Ahhh, I'm . . .

[Brisketexan]

HOME.

Thanks for the new board.

And I'll even start off with a question -- I smoked a large pork loin recently. I smoked it for 4 hours or so, then wrapped it and finished it for another 2 hours. Still, it was dry. What can I do to improve the tenderness/moisture?

 

[Luke Duke]

You may have cooked it a little too long. When I cook a pork loin it usually takes me 4 hrs total to cook it. I smoke it until it is about 10 degrees from finished then I wrap it in foil and add a little beer and let it go for another hour. You might also try brining the loin before you cook it.

 

[01 grad]

I think pork loin is one of the most difficult pieces of meat to smoke. There are two methods I have had some sucess with.

1) Smoke it in the 210-225 range up to about 140. Wrap in foil with a good coating of bacon drippings, spices of choice, and a little beer. Continue to cook up to 190-195. This method turns out something similar to pulled pork, but much leaner.

2)Smoke it in the 275-300 range until the meat reaches 150. Pull it right at 150 and let it rest for at least an hour. I've found that if you go over 150, even a little, the meat dries out very fast.

 

[washparkhorn]

Brine the hell out of it - at least 12 hours.

 

[CelisHorn]

In reply to:

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[scottsins]

for medium, which is totally safe and ALWAYS moist, pull from heat at about 130-135 and let rest.

i do pork all the time. every time I call me professional chef riend, since I forgot the cooking temp. I finally remembered.

cooking to 160 or above is impossible to do without drying out. medium is the way to go. it's like the diff. b/w a med well steak and one cooked the right way. SO much more flavor than you're used to.

 

[NCAAFBALLROX]

Aren't you also fighting the lean-ness?

Pork is leaner than beef to begin with & the loin is an even more tender / lean part, so that is contributing to the dryness, IMO.

Not that I've ever done one, just sayin' is all.