Bought a whole boneless pork loin last week and divided it up into thirds. Chops and Canadian bacon will follow, but this weekend it was stuffed loin.
Marinated about 3 lbs in a flavored brine:
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• 3 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
That chilled for 24 hours. The next day I prepared the stuffing by dicing some Granny Smith apple and Bosc pear. I added that to some 3 day old baguette and sliced onion, butter and a little rub (see below). Slit the loin down the middle, but not all the way through; opening it like a book. I then slit each half the same way so that the loin would lay fairly flat. I added the stuffing, rolled it back together and tied it up with twine. Rubbed it all the way around with rub:
• dried lemon zest
• dried orange zest
• black pepper
• sage
• kosher salt
• rosemary
• thyme
Went on the WSM with an empty water pan at 350. I wanted to grill this at a medium temp, but indirectly (thus the empty water pan) and I can control the temps easier on the WSM than on my kettle. Cooked until internal hit about 150. Pulled it, tented it for about 10 mins.
It was very moist, very tender and had a great flavor. The fruity stuffing was quite tasty and I find that fruits work well with pork. The rub was fantastic and the combination of it and the subtle sweetness of the brine worked very well together.
Marinated about 3 lbs in a flavored brine:
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup honey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• 3 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon mustard seed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
That chilled for 24 hours. The next day I prepared the stuffing by dicing some Granny Smith apple and Bosc pear. I added that to some 3 day old baguette and sliced onion, butter and a little rub (see below). Slit the loin down the middle, but not all the way through; opening it like a book. I then slit each half the same way so that the loin would lay fairly flat. I added the stuffing, rolled it back together and tied it up with twine. Rubbed it all the way around with rub:
• dried lemon zest
• dried orange zest
• black pepper
• sage
• kosher salt
• rosemary
• thyme
Went on the WSM with an empty water pan at 350. I wanted to grill this at a medium temp, but indirectly (thus the empty water pan) and I can control the temps easier on the WSM than on my kettle. Cooked until internal hit about 150. Pulled it, tented it for about 10 mins.
It was very moist, very tender and had a great flavor. The fruity stuffing was quite tasty and I find that fruits work well with pork. The rub was fantastic and the combination of it and the subtle sweetness of the brine worked very well together.
