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A tale of two loins (pork that is) PIC heavy

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ranchonodinero
ranchonodinero Posts: 136
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I volunteered to cook a pork loin this year to take over the river and through the strip malls to Grandmother's house for Christmas. Got a large one at Costco. I decided that I would inject one half and wrap the other half in bacon. I used a "french onion" injection and a rub that I got at the "Salt Lick" in Roundrock, Texas (they have some fantastic BBQ if you are in the area)on the injected one and Dizzipig on the other.
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It didn't take as much injecting as I thought and I have plenty left over to use on other things.
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Used indirect with a drip pan. I used apple for smoke. 350 but put them on at 250 for smoke.
Santa approves! And yes, it was white even down here in Texas!
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Wrapped them and put them in a cooler for a ride.
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The injected one was much better than the non injected bacon one. Might have been different if they were eaten hot, but I personally think they toughened a bit in the cooler. The injected one was moist and tender and people were coming back for seconds and thirds (even with the spiral ham and other foods). The bacon wrapped had a great flavor. Salt lick sells their rub on-line. It is on the spicy side, but great southwestern flavor. So if you are not going with a stuffed tenderloin and want a quick, tasty, and easy to do cook, inject it!
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Comments

  • Mainegg
    Mainegg Posts: 7,787
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    that looks awesome!! I bet it tasted as good as it looks too! nice Santa keeping watch :)
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  • LFGEnergy
    LFGEnergy Posts: 618
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    Way to go Ranchonodinero!!!

    I had a concern after we traded posts about the injection thing, thinking it might not have enough cook time to really do much more than get hot and then just run onto platter when you cut! I think your starting at 250 then finishing higher probably did the trick - again, good job!!!

    Did you like the bacon flavor, or was it overpowering?

    What temp did you pull them at? Loin is hard to keep moist over time. Maybe a little lower finish temp and assuming you would gain 3 to 5 F during travel would work (I have seen others on site talk about temp rise if packed for travel).

    Will absolutely try the injection trick next loin.

    Again, congrats :laugh: :P

    BTW, wife bought me a crawfish stuffed deboned chicken from Heberts in Louisiana for a stocking stuffer, as well as some boudin and one other sausage. Get the rice and beans pot out for new years!!!

    Happy Holidays,

    Dave in Keller, TX
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  • ranchonodinero
    ranchonodinero Posts: 136
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    Pulled the injected one at 149-the bacon wrapped one got away on me and it was pulled at 160. If you notice in the pictures, you can see that the injected one stayed "hydrated". The french onion was certainly more "flavorful" and several of the guests asked how I cooked it as they had never had a tenderloin that was that juicy and flavorful. The bacon wrapped one was not overpowered by the bacon-now, I confess that I draped it with bacon and didn't wrap it. Also, heads up-Albertson's has .99 butts/shoulders and they look great-sold in a twin pack too! She brought those home Christmas eve. Going to make pulled pork tamales today from the little bit of pulled I have left-may have to try some pork tenderloin ones!
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  • LFGEnergy
    LFGEnergy Posts: 618
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    You may be pulling your loins a little hot. From posts I see most pull loins and tenderloins around 138 to 140. They just dont have the fat to go much hotter without cooking out moisture, which is likely where your injection helped! It probably allowed you to get a more done loin (which a lot of folks expect) while still having it moist. The smaller loin I cooked I pulled right at 138, no pink (but obviously had just crossed threshold from pink), but super super moist.

    The tenderloins I did a few months back I pulled at 135 had very slight tinge of pink, but believe me, they lasted on the platter about 5 minutes! One of my best cooks to date.

    Thats the great thing about sharing info, we try different things, sometimes they work, sometimes not, and its always fun!
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