Easy Smoked Pork Loin
My name is Nathan Pettit, and I love smoking and eating delicious food! Please follow along for an easy, step-by-step guide to smoking a juicy, delicious pork loin!
Supplies
Ingredients:
- Pork Loin
- Yellow Mustard
- Your favorite rub
Equipment Needed:
- Any type of smoker (I use a pellet smoker)
- A sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Paper Towels
- Meat thermometer
- Gloves (optional)
Choose a Boneless Pork Loin
A word of caution: A pork loin is not the same as a pork tenderloin! Pork loin is basically the equivalent of unsliced pork chops, and it is much larger and cheaper than pork tenderloin.
This recipe can be used for boneless or bone-in pork loin, but a boneless pork loin is much easier to slice!
This is a large cut of meat that will feed the whole family and provide plenty of leftovers.
Choose Your Wood and Preheat Your Smoker to 225°F
Fruity woods such as apple or cherry are great for smoking pork to give it a bit of a sweet flavor. Oak and hickory also work well for a bolder, woodier flavor.
225°F is low enough to cook your pork loin nice and slow which will lock in the flavor of your chosen wood!
Unwrap Your Pork Loin and Place It on Your Cutting Board.
Use Paper Towels to Pat Dry Your Pork Loin.
Place Your Pork Loin on the Cutting Board Fat-side Up, and Cut Several 1/4 Inch Deep Cuts Into the Meat.
These cuts will help your rub penetrate such a thick piece of meat, making for a more flavorful pork loin!
Drizzle Some Mustard on Your Pork Loin and Rub It In
Make sure to get the mustard down into the grooves you cut. The mustard acts as a binder for your rub!
Take Your Favorite Rub, and Apply Liberally to the Mustard-covered Pork
Make sure to get the rub down into the grooves to lock in that flavor! RUB SOME BUTT is one of my personal favorites!
Flip Your Pork Loin Over and Repeat Steps 4 & 5
There won't be any cuts on this side, but that's okay! Now you're ready to start smoking it!
Place Your Pork Loin on the Smoker Fat Side Up, and Insert Your Meat Thermometer
Placing the pork loin fat-side up will allow the fatty juices to remain in the cuts you made, as well as run down the sides of the pork loin instead of dripping directly into the smoker! You want to preserve as much of that flavor as possible!
Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, to ensure the entire pork loin is cooked thoroughly. If you have more than one thermometer, you can place them in different parts of the meat to monitor and ensure an even cook.
Allow the Pork Loin to Reach an Internal Temperature of 145°F
This step, depending on the size of your pork loin, will take anywhere from 1-4 hours. Don't be alarmed if it takes a little more or less time. The main thing is for the meat to reach 145°F!
Remove the Pork Loin From the Smoker and Allow It to Rest for 20 Minutes
Resting the pork loin allows it to retain more moisture once you slice it, making it juicier and tastier!
Slice Your Pork Loin Into 1/4-1/2 Inch Slices and Enjoy!
Your pork should be a beautiful pinkish-white color inside!
Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoyed!