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Advice... How should I cook this pork roast?

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JacksDad
JacksDad Posts: 538
in EggHead Forum
Hi all -

I picked up this piece of meat at the farmers market last week, planning to cook it next weekend (so no rush). Wanted a shoulder but this was what they had and it looked nice, and this guy is local and his other meats are great...

Do my question is... Do I cook this to a specific internal temp like 140 and slice it, or can I do a low and slow to 200 internal temp and try and pull it? I suspect it's a lean piece of meat so probably should aim for 140 but I'm still really new to this stuff...

Thanks all! 

JacksDad

Large BGE -- New Jersey

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  • JacksDad
    JacksDad Posts: 538
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    Haha forgot the pics! 


    Large BGE -- New Jersey

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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    From the looks of it, I'm guessing it is a portion of pork loin. Your intuition is correct. Not enough fat or connective tissue, and would dry before becoming pullable.

    Think of it as a big chunk of boneless chops that haven't been sliced yet.

    If you care too, they are easy to slice open and stuff w. various veggies, cheeses, etc. The fillings add moisture, as well as flavor to what is usually a bland piece of meat. Some folks then wrap them in bacon to offset the low amount of fat.
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  • JacksDad
    JacksDad Posts: 538
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    Thank you! 

    I'm going to be out of town for a few days, want to cook it as soon as I get back -- can I take this thing (frozen) and put it in the fridge for a week to thaw? Or should I thaw closer to when I cook it?

    This forum is great.

    I'll post pics next week when it's done...
    Large BGE -- New Jersey

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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
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    You can thaw in advance. Lots of people freak out about meat in the fridge for a week, but they don't know why. Hahaha

    toss it in frozen. It will take more than a day to thaw to the core. 

    Put it in the meat drawer if you have one (colder) or lowest part of the fridge if you want to. Also colder there. 

    No joke, if you wanted, you could unwrap it and let it sit in your fridge for a month or so and dry age. Some dondry age pork. 

    My point is that as long as your fridge temp is correct, you have nothing to worry about after a week 
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • td66snrf
    td66snrf Posts: 1,822
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    It appears to me that you have a pork loin roast.  It's a very lean cut. I wouldn't cook it past 130.
    XLBGE, LBGE, MBGE, SMALL, MINI, 2 Kubs, Fire Magic Gasser
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  • JacksDad
    JacksDad Posts: 538
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    Thanks, I will thaw in the fridge.

    @tarheelmatt I did a forum search and come up your cook from 2014:
    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1170005/pork-roast-with-apple-mustard-glaze-amazing-flavor

    Thinking I'll try something like that with this piece of meat. I have a Lodge CI dutch oven that I'm itching to use more...

    JacksDad


    Large BGE -- New Jersey

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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,971
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    I like @gdenby 's idea about stuffing it. 

    Another idea for you. Since you'll be gone, and it's frozen, make a 2% equilibrium brine. Throw it in now. When you're back it will be thawed, brined, and ready to go. Google "chefsteps equilibrium brine" 
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    JacksDad said:
    Thanks, I will thaw in the fridge.

    @tarheelmatt I did a forum search and come up your cook from 2014:
    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1170005/pork-roast-with-apple-mustard-glaze-amazing-flavor

    Thinking I'll try something like that with this piece of meat. I have a Lodge CI dutch oven that I'm itching to use more...

    JacksDad


    How'd you end up cooking this?   
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  • JacksDad
    JacksDad Posts: 538
    edited July 2016
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    Okay, back from vacation... Thawed for a week in the fridge and looked/smelled fresh. Rubbed with some stuff I bought at Costco (and kids saw on Shark Tank!), putting it on indirect, going to aim for dome temp of about 350. Put two big chunks of apple wood in with the lump.

    Consensus seems to be to cook this thing an internal temp of 130 or 140, so thinking about getting up to 120 or so and then doing a reverse sear for nice browning, depending on how it looks. I also sliced a bunch of potatoes, wrapped in foil with butter, sea salt, and shallots, and gonna smoke/roast them along with the pork. It's such an easy way to prepare them along with the meat, and I love mashed potatoes.... I'll let you know how it all turns out!







    Large BGE -- New Jersey

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  • blind99
    blind99 Posts: 4,971
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    I sense good eats coming!
    Chicago, IL - Large and Small BGE - Weber Gasser and Kettle
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  • JacksDad
    JacksDad Posts: 538
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    The final product:



    I coated it in rub about an hour before the cook. Got the dome temp to about 350 and put the potatoes and loin on... Dang it if the loin didn't get to 140 in less than two hours! I actually overshot it a little. Big difference from the 10+ hours for 200 on a shoulder I guess!

     Did not reverse sear because the meat had this really nice crust on it that looked (and tasted) wonderful. I was afraid it would be dry, but not at all... Only problem was that my potatoes were still not cooked when the loin was ready so I ended up with lumpy mashed potatoes...

    Thanks all for suggestions! Will be doing this one again in the future...


    Large BGE -- New Jersey

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