Ideas for pork loin on BGE?

[tnthudson]

Hey ya'll,
OK so I said I was going to branch out, and I got a whole pork loin from Sam's. That sucker must be 2 1/2 feet long...anyway, I wanted to try to smoke it in my BGE, but the directions on the packaging recommend roasting it in a pan at 325.
Do you think setting up for indirect cooking in the Egg would work okay? And I was thinking keeping it at 250 or so, but should I go to 325?
Also, is cutting it in 1/2 okay? (I don't think it's going to fit otherwise)...
Thanks, any ideas are appreciated.

 

[spishex]

If you have curing salt available you could turn it into canadian bacon by brining and smoking. Whatever you do, definitely brine first, and if you're going to cut it in half, do so before you brine it.

As long as you've got a thermometer handy you can do whatever temp you like. If you're going to smoke it I'd suggest 180-200, which for me is about a 1/2" vent on the bottom and 1/8" gaps on the small vents up top. It'll probably be up to temperature in 2 hours or so, but I'd smoke it for 4 or more.

Also, be sure to dry it out very thoroughly (ideally on a rack in the fridge) for a few hours before you smoke it, otherwise the smoke will not stick.

I did some steaks on the BGE for the first time this week. Delicious, but I got distracted while lighting the coals and left my burner in for about 30 minutes. By the time I remembered the grill was up to 550 and the burner was... sad. :-D

Have fun!

 

[JohnT]

Loin is pretty lean and can get dry if cooked too long. For loins, I smoke around 250F until the internal temp is 150F, remove it from the smoker and wrap it in foil and cook it until it hits 160F. Almost all of the smoke penetration happens while the meat is still cool, so the foil doesn't have any impact on flavor. I then remove it from the smoker and place it in a cooler for 10-15 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute while we get the rest of the meal ready.

The Pork Board says 150 is okay for loins, but I have a hard time with that.

I cut them in half, and if we don't have big crowd for dinner, I don't put one half back on the smoker after 150. I let it cool, then refrigerate it so it won't dry out as much.

 

[No P in my ool]

I cook my loins at 300f 'till they reach an internal temp of 145f then let them rest for an hour wrapped in foil which raises the temp to about 152f.There is not any fat to render in a pork loin,so there is no need for low and slow. Try cherry wood for your smoke wood. It gives the loin a nice color and an incredible flavor.

 

[tnthudson]

Cool, thanks for the help...I think I'm going to get it prepared tomorrow and try it out Sunday, so I'll try to report back. yummm
(ADDED)
OH, by the way, spishex, I ruined a hand-held thermometer in a similar way last year...funny. Now I've got a trusty Maverick, so if I ruin that, I'll be really sad :?

 

[spishex]

Loin is pretty lean and can get dry if cooked too long.

Brining is a HUGE help when it comes to avoiding dry meat. This is especially true for bird breast which is almost impossible to dry out after brining. The BGE is also great in this regard because of the small amount of heat needed to maintain temperature. Less heat used = less water loss.

 

[tnthudson]

BTW, I'm finishing up the loin this week. Froze alot of it in baggies for lunch...the smoked taste and spices (garlic and lemon rind) can still be tasted now, even after I thaw and warm up the meat. Awesome. Thanks for the help.
Brisket is next! OR roast beef, not sure... 8)