said:


> Looks great,and I'll be waiting for that Christmas gift!


Thanks!

I'll be adding smoked cheese and beef jerky with that. Hope that's good


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## pc farmer (Nov 21, 2015)

Looks sweet.     Great job.

Am I on your Christmas list?


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## dukeburger (Nov 21, 2015)

c farmer said:


> Looks sweet. Great job.
> 
> Am I on your Christmas list?


Thanks!

Since you didn't point out the wrong date on the packages, yes.


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## pc farmer (Nov 21, 2015)

:yahoo::sausage:


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 21, 2015)

Looks great! Nice job with the post. My Dad paid Big $$$ for these at a local Polish Deli back before I learned to cure and smoke Pork...JJ


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## b-one (Nov 21, 2015)

DukeBurger said:


> b-one said:
> 
> 
> > Looks great,and I'll be waiting for that Christmas gift!
> ...



I'll allow it!Thumbs Up


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## Bearcarver (Nov 21, 2015)

Nice Job Duke!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Those look Mighty Tasty!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





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I never cured Tenderloins---Only Loins!!---Got 13 pounds in cure right now.

Those look so good, you might not want to give them away----Maybe do some CB to give away???

Bear


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## dukeburger (Nov 21, 2015)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> Looks great! Nice job with the post. My Dad paid Big $$$ for these at a local Polish Deli back before I learned to cure and smoke Pork...JJ


Thanks JJ!


Bearcarver said:


> Nice Job Duke!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks Bear! Appreciate the point!

I think you should give this one a try. If you don't like it, you can always give it to me


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Nov 21, 2015)

Looks awesome Duke !   Thumbs Up   If I'm not mistaken you've kinda been on a bit of a role here the last while !    :beercheer:


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## dukeburger (Nov 21, 2015)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> Looks awesome Duke !
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks WHB!

Been laid off for a couple weeks, can you tell?


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## forluvofsmoke (Nov 22, 2015)

DukeBurger said:


> tropics said:
> 
> 
> > DB that is a great curing job perfect color,even though you screwed up the last pic LOL 11/22  just bustin Thanks for sharing
> ...


Duke, don't feel bad...once upon a time, I posted an April Fools Day smoke on 03-31-11...
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...not one of my finer moments.


DukeBurger said:


> c farmer said:
> 
> 
> > Looks sweet. Great job.
> ...


You guys crack me up!!!

Eric


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## hoity toit (Nov 24, 2015)

Those truly look fine. Great color thru-out.I suppose I could do a pork Loin the same way right?

I saw at Sams Club yesterday they were really inexpensive for a huge Loin. Thanks for sharing your smoke. Looks like I will be going back to the store today..a good thing.


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## twoalpha (Nov 24, 2015)

Hoity Toit said:


> Those truly look fine. Great color thru-out.I suppose I could do a pork Loin the same way right?
> 
> I saw at Sams Club yesterday they were really inexpensive for a huge Loin. Thanks for sharing your smoke. Looks like I will be going back to the store today..a good thing.


I have done the pork loin the same way and it worked out OK. However I prefer the tenderloins as they have a softer bite (better texture) were the loin tends to be dryer and a bit tougher. I recently made some whole meat jerky from the pork loin and it is a good change from whole meat beef jerky. Might want to try it out on the pork loin.


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## dukeburger (Nov 24, 2015)

Hoity Toit said:


> Those truly look fine. Great color thru-out.I suppose I could do a pork Loin the same way right?
> 
> I saw at Sams Club yesterday they were really inexpensive for a huge Loin. Thanks for sharing your smoke. Looks like I will be going back to the store today..a good thing.


I cured this the same way as I've done pork loin for canadian bacon, just seasoned differently and took to a higher IT because it will be eaten cold.


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## bdskelly (Nov 24, 2015)

Very nice!


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## dukeburger (Nov 24, 2015)

BDSkelly said:


> Very nice!


Thanks! Appreciate it


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## catfish1st (Nov 27, 2015)

Looks great, going to follow your steps as the wife been wanting some tenderloin. I'v done loin's using Bear's step by step and they are awesome. Points!


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