Pork Loin Opinions and help

[Malc]

   I am planning on doing a pork loin this weekend.  I have an 11lb whole loin that I am planning on cutting in half to fit in the BS.  I am going to marinate it in mojo(maybe inject a little too).  My plan is to make some Cuban sandwiches for some guys coming over before a baseball game with one half.  I may pull the other half.  I plan to smoke/cook at 200. 
   I am curious about what internal temp. I should be shooting for.  My thinking is it should be much less than say a butt or shoulder.  Should I aim for different temps with each half to allow for the different uses?  Also, any thoughts on the time it will take would be helpful, as well.

Thanks,
Malc

[whitetailfan]

malc,
First part sounds good with sandwiches :P

My opinion is that you are going to have a tough time pulling the loin, unless perhaps you have the sirloin section as well, which has more fat in it.

May I suggest (I think you still have time) is to soak your second half in a solution of Morton tenderquik for 36 hours (the concentration is on the package, I cant remember it off the top of my head).  Rinse and soak twice for a total of 1 to 2 hours in fresh water, then let it set out for a couple hours and form a pellicle before smoking.

This will produce a cured loin section that you can smoke and then cut into chops for the grill.  That would give you a meal, just not pulled pork.

Good luck

[MRH]

Malc,

I did one that was around a 4 lbs piece a couple weeks ago and took it to 153 internal temp and FTC for around 6 hours (It was done at 12:30 and was for supper)  It was very good but I thought it was a little on the dry side but very tender.  Maybe it cooked a bunch more while in the ftc . The leftovers were better I thought.

Mark

[Malc]

Thanks MRH.  Is that Morton Tenderquick available pretty much everywhere?

[Habanero Smoker]

Malc,
I just received the latest issue of Cook's Country Magazine (sister magazine to Cook's Illustrated). They have an article on apple glaze pork loin  recipe and cooked it to an internal temperature of 145°F.

[owrstrich]

me brisket fiend... her porkloin fiend...

i trim all the fat because the fat seems to get nasty on the loin...

i put a pound of cheap bacon on the rack above the loin to keep it moist...

i smoke at 200 box until it reaches 145 internal...

ftc for minimum of 2 hours and as long as 6 hours and its still warm...

out of ftc i slice both 1/8 thin and 1/2 thick slabs...

always moist and tasty...

i really dig the dizzy pig swamp venom on the loin...

take some pictures and show us how it turns out...

you gotta eat...

owrstrich

 

[Malc]

I have never used that bacon method for anything.  Does it make the meat taste like bacon?

Thanks for the temps.  Any ideas on a time frame would help, although it seems like I have some room for error with the ftc time.  Thanks for the help, and keep it coming.  I will definitely take some pics.

[Chez Bubba]

Nope, all you're doing is utilizing that fat drip for moisture.

Kirk

[Habanero Smoker]

If you use the FTC method, I would suggest that you only cook to an internal temperature of around 142°F. During FTC the internal temperature will rise to at least 145°F, and probably higher.

Do you get Cook's Illustrated magazine. If you want to do Cuban style barbeque they have an article in the July/August issue on Cuban Style BBQ Roast; using a picnic shoulder. I made this recipe last Friday, adapting it to the BS, I still need to tweak it. But anyway they have a great Garlic/Citrus paste recipe, and their recipe for Mojo sauce is one of the best I've every tasted. If you don't have that article, I will try to post those recipes latter today; if I get a chance.

[Malc]

I do not get it, but I would love to see that recipe.  I love those flavors, especially on pork.  Thanks Hab.

Malc

[Habanero Smoker]

No problem. I should be able to post it around noon EDT. Both the paste and mojo sauce are real good and simple to make.

[Habanero Smoker]

The following recipes were published in the July/August issue of Cook's Illustrated.

Garlic-Citrus Paste
12 medium garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped (about ¼ cup)
2 Tbs. ground cumin
2 Tbs. dried oregano
1 Tbs. table salt (or pickling salt)
1 ½ tsp. ground black pepper

6 Tbs. orange juice
2 Tbs. distilled white vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil

Process the first five ingredients in a food processor until they reach the consistency of a coarse paste; about ten 1 second pulses (it took me longer, but I was using a small food processor).

In a small bowl mix orange juice, vinegar and oil. With the machine running add the liquid ingredients through the feed tube and process until a smooth mixture forms a wet paste, about 20 seconds (This took me about 1 minute. My paste came out a little thin, so you may want to withhold about 1 tablespoon of liquid, and at the end add that gradually until you get the desired thickness).

Rub paste all over pork and into any crevices. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
(This paste will cover an eight pound picnic shoulder, so you should have plenty for your pork loin. No time frame was given for how long to apply the paste before cooking, so you can apply it just before you cook or apply it earlier).

Mojo Sauce (makes 1 cup)
4 medium garlic cloves, minces or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
2 tsp. kosher salt
½ C. Olive oil
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ C. distilled white vinegar
¼ C. Orange juice
¼ tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Place minced garlic on a cutting board, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Using the flat side of a chef's knife, drag garlic and salt back and forth across cutting board in small circular motions until garlic is ground into a paste. (If the salt doesn't draw moisture out of the garlic to help it turn into a paste, you might have to add a drop or two of olive oil).

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Add garlic paste and cumin and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Remove pan from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Whisk sauce to recombine before serving. Drizzle over sliced meat. If you refrigerate the sauce, it must be brought back up to room temperature, and whisked before serving.


Other Information:
The recipe calls for fresh squeezed orange juice, but I used a 100% Orange Juice with pulp that was not made with concentrate and the recipe turned out alright.

If possible use Epazote, also called Mexican Oregano instead of oregano.

Don't make the Mojo sauce too earlier. While we were waiting for the shoulder to get done, we started eating Cuban bread. I don't know how it started, but someone started dipping the bread in the sauce, and before we knew it the sauce was gone. I had to make a second batch.

[winemakers]

Habs,

In-out-laws in town this weekend.  Loin in fridge ($1.79/lb at the local warehouse store no idea why but snatch a deal when we see it).  You just saved me a ton on taking them out to dinner.  Sounds really good.  The cumin and fresh citrus is new to me and sounds exciting.

mld

[Malc]

Hab, unfortunately I started my marinade before I read your post.  I will definitely try that next time.  I used the following mojo recipe from Smoke and Spice as the marinade.
3/4C. O.J.
3/4C. Lime juice
3/4C olive oil
2t cumin
2t Kosher salt
1/3C cilantro
8 cloves of garlic(mashed with some of the salt into a paste for even distribution)
I whisked everything together.  I used a kitchen syringe to inject a little into each half of a split 11lb. pork loin.  Then I used the rest to cover them while in a ziplock bag(they barely fit).  That was at around 2p.m.  I got the smoke going in the BS and heated to 200F.  In they went at around 11:45 p.m.  I actually overslept a bit and didn't get them out until the internal was around 150F.  That was at about 7:00 a.m this morning.  I did wake up once to change the water and rotate the racks.  They are currently FTCing away.  I'll let you know how they turn out, and I will hopefully have some pics to share, as well.

Malc

[Malc]

Here is what I did for the Cuban sandwiches.  BTW, the pork loin came out great.  To prepare for the sandwiches, I trimmed the fat from the loin.  I left it on during the smoke/cook.  I sliced the loin as thin as I could with a knife(I need to get a slicer).
Cuban Sandwich
1 loaf of crusty bread (I used a fresh French loaf, not a baguette though.  I couldn't find any Cuban bread where I live.) cut into sandwich size rolls.  I got about 5 per loaf.
2-3 slices of the pork loin described above
2 pickle slices(Stackers work great)
2 slices of very thinly sliced ham(I used a store bought honey ham.  Next time I'm smoking my own.)
1 slice of aged swiss cheese

**Place the ingredients on the bread in this order.  It helps hold the sandwich together on the grill.
Butter the crusts of each piece of bread.
Here you want to press the sandwich to about a quarter of its original thickness.  I do not have a sandwich press so I used my Foreman grill(I knew that thing would have at least one use someday :P)  You could also use a hot iron skillet and your grill to press the sandwhich down, as well.
**If you use the Foreman grill put the sandwich as far away from the hinge as possible.  If not the sandwhich gets pinched tto much and you've got a Cuban mess instead.  You can get two done at a time.
Heat it until the cheese melts.  about 3 mins.
**Make sure the ingredients are at least at room temp., otherwise the ingredients will not be warm.