Pork Loin Smoke Help


 
C

CGariepy

TVWBB Fan
hey all,

I have a buddy who's son is having a graduation party on Sunday. He asked if I can help smoke some stuff for pulled pork....I have done a ton of pork butts for pulled port probably about 12-15 times with great results. He mentioned his wife would like pork loin for pulled pork?

Also, I've done pork tenderloins whole for slicing but never the loins for pulled pork.

Can anyone provide any good advice?

I plan to smoke them around 225-250 after injecting with a marinade (makers mark, wickers, apple juice) if that sounds ok...I've done that with butt roasts and it rocks...........

I'm concerned they are tooooo lean and will dry out if I'm not careful..any good help from the BBQ gods?

chris
 
Your right, pork loins are too lean and should not be cooked to the temps that you would a butt. I think its a case of she doesn't know what she's talking about. I have a friend who had a bbq with some friends and she said that one of the ladies husbands made "pulled pork" with a loin and it was terrible. If they want pulled pork, do it with a butt! If your the one cooking it remember that its your reputation on the line. Good luck and let us know!
 
I agree with S.Six that it doesn't make sense to use a loin and I agree that you should just do what you know to be best, but there was a guy I use to work with that use to talk about pulled pork and using a loin. It was before I got into BBQ and I never really asked him how he did it but he was a picky eater and I don't think he would have ate it were it not good. So I think it can be done. My guess is that it's probably put in a slow cooker and over cooked and then covered in sauce. Not really what we would call pulled pork, but probably wouldn't taste bad.
 
X3. Pork loin tends to dry out past 140* or so. I dose it liberally with red wine while cooking to keep it moist. I really can't imagine it pulled. Best procedure would be to use pork butt, per your experience.
 
I've only done pork loin bbq in slow cooker. Put in pork loin, pour a coke, dr. pepper or orange soda over it and slow cook it. Turns out really good just not real bbq. Good luck and sounds like the requester doesn't like true pulled pork :)
 
I would give her the option of pulled pork (from butt/shoulder) or grilled/roasted loin. If going with the loin, brine it for about 24 hours (apple juice, salt and brown sugar) then rub and cook indirect to about 140. She might have asked for loin because she heard it was healthier (which it could be), but let her know it's too lean for pulled pork.
 
Ive been requested to do pulled pork a few times but they already have a loin they have been planning on using. Most people that dont cook just dont know i suppose. Ive just explained like stated above that if i try and cook a loin to temps for pulling it that it just wont turn out that good and that a butt should be used for pulling.
 
AdamKing said:
Ive been requested to do pulled pork a few times but they already have a loin they have been planning on using. Most people that dont cook just dont know i suppose. Ive just explained like stated above that if i try and cook a loin to temps for pulling it that it just wont turn out that good and that a butt should be used for pulling.
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Lots of folks just think pork=pork and pulled pork=shredded pork. Most people will understand the analogy of chicken. Dark meat is usually fattier and therefore juicier and therefore better for shredding. Try shredding white meat that's been cooked to proper temp and you'll need a TON of sauce to avoid that "mouthful of cotton" texture. Or, you could explain scientifically (a la Alton Brown) that what makes pulled pork so damn tasty is the breakdown of connective tissue and that pork loin contains very little of it, while pork shoulder or butt is full of it.

My favorite thing to do with pork loin is slice it (about 1 to 1-1/4" thick), then brine and grill up as chops. The only time I cook it in larger pieces is for Pork & Kraut on New Year's Day.
 
Personally I would never use a loin for pulled pork...I appreciate the thoughts and advice........
from what I hear my buddies wife bought 12 lbs of pork loins at 1.99/lb today. So my thoughts are to get it to around 145 internal temp or so....he would like me to smoke them sat, wrap and drop them to him. He can then reheat and pull them on sunday (party day) I guess. I was thinking injecting them, cooking them for an hour or two on the smoker, and then the last little bit cook on the smoker in a foil pan of the injecting liquid to keep them moist.....

sound ok?
thanks,
 
CGariepy said:
Personally I would never use a loin for pulled pork...I appreciate the thoughts and advice........
from what I hear my buddies wife bought 12 lbs of pork loins at 1.99/lb today. So my thoughts are to get it to around 145 internal temp or so....he would like me to smoke them sat, wrap and drop them to him. He can then reheat and pull them on sunday (party day) I guess. I was thinking injecting them, cooking them for an hour or two on the smoker, and then the last little bit cook on the smoker in a foil pan of the injecting liquid to keep them moist.....

sound ok?
thanks,
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Can you say "Fail"? Your bud's wife is setting it up. & guess who is gonna get blamed?: the cook!
Myself... I'd change the recipe. Maybe stuff the pork loins & make a nice sauce to go with? Gently reheat & slice on party day.
 
No way will a loin be good for PP. Not without adding a lot of crap to where you might have well just used a butt in the first place. They are very good for cooking whole and slicing. IMHO.
 
Add your favorite rub, cook it high heat and cook till 145*F internal, let it rest and slice it as thin as you can of run it though a meat slicer if you have one and and serve it just like you would make a pulled pork sandwich. My favorite way is with a little sauce and of course coleslaw on top, and a splash of hot sauce!
 
John Solak said:
Add your favorite rub, cook it high heat and cook till 145*F internal, let it rest and slice it as thin as you can of run it though a meat slicer if you have one and and serve it just like you would make a pulled pork sandwich. My favorite way is with a little sauce and of course coleslaw on top, and a splash of hot sauce!
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If you (or they) have access to a deli-style slicer, this would be your best bet. I'd still recommend brining with some apple juice, kosher salt, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. For a 12 pounder, probably best to cut it down into pieces small enough to fit into ziplock bags and go with (per bag) 1 cup juice, 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cut brown sugar, and a teaspoon of flakes. Give them a good 12 hours or more in that and you've got a lot of insurance against drying out, especially if they'll be cooled down and reheated later. Definitely don't slice until just before serving.
 
i took the 25 lbs of pork loin brined it overnight and put on the smoker this morning. I chuncked the loin into around 1.5 lb chuncks for ease of cooking/moving etc.............it's about 134 internal now......my thoughts were to pull it near 140, then put the loins in aluminum disposable pans, with some liquid (apple juice, bourbon, wickers marinade) and seal the top tight with foil and let sit on the smoker for a bit longer to help with moisture. then take those pans, sealed up nice, and put in a cooler and drop to my buddy to store and reheat. sound ok?
 
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