As it was suggested, and since I noticed so many threads relative to pork loins, I thought I would share my shining glory of smoking moments. Smoked Pork Loin for a Hundred.
Keep in mind that shopping for this feast mainly takes place at Sam's Wholesale, the place you can't just buy a roll of paper towels, rather you must buy the whole case. The shopping list includes:
6 or 7 9-11 pound pork loins, depending on size
5lbs bag of brown sugar
two containers of Tony's - Cajun Seasoning
Qt of Lemon Juice
Qt of Worchestershire sauce
large, and half as large aluminium pans
box of paper rags
big can of whole cashews - hey, throw it in to munch
smoked sausage of your chosing
big jug of BBQ sauce for those that simply insist
Assorted side dish's - bread, beans, tatorsalad, pickles, jalapenos - whatever you think will compliment the meat, but enough for 100.
This is for a noon meal. I've got wood on the trailer - oak and pecan, or at least some hickory. I've got my fold out shelter tent to put up once the sun comes up. I've got coffee, and iced bottled water, and probably some beer.
Up at 4:30AM. Out at the pit, which was pre-positioned the night before at 5:30. Start the charcoal fire in the fire box and let it get going. Start getting the pork loins out of the coolers and ready for prep. Meat prep consists of washing the pork loins once out of the wrapper, then slicing a crevice from the fat side down, almost through to the bottom of the loin - in essence making a trough for some baste to settle in once on the smoker.
In one large aluminium pan, mix the Cajun Seasoning and Brown Sugar. Blend it all together so it is all mixed up, but hold your nose bacause some sneezin is about to take place. In a second pan take the big bottles of lemon and worchestershire sauce and mex together.
Take the prepared loins, one at a time and roll into the liquid, then over into the dry mix. The brown sugar will cake onto the loin. Place the loin on the smoker, with the trough side up and finish up the remaining loins. I've learned through experience to use some kind of surgical glove during the step, otherwise you'll be sticky from the brown sugar for the rest of the month.
You can get between 15 to 25 slices of pork loin out of one of these big cuts, depending upon how you slice them. So keep that in mind when you are cooking how many folks this is to feed.
Once all your loins are on the smoker, take the liquid mixture and pour over into whats left of your dry mix. Mix this all up and it will become your baste. Once mixed up, ladel the liquid baste into the trough you cut into the loin. Chill the remainder of the liquid baste to re-apply later in the morning, as needed.
By the time all this is completed, it should be about 6:15-30 in the morning. Throw some oak and pecan on the charcoal fire and let it get to smoking. Then go get a cup of coffee and breakfast at the clubhouse or Denny's, which ever is closer.
About 10:30, start taking the loins off and slicing them however you desire. They are NOT done yet!!! Pan them in the larger aluminium pans. Ladel some of the baste over the full pans of sliced loin, then cover with foil to let them steep and steam. Stoke the fire and place the filled pans of sliced loin back down near the heat source to complete cooking and be ready for noon. Believe me, by noon, they are done.
I always get three industrial sized cans of Bush's Baked Beans, cut the lid almost all the way off, drain the juice and put on the smoker in the middle around 9:45-10. This way they are good and hot by noon. Smoked sausage (Hickory Farms or whatever is handy) goes on about then too. Usually 2-3 packs from Sam's does the job. I slice and quarter it before panning prior to serving.
Yield from the pit: 2 big aluminium pans of sliced pork loin, 2 pans of sliced smoked sausage, two pans of baked beans.
Yield from the coolers are 2 big pans of tator salad and a relish tray to include pickles, onions and sliced jalapenos. 6-8 loaf's of sliced bread, a couple thee BIG coolers of iced cold drinks, and the feed is on.
This variation of pork loin is a recipe that a very good friend of mine perfected. He left us all too suddenly last year, but his good name lives on each time our core group prepares this tried and true batch of pork. I, myself have been cooking this for enough years that recounting the ingredients and amounts come off the cuff.
My apologies for not having pictures. I promise to take my camera the next time I get called upon to do same. Believe me, it is a beautiful thing to behold - not only the cooking part, but when you have roughly a hundred people come around with full belly's, pattin you on the back and tellin you how good it was.
Sorry for the long post, people. But it's all there. As my dearly departed buddy used to say, "There you go, there you have it!"
Enjoy!
Keep in mind that shopping for this feast mainly takes place at Sam's Wholesale, the place you can't just buy a roll of paper towels, rather you must buy the whole case. The shopping list includes:
6 or 7 9-11 pound pork loins, depending on size
5lbs bag of brown sugar
two containers of Tony's - Cajun Seasoning
Qt of Lemon Juice
Qt of Worchestershire sauce
large, and half as large aluminium pans
box of paper rags
big can of whole cashews - hey, throw it in to munch
smoked sausage of your chosing
big jug of BBQ sauce for those that simply insist
Assorted side dish's - bread, beans, tatorsalad, pickