Stephen Becker-Brown
New member
Hey all – I’ve been enjoying the forum, and learning a lot (and eating a lot of BBQ) for the past year. Thanks for all the great information! I made a couple of these roasts for a big family Christmas and everyone really enjoyed it, so I thought I would share. I was prodded by my father-in-law into writing this down as he really seems to enjoy my cooking, and I don't typically write down my recipes. I guess this is a good time to start. My memory seems to be getting shorter - must be all the smoking (BBQ smoking, that is
).
It looks like a lengthy recipe (hey, good food takes time), but the basics are: brine a pork roast, stuff the pork roast, cook the pork roast, eat.
Brine
I start with a basic brine and add a few items, but the first three ingredients are really all that is necessary.
2 quarts cold water (substitute apple juice, or a combo if you like)
¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup sugar (white, brown, your choice)
Ground pepper
Crushed garlic (2-3 cloves)
Crushed fresh rosemary
The juice from an orange, or tangerine
• Mix all ingredients until salt and sugar are dissolved in liquid – not necessary to heat it.
3 to 5+ lb. boneless pork loin roast (I picked mine up at Costco, and these usually show up as two pieces tied together(which makes slightly less work for stuffing) – they also will usually have a nice fat cap, and as you’ll be cooking this at 325° – 350°F you can just leave it on.
Brine the roast for one to two days. I typically will put a kitchen garbage bag in a container, put in the meat, and pour in the brine. You can then gather up the top of the bag and force the air out, then tie off the bag. This ensures complete coverage of whatever you are brining.
Stuffing
The measurements are really up to you, and you’ll likely end up with more stuffing than necessary – but that’s OK (we’ll find a use for it).
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped dried apricots
½ cup chopped dates
• Mix the above in a container and then re-hydrate in liquid – keep the liquid level about ½ to 1 inch below the top of the fruit mixture (I use 3 parts apple juice to 1 part orange juice). Soak fruit in liquid for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
In another container mix the following:
1 cup chopped pecans
½ to 1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Now – add ½ to ? of the fruit mixture to the nut mixture along with some ground pepper and stir it all together.
*Reserve what is left of the fruit and liquid as this will form your sauce base.
Now is a good time to fire up the WSM – this cook will take less than 3 hours (closer to 2), so a full ring of charcoal is not necessary. Once the coals are started you can get back to the roast.
Take the roast out of the brine and cut off the string (assuming it was two pieces tied together) – rinse in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Lay the two pieces side by side on cutting board, or on baking sheet (fat side down) and make a lengthwise cut ½ to ¾ inch deep down the center of each(the key is to not cut all the way through). If your roast is one piece only you can do the butterfly method.
Now take the stuffing and spoon it in to the cut of both pieces, pressing it in with the spoon – feel free to overfill a bit.
Put the two halves back together, fat side out, and tie with butcher twine into a nice tight roast.
Combine olive oil, some chopped fresh rosemary, fresh ground pepper and crushed garlic – coat the outside of the roast with this.
OK – you’re basically ready to cook. As mentioned before the roast will be cooked at a temp of 325° to 350°F. Cook to an internal temp of ~145°F (+/- a couple degrees).
Assemble the WSM using an empty water pan, and put a foil pan on the lower rack to catch the drippings.
Put a chunk or two of smoke wood on the coals – I used cherry, but any fruitwood would work well.
Place the roast on the top rack above the foil pan and put the lid on. Let the WSM do its magic. You can check the meat temp after an hour. The ideal method is to insert a digital thermometer probe into the roast when you put it on; this way you don’t really have to open the lid until it’s done.
While the roast is cooking you can get a start on the sauce.
Sauce
Use remainder of fruit mixture and liquid
Additional cup and a half of liquid (an apple cider and orange juice combo works well)
¼ cup of apricot jam
Crushed garlic (1 to 2 cloves)
Ground pepper
• Add all to sauce pan and bring to low boil then immediately reduce to simmer and allow liquid to reduce down and thicken a bit.
• Once the roast is finished cooking allow it to rest (up to 20 minutes) while you finish the sauce.
• Add the pan drippings to the sauce and simmer/thicken to desired consistency – at this point you can either strain out the fruit bits from the sauce or leave in.
• Slice the roast ¼ to ½ inch thick and serve with sauce on the side.
Eat, drink, and be merry.
Cheers,
Stephen
It looks like a lengthy recipe (hey, good food takes time), but the basics are: brine a pork roast, stuff the pork roast, cook the pork roast, eat.
Brine
I start with a basic brine and add a few items, but the first three ingredients are really all that is necessary.
2 quarts cold water (substitute apple juice, or a combo if you like)
¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup sugar (white, brown, your choice)
Ground pepper
Crushed garlic (2-3 cloves)
Crushed fresh rosemary
The juice from an orange, or tangerine
• Mix all ingredients until salt and sugar are dissolved in liquid – not necessary to heat it.
3 to 5+ lb. boneless pork loin roast (I picked mine up at Costco, and these usually show up as two pieces tied together(which makes slightly less work for stuffing) – they also will usually have a nice fat cap, and as you’ll be cooking this at 325° – 350°F you can just leave it on.
Brine the roast for one to two days. I typically will put a kitchen garbage bag in a container, put in the meat, and pour in the brine. You can then gather up the top of the bag and force the air out, then tie off the bag. This ensures complete coverage of whatever you are brining.
Stuffing
The measurements are really up to you, and you’ll likely end up with more stuffing than necessary – but that’s OK (we’ll find a use for it).
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped dried apricots
½ cup chopped dates
• Mix the above in a container and then re-hydrate in liquid – keep the liquid level about ½ to 1 inch below the top of the fruit mixture (I use 3 parts apple juice to 1 part orange juice). Soak fruit in liquid for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
In another container mix the following:
1 cup chopped pecans
½ to 1 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Now – add ½ to ? of the fruit mixture to the nut mixture along with some ground pepper and stir it all together.
*Reserve what is left of the fruit and liquid as this will form your sauce base.
Now is a good time to fire up the WSM – this cook will take less than 3 hours (closer to 2), so a full ring of charcoal is not necessary. Once the coals are started you can get back to the roast.
Take the roast out of the brine and cut off the string (assuming it was two pieces tied together) – rinse in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Lay the two pieces side by side on cutting board, or on baking sheet (fat side down) and make a lengthwise cut ½ to ¾ inch deep down the center of each(the key is to not cut all the way through). If your roast is one piece only you can do the butterfly method.
Now take the stuffing and spoon it in to the cut of both pieces, pressing it in with the spoon – feel free to overfill a bit.
Put the two halves back together, fat side out, and tie with butcher twine into a nice tight roast.
Combine olive oil, some chopped fresh rosemary, fresh ground pepper and crushed garlic – coat the outside of the roast with this.
OK – you’re basically ready to cook. As mentioned before the roast will be cooked at a temp of 325° to 350°F. Cook to an internal temp of ~145°F (+/- a couple degrees).
Assemble the WSM using an empty water pan, and put a foil pan on the lower rack to catch the drippings.
Put a chunk or two of smoke wood on the coals – I used cherry, but any fruitwood would work well.
Place the roast on the top rack above the foil pan and put the lid on. Let the WSM do its magic. You can check the meat temp after an hour. The ideal method is to insert a digital thermometer probe into the roast when you put it on; this way you don’t really have to open the lid until it’s done.
While the roast is cooking you can get a start on the sauce.
Sauce
Use remainder of fruit mixture and liquid
Additional cup and a half of liquid (an apple cider and orange juice combo works well)
¼ cup of apricot jam
Crushed garlic (1 to 2 cloves)
Ground pepper
• Add all to sauce pan and bring to low boil then immediately reduce to simmer and allow liquid to reduce down and thicken a bit.
• Once the roast is finished cooking allow it to rest (up to 20 minutes) while you finish the sauce.
• Add the pan drippings to the sauce and simmer/thicken to desired consistency – at this point you can either strain out the fruit bits from the sauce or leave in.
• Slice the roast ¼ to ½ inch thick and serve with sauce on the side.
Eat, drink, and be merry.
Cheers,
Stephen