Need help, starter cooking pulled pork but am using a pork loin

[batsu]

Brought my smoker camping and another family brought the meat.  Was supposed to be a pork shoulder for pulled pork but they brought a 7 lbs pork loin.  What temp do I smoke this too?   Do I foil it?

[Kona]

I'm not sure there is enough fat content to render the same final product as a true pulled pork. I've read low and slow for pork loin isn't suggested. I found this link with some info...

http://www.chowhound.com/post/pulled-pork-boneless-porkloin-980177?page=2

[teesquare]

I am going to chime in at the risk of redundancy in the above link:

1. Inject a brine - and submerge the loin in brine for ...maybe  24 hours. The added moisture will go a long way toward a tender pullable end product.

2. Wrap it in thick sliced bacon. The  fats and flavor of the bacon will ge=ive you another level of moisture and flavor.

3. Spritz it with apple juice every 30-45 minutes.once the IT is somewhere around 160F. You can add other ingredients to the apple juice...alternatively - glaze it with what ever you like - several times during the last 1/3 of the estimated cooking time.

Hope this gives you some ideas - there are a lot of ways to enjoy port loin...myself - I love to make Canadian Bacon with it. See our Charcuterie section for some great recipes and tutorials. ( Cider Mill Bacon brine is my all time favorite...so far! )

[Kona]

I love a beautiful sliced Pork Loin sandwich

[batsu]

I am going to chime in at the risk of redundancy in the above link:

1. Inject a brine - and submerge the loin in brine for ...maybe  24 hours. The added moisture will go a long way toward a tender pullable end product.

2. Wrap it in thick sliced bacon. The  fats and flavor of the bacon will ge=ive you another level of moisture and flavor.

3. Spritz it with apple juice every 30-45 minutes.once the IT is somewhere around 160F. You can add other ingredients to the apple juice...alternatively - glaze it with what ever you like - several times during the last 1/3 of the estimated cooking time.

Hope this gives you some ideas - there are a lot of ways to enjoy port loin...myself - I love to make Canadian Bacon with it. See our Charcuterie section for some great recipes and tutorials. ( Cider Mill Bacon brine is my all time favorite...so far! )

What temp would you pull it at?

[Kona]

I would assume it needs to come to the same temp as standard pulled pork 190+. Even a butt or pork shoulder won't pull at the 160* finished temp for pork.

[smokeasaurus]

You don't want to cook a pork loin to 190. Not enough fat in it to keep it moist.  145-155 and slice away.

[hikerman]

Agreed, no pulling a loin. You'll all be much happier with tender sliced loin. I like mine finished @ 135F

[Big Dawg]

If Tee says you can do a low 'n slow loin, I'd say that you can do low 'n slow loin and get a good finished product.

I've never done one that way, but, if that's the direction you want to go, follow his directions.

Me, I'd stuff the sucker with cooked sausage/peppers/onions and then wrap with bacon.  Cook indirect until IT reaches 145º, or you family's preferred temp.  But then, I'm a sucker for the pork trifecta.





BD

[RAD]

through it in the freezer and go get a butt

[RG]

Marinate it, rub it, smoke it. Slice thin and make sliced sammiches out of it. No harm in that!

[SouthGAQue]

As a master judge in the GBA, I get to eat a lot of really good loin.  Pork loin is a standard category in GBA contests.  I have talked with a lot of the GBA cooks about how best to cook loin.

You don't want to try & pull a pork loin. It's much too lean a cut.  Brine/inject as said earlier but loin does best cooked hot & fast.  300+.  You want to take it off at140 IT.  After that it starts to get dry. Tent it with foil  let it rest at least 15-30 mins.  You can then slice & glaze for extra flavor.  Apple or peach flavors go well with loin. 

Or you could slice it into chops & grill em.

