Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Pork Loins on MiniMax

Options
itzann
itzann Posts: 35
edited June 2017 in EggHead Forum
Oops, I accidentally have two profiles. I need to delete one. Sorry to post this twice.
I was going to try smoking a pork butt for the first time (have had my MM for about a month now). Couldn't find a small enough one, so I picked up two pork loins about 2.5 pounds each...however, upon opening the packages, there are actually two loins in each, so probably each one is 1.25 pounds approx. I had researched everything about pork butts, but am now scrambling trying to figure out how to do loins instead.  I marinated them overnite in a mixture of olive oil, honey mustered, salt, pepper, thyme, balsamic vinegar. Dinner tonite for my daughter's birthday is around 6. I have a woo ring, drip tray and ceramic stone from CGS. Should I use these items and cook them indirect, or cook them direct? My mind is getting boggled with all the info! I will probably want them to finish at 160 just because I am old and the uncooked pork fear goes back to the 60s when I was a kid and scared to death to even touch raw bacon! Oh, I do have some apple wood chips, too, which I originally planned to use for smoking the pork butt. Thank you for steering me in the right direction with these pork loins!
Normal, IL 
Minimax
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    Options
    First, there's a lot of confusion between pork loin and pork tenderloin.  For some reason, very many people seem to use those names almost interchangeably.  What you have, two to a package, only a little over a pound each, from the description almost certainly is NOT loin, but tenderloin.  They're both very lean, but loin is very easy to make dry and tough, and needs more care in cooking for that reason, whereas tenderloin, which I'm sure is what you have, is similar to beef tenderloin in that it has less flavor, but it'll be tender almost no matter what you do to it.  So no reason to be anxious about this cook.

    Second, I'm old, too, and I'm with you on still being nervous about eating pink pork, and I tend to cook mine till it's 150-155° or so, expecting the carryover to raise it to 160°.  Again, this is one of the great things about tenderloin: it'll be tender even if it's a little overcooked!

    Third, your marinade sounds great, and it will give those tenderloins a little more flavor, which I think they usually need.  So you're doing everything RIGHT!  :)

    Last, keep watching, maybe others will have some better ideas about how to cook, them, but for myself, I'd cook them direct, not super hot, maybe 350°-375°, turning every 5-10 minutes until they're at the internal temperature YOU are comfortable with.  Many people here would pull them off the grill at 150° or even lower, but especially if these are tenderloins as I strongly suspect, they'll still be tender even if you pull them at 160°.

    Let them rest 5 minutes like a steak before cutting them.  Enjoy!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • itzann
    itzann Posts: 35
    Options
    Thank you @Theophan! Exactly the information I was looking for. You are 100% correct...I looked at the receipt and it says "tenderloin". So I will proceed with confidence that I just might be able to cook these and have them turn out well! And, yes, to err on the side of safety, I plan to get to the 160 final temperature. Thanks for approving of the marinade, too. I might mix up a little honey mustered and brown sugar to make a glaze as I read about that suggestion somewhere. Thanks again for the help.
    Normal, IL 
    Minimax
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DMW
    DMW Posts: 13,832
    Options
    Don't take them to 160*, 145* is perfectly fine. The pork temp was adjusted correctly by the FDA some years ago.

    https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html
    They/Them
    Morgantown, PA

    XL BGE - S BGE - KJ Jr - HB Legacy - BS Pizza Oven - 30" Firepit - King Kooker Fryer -  PR72T - WSJ - BS 17" Griddle - XXL BGE  - BS SS36" Griddle - 2 Burner Gasser - Pellet Smoker
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,341
    Options
    You are basically cooking some really tender, long, skinny pork chops. 325-350 direct will get you great results. 

    Little Rock, AR

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BikerBob
    BikerBob Posts: 284
    Options
    Cooking for only two, I also have a problem finding small butts. I just buy one and cut it in half. An eight pounder makes two four pounders which is still a lot of meat for two old people.
    You're cooking the filet mignon of pork it should be great.
    Happy birthday daughter who is either around six or having a party around six.
    Good luck

    Bpb
    Cooking on the coast
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,337
    Options
    @Theophan has a great plan.  Only change for me is to run raised direct.  I pull at no more than 140*F-you will be rewarded.  Enjoy the cook.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • itzann
    itzann Posts: 35
    Options
    @BikerBob, thanks for the birthday wishes for my daughter. She is the youngest of our 5 daughters, turning 33 tomorrow (and I feel quite old!). She is having her third baby next Wednesday.

    I followed @Theophan's plan for the cook. The tenderloins turned out awesome!  I did two tenderloins at a time, and the total cook time was around 25 minutes for each set; I tried to keep the temperature at approx. 350 - 375 degrees direct. I basted them with a mixture of apple cider vinegar, honey mustered and brown sugar, which gave a nice sweet tang to the meat.

    My garden is producing some nice greens so we had a simple salad, along with some grilled onions, potatoes and carrots. Also served up some watermelon and green grapes which the grandkids love, and grilled hot dogs for them. We skipped birthday cake, and instead had just some DQ vanilla and some Talenti double chocolate gelato. I was happy with how this meal turned out, and appreciate the forum's help which made this meal a success!





    Normal, IL 
    Minimax
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,341
    Options
    There ya go!  Well played. 

    Little Rock, AR

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
    Options
    Winner! 
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Theophan
    Theophan Posts: 2,654
    Options
    SPECTACULAR!!!  Wow -- the whole meal just looks wonderful!  Those greens, fresh out of the garden, look really inviting.  Everything looks great.  Wonderful job!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • itzann
    itzann Posts: 35
    Options
    Thank you, everyone! I was so happy that the meat turned out well, and won't stress about it so much next time!
    Normal, IL 
    Minimax
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,026
    Options
    Great looking meal right there!
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories