Gonna do my first pork loin.....

[Gulf Coast Blue]

Done tons of briskets, pork butts, ribs, chickens and such....... successfully

But am going to attempt my first smoked pork loin. Only done them in the crock pot and usually with a chuck roast. Pretty good, but wanting some great smokey goodness.

Wrap with bacon? Stuff......if so with what? Also, I like gravy.....lots of gravy.....suggestions? Or no gravy....

I have a pretty good pork rub......just wanting some pointers on smoking this fine piece of meat.

[El Ropo]

Cook it like you would a ribeye roast, except take it to a slightly higher temp. Loin is not like cooking a shoulder at all. It's best when cooked to 140ish, then rested for half hour or so before serving.

I'd also suggest a reverse sear, slow smoke it till internal temp hits 125ish, then toss it on a super hot fire to sear all sides. Don't let it get past 140. If the sear is done, and it hasn't quite gotten to 140, you can set it back on the cool part of cooker for a few minutes to carry over before the rest period. This method would work great if you wanted to bacon wrap. I'm not sure it would be good for a stuffed loin unless all the stuffing was pre-cooked for food safety.

[DownHomeQue]

you can smoke it to pull also.. by foiling and adding liquid.. My parents cant do pulled pork butt.. so i pull the loin for them and they love it.. its not as forgiving as a pork butt.. easy to dry out.. but if you smoke her in foil with liquid up until about 180ish.. then see if she is pullable.. thats the way my family likes it..

[Gulf Coast Blue]

Wanting to slice......interested in the reverse sear suggested by El Ropo......

Still wanting gravy if needed.

I might just do provolone and spinach for the stuffing.

[beercuer]

Well, you do have options, GCB. (You did have to say gravy... now I'm hungry). My take is first decide whether you want pulled or sliced. If going sliced, you're going to want to remove it from the heat before internal temp gets past 150 if you want it moist. I like to slather all thick meats with mustard or mayo, and even apply a "mop" of something like cider vinegar (with a spray bottle, ideally), every hour. Basically, treat it as though you would a brisket perhaps. Just one opinion.

[Gulf Coast Blue]

Originally Posted by beercuer

Well, you do have options, GCB. (You did have to say gravy... now I'm hungry). My take is first decide whether you want pulled or sliced. If going sliced, you're going to want to remove it from the heat before internal temp gets past 150 if you want it moist. I like to slather all thick meats with mustard or mayo, and even apply a "mop" of something like cider vinegar (with a spray bottle, ideally), every hour. Basically, treat it as though you would a brisket perhaps. Just one opinion.

Sounds good......I always have a spray bottle of Cider vinegar handy.

Wrap in bacon? Stuff? I hope to catch dripping for gravy maybe with a little beer.....but can make do.

[El Ropo]

Just remember, if you cook a loin to 150, or it gets away from you and you don't catch it till 155. By the time carryover cooking is done during the rest, your loin will be in the low to mid 160s, and be pretty dry. This is why I recommended 140. During the rest, temps will carryover to mid to high 140s, a much better situation for a loin.

If you want pulled pork, buy a cheaper cut of pig.

[Gulf Coast Blue]

As noted.....I do NOT want pulled pork.....I want a slicer. I will keep my thermometer handy. Thank you for your info. Oven and crock pot only experience here on the loin.

Seen some cool things here......and want to experience it.

BTW......Hook em.......class of 82.

Joel

[J-Rod]

Nothing else to chime in here as others have covered most aspects, just if you wrap in bacon either do a reverse sear as el ropo stated or ramp up the overall cooking temps. Nothing worse that rubbery bacon!

[Ron_L]

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Blue

Wrap with bacon? Stuff......if so with what?

While I am a big fan of bacon, I'm not a big fan of bacon wrapping for things that shouldn't be overcooked. Typically by the time the bacon is done whatever it is wrapped around is past it's perfect temp. One way around that is to par cook the bacon (a microwave works great) to give it a head start.

Stuffing things also complicates things from a food safety standpoint. If you look at the guidelines any stiffing should be cooked to 165, which, in a pork loin, would mean the the pork itself would be 165 or higher. Sometimes the stuffing can help keep the meat moist (like when stuffing a loin with sausage), but in most cases the pork would have been better off cooked as it is and the stuffing ingredients used as part of a side dish.

[Gulf Coast Blue]

Originally Posted by Ron_L

While I am a big fan of bacon, I'm not a big fan of bacon wrapping for things that shouldn't be overcooked. Typically by the time the bacon is done whatever it is wrapped around is past it's perfect temp. One way around that is to par cook the bacon (a microwave works great) to give it a head start.

Stuffing things also complicates things from a food safety standpoint. If you look at the guidelines any stiffing should be cooked to 165, which, in a pork loin, would mean the the pork itself would be 165 or higher. Sometimes the stuffing can help keep the meat moist (like when stuffing a loin with sausage), but in most cases the pork would have been better off cooked as it is and the stuffing ingredients used as part of a side dish.

Ah.....A voice of reason......but since I am only including cheese, spinach, and some other things that won't matter. As for the bacon.....can I do a reverse sere with it.....or abandon it altogether?

I have gotten nothing but good information in this thread so far. Thank all of you.

Joel

[beercuer]

Originally Posted by El Ropo

Just remember, if you cook a loin to 150, or it gets away from you and you don't catch it till 155. By the time carryover cooking is done during the rest, your loin will be in the low to mid 160s, and be pretty dry. This is why I recommended 140. During the rest, temps will carryover to mid to high 140s, a much better situation for a loin.

If you want pulled pork, buy a cheaper cut of pig.

Actually, I agree with you El Ropo. I mentioned 150 so as to avoid the food police on food safety. And I am aware that not too long ago the food authorities reduced the temp requirements for pork, seeing that the danger of trichinosis is pretty much gone.

Still, he can take it to 150, if desired, without killing it, since he is smoking it a lower heat than grilling.

[beercuer]

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Blue

Ah.....A voice of reason......but since I am only including cheese, spinach, and some other things that won't matter. As for the bacon.....can I do a reverse sere with it.....or abandon it altogether?

I have gotten nothing but good information in this thread so far. Thank all of you.

Joel

GCB, Ron just spoke for me. Reverse searing with a bacon wrap is likely to invite some entertaining flare-ups. And stuffing it is likely to invite a drier meat. Again, just one reporter's opinion.

[El Ropo]

safe temp for pork is now 145. So cooking to 140, then tenting for 30 minutes will give a final cooked temp of mid to high 140s. People tend to forget about the rise in temp during rest period.

Cooking to 150 will give you closer to 160 after rest. Too high for me.

[beercuer]

Originally Posted by El Ropo

safe temp for pork is now 145. So cooking to 140, then tenting for 30 minutes will give a final cooked temp of mid to high 140s. People tend to forget about the rise in temp during rest period.

Cooking to 150 will give you closer to 160 after rest. Too high for me.

Please don't get me wrong El Ropo-- I greatly respect your sentiments. I am merely stating there is a difference between a high heat attained 150 and a low heat attained one. Some time ago, "Cook's Illustrated" conducted an experiment on the results of high temp vs. low temp cooking, including the frequent/not frequent turning of meat. One of the things that is really interesting is that one can actually brown ground beef, without it ever getting it to what is regarded as safe temp! Conversely, one can super sear a steak at tremendous heat and it will appear bloody raw, but be up to a higher than visible temp.