[teesquare]

batsu - because you ae camping - I too would recommend a boston butt - or a beef chuck for "pulled" meats. Just easier and more forgiving under those circumstances.
If you are curious I have a link for pulled pork for you: http://www.letstalkbbq.com/index.php?topic=869.0

However - if you are at home, and will take to time to prep - and allow time for the brining the loin, and wrap the loin with bacon - I can assure you that you will have a pullable product - that will not be dried out - if cooked at lower temps ( 200-250F preferably ). It will not have the texture of a fatty pulled pork - but, - it you are trying to eat a little leaner, it is an option you should try.

We are not talking about "BBQ competition" conditions. You see, competition is it's own world, and it has some limitations: TIME. Our philosophy is that you can cook as good - or better BBQ at home - because you do not have the time limitations - and some others...BBQ competitions have parameters and "ideals" that do not necessarily apply to backyard BBQ. We do not have rules that mandate certain things at home, that would be enforced in competitions. The only rule here is : What would you like to do?
We have a number of us that have judged BBQ and other cooking competitions ( we have 2 members that hold an actual Doctorate of BBQ form KCBS )- and it is easy to get a fixation on what a particular cut "should" be cooked like - but I ask you...HOW do we learn - if we are not open minded and wiling to experiment sometimes? HERE....our only competitors should be ourselves. YOU decide if you are happy with your results. If not, ask questions - and try suggested other methods - but PLEASE don't quash the creativity...

Back to the pork loin-
The brining assists in replacing one major thing that intramuscular fat as well as sinew and collagen which is found in abundance in say - pork shoulder/boston butt does, and that is - add moisture. As well - you can add a little butter into the brine if you wish. Use ghee ( clarified butter ) because it will not have the solids in it which would cause you issues trying to inject it into the meat. What ever seasoning you like - but, take it easy - because what will seam out will be the water based part of the brine more than anything else - so you will have a more concentrated form of your injection mix left in the cooked product.
Secondly - the wrap of thick sliced bacon insures the preservation of surface moisture, providing a bit of a "heat shield"  ( hey...maybe you can call it a BBQ Space Shuttle...oh - wait...that may not be in good taste in view of history )

Third - the basting or spritzing I described above in the prior post will act as a final defense against too much moisture escape - and add a nice bark as the sugars caramelize on the bacon. It's  treat.

I wouldn't suggest this if I hadn't done it already, and I recognize that some folks like to stay to a "scripted methodology"...but - as you will see - I will break rules every chance I get. The only exception is food safety issues, and those rules are iron clad for me.

LTBBQ is ALL about thinking outside the box folks. That is why we are here, and I challenge you to at least try this - before you automatically shoot down the idea. The texture will be different that traditional PP - but what the heck YOU may actually like it

( And if you are attempting to reduce your fat intake a little - this may offer you a tasty option. I look at that with everything I do nowadays )

Regardless of how you decide to cook your loin, enjoy the experience, take note - and learn from it. Share your results without the fear of anyone being judgmental about it - we will just offer ideas and advice to encourage you to get back on the horse ( or pig..or cow... ) and try something else 
Best of Luck on your cook!

[Ka Honu]

tee - TLTR but sure seems like you spent a bunch of time defending a marginal initial recommendation. Bottom line (loin?) is that pork loin can be pulled but doesn't lend itself to that prep.  He can make a better meal at the campsite by grilling/roasting as suggested by our learned brethren.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should (unless you're experimenting which requires a wingman to hold your beer and a fallback position).

OBTW, steal the bike regardless.

[batsu]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I really appreciate it!  So when I posted the question the loin was already on the smoker.  With everyones advice and some discussion at the camp site we decided to bring it up to 145F, foil it with some beer and bring it to 160F.  We let it rest and then had a hell of a time trying to pull it.  It was tough and dry.    We shredded it as finely as possible, put it in a pot with some BBQ sauce as the juices from the foil.  Cooked up a pack of bacon and chopped/mixed it in with the pork.  Then simmered it for 45 mins to an hour.  While it was still dry it did seem to save the meal.

So next time we'll make sure to buy a pork shoulder...