Pork loin (not tenderloin)...brine and stuff?

dsmith

I'm cooking 3 4lb pork loins this weekend for big get-together. I've not yet done one on my x-large egg. I've read some old posts to get some ideas but here a few ?'s:

1. do i keep the string on or take it off? (like i said, newb to this

2. to brine or not to brine (I brine my tenderloins)

3. to stuff or not to stuff (and with what)

4. wrap with bacon or not?

5. cook to what internal temp? (I've seen between 135 and 145F)


Thanks for your input and help.

-D

civil eggineer

I believe the most important thing you can do is not overcook. I cook mine in a 350 egg, direct heat (~1.5 hours), and pull when the internal temp hits 135 then wrap in foil and rest 15 minutes (internal will hit 140 while resting which is considered safe.). Pork loin is delicious at 140 and shoe leather at 160. When I have tried stuffing the loin it became very difficult to determine the internal temp because of the stuffing. Instead of filling the loin with stuffing, I would prepare it seperately and serve with the pork. Not sure if brining is necessary but you could if you like that. Leave the string on, I would leave off the bacon if you cook direct as it will get pretty charred.

Capt Frank

Any of your options will work OK.
I guess you have searched pork loin and pork rolls but you might want to check out "Pork Roulade" on the search forum. Youw will get lots of answers and Ideas

Doug in Eggmonton

This Recipe is very good stuffed but not brined, bacon wrapped. I take my loin off at 140.

Doug

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

I've done stuffed and not stuffed...Both are great if you don't over cook. The 140-ish F. serving temp. is the way to go.
Do check out the roulade in the recipes. LC has a great stuffed loin method there. I think Q Babe also has a coffee crusted one there. Both are great!!
I did one, stuffed, not long ago and posted a "Start to Finish" (I'm not good at photos) but can't give a link (not real good with computers either) BUT...It was along the lines of what LC does / has in the recipe section of the forum.
I have never brined a loin, but I may give that a try some day, so can't say.....Just cook it pretty quick and to a Med. temp. and rest it.
In a nut shell....A pork loin is a great cook!

Austin Egghead

I have brined, stuffed and wrapped pork loin and all are good ways to prepare pork loin.
Cooking temp is the most important, pull at 135 internal temp.
I think brined loin is the most temp forgiving (lapse of memory and didn't pull until 145 still moist and juicy).
If you wrap (prosciutto is good alternate to bacon) or stuff don't brine...to many competing flavors.
You are cooking 3 experiment.

BobS

The roundworm Trichinella spiralis is killed at 137 oF and this will be too pink for most peoples taste, but 140 – 145 or even 150 internal temperature (slight pink internal color) gives you a much, much juicier and enjoyable result than 160 or higher temperatures.

I like to take pieces of pork loin and cut them lengthwise into 2-3 strips so that the pieces are more the size of tenderloins. This gives the marinade a better chance to work and you get more of the flavorful exterior.

Look up Kentucky Bourbon Pork in the recipe section -- you will not be disapointed.

Austin Egghead

Actually there is very little chance of getting trichinosis from todays modern pork. If I remember correctly there were only a handful of cases reported to the CDC last year and in all cases these infected were from eating pork outside the US.
Most cooks pull pork between 135 and 140 and let carry over do its thing.
The USDA recommends 144/5, but that is to kill Enterococci (dies at 140), not the trich. Since pork has been bred to be lean cooking temps are very critical, you are only a few degrees between goods eats and shoe leather. If you don't like to see pink, then pull at 145, tent and let carryover take it to 150.

dsmith

Great ideas...thanks.

One more thing...I see that many cook direct but some indirect. I do not have a raised grate to cook on, so if i cook direct it is at standard height. Any problem on cooking it indirect at around 350 to the desired internal temp? Also, as this is a big shin-dig, any guesses on how long it will take to cook?

BobS

I think that you would be fine cooking direct on the regular grate, if you want to. I hardly ever cook indirect, except the real lo-n-slo, just because it is an extra effort.

When I cook tenderloin, at those temps it is done in 25-30 minutes. The larger loin would probably be closer to an hour, but watch the internal temps and do not depend on time!!!

Austin Egghead

Let us know how you cooked them and how they came out.
Keep the fat side up while cooking and as BobS said pay close attention to the temps.
I set my timer for 30 minutes and then start monitoring the internal temp.
After the meat reaches the desired temp, pull and wrap in foil for at least 5 minutes or longer. (microwave is a good place to stash the resting meat).
Good luck and good eats.