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Is it possible?

Started by breches, February 18, 2011, 01:41:04 PM

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beefmann

you should be good with 45 lb a raw meat and good luck with it, start the smoke / cook at least 24 hours a head of the event

Habanero Smoker

A little clarification would be helpful. Are you preparing pork loins or tenderloins? Does the place have enough oven space to reheat all the meat at the same time?



     I
         don't
                   inhale.
  ::)

breches

I stand corrected. Had to go check what the women in charge purchased. The are in fact pork loins.

Habanero Smoker

Since you are going to wrap them in bacon, I would continue to follow 10.5's recommendations.



     I
         don't
                   inhale.
  ::)

Tenpoint5

Quote from: breches on February 21, 2011, 06:31:46 AM
Sunday morning with some form of liquid, possibly apple juice, and when hot, remove, slice about an inch thick and send em to the table. Any ideas on how long or temp to heat on Sunday morning? Would also like someone to shoot holes in my plan or possible ideas please. Man I love this site and the knowledge and help. Thanks in advance and for the great ideas and help so far.

Cease Fire there Buddy!! OK lets go over this to make sure I am getting this right. This is a fundraiser and there is ALL kinds of food being donated. If you go and flop a 1 inch thick pork chop on everyone's plate. They won't have room for any of the other goodies. To which most folks will just not eat as much of the meat. You will then be throwing money away. I would suggest AT THE MOST a 1/2 inch slice, although I would stay in the 1/4 inch range. By staying in the 1/4 inch range you do two things 1) serve more people 2) You don't run out of meat on plate 78 when there is 110 folks there. In this case you would be way further ahead having extra, that you can then go around and give seconds out. Maybe even get a pat on the back for a Job well done. (Which would be better than a knife in the back because Billy Bob didn't get any!!)
Bacon is the Crack Cocaine of the Food World.

Be careful about calling yourself and EXPERT! An ex is a has-been, and a spurt is a drip under pressure!

Caneyscud

#20
I'd vote no on the 1" slices.

For my money a pork  loin is a perfect cut for newbies, but with the caveat that the newby must have a good thermometer and know how to use it. It is a cut of meat that will not take long to come to final temp.  A newby does not have to worry and get anxious about "the stall".  The size, uniform thickness, and the thickness of a pork loin allows for a relatively long smoke without overcooking or drying out – but you have to have and USE a good thermometer properly.  The loin is pretty much uniform in thickness overall, so you don't have to worry about the thin end getting too done and the thick end not done enough.  The desired final temperatures have already been discussed, and if you don't exceed those you should have a great smoky and moist final product.  

If desired, drape sliced bacon over the pork loin. Since pork loin is so lean, the added fat from the bacon will supposedly help to keep the pork loin moist and flavorful.  But although, I have been known to make weird things from bacon, I am not a fan of bacon on everything, so I don't drape my loins.  Smoke it in a cabinet temperature of about 225 until the desired IT (145 to 150).  Obligatory warning - this is not the USDA recommended temperature of 160 - but close as the temp will probably rise 5 degrees after taking out of the heat.  The temperature must be taken from the center of the meat.  The tip of your temperature probe should be located at the center.  I use an instant read  Thermopen.  I eyeball the probe next to the meat and hold the probe with my finger at that point and then plunge the point up to my fingers.   A pork loin could take as few as two hours to as much as 4 hours to cook.  Be sure to monitor the temperature of the meat. 

Even with smoking, pork loin because it is so lean, some people consider it a bland meat but loin does serve well as a blank canvas for all sorts of flavors. Marinating before smoking can add more flavor.  A marinade of oil, cider vinegar and barbecue spices is typical, but you could also marinate in a variety of other marinades – both premade and homemade  Many inject as it adds flavor inside as well as moisture inside.  

Brining is another alternative, but, to me, changes the texture to be more ham-like.  To brine a pork loin, mix one cup of salt with one gallon of water, one-half cup of maple syrup (or sweetener of your choice) and seasonings to taste.  Stir to dissolve and submerge.. Refrigerate for 24 hours and up to 4 days. Rinse, pat dry and smoke as usual.

The 1" slices seem thick – I'd opt for ¼" to 3/8" slices.  More options for the light eater.  Two slices will likely get you 1/3# servings.  KaHuna's 1/3 pound servings are pretty "normal" and a good average.  But factor in whether you have a lot of big eaters (men and teenage boys) or not, and how much other food you have to serve.  Allowing for 15% waste  and 120 eaters – 53 pounds of raw loin seems right.  Add more if you think many will want seconds and you allow it.  An averge pork loin from Sams is about 8#.  With 15% weight loss – you will get 20 servings from each loin.  Assuming an 16" to 18" length, a 1/3# serving is about two slices of ¼ to 3/8 inch thickness.    

I usually do Habanero's reheat plan (leave whole, reheat, then slice), but I like 10.5"s reheating plan also.  

You did not mention a thermometer or temp in your test run.  I can't stress enough how much a thermometer is important to a pork loin especially.  

The picture in my signature shows 3 half loins finishing up for a small competition 2 years ago.  Plan was to slice the center of each and pick the best to turn in.  One was very dry, the other two pretty good.  BUT, pork is not my thing apparently.  They did not place - probably because they were slightly pink and the judges thought underdone.  I grew up in beef country (central Texas) and pork was the "dirty" other meat - NOT the other white meat!   ;D ;D ;D ;D  I've seen the light now though!!!  
"A man that won't sleep with his meat don't care about his barbecue" Caneyscud



"If we're not supposed to eat animals, how come they're made out of meat?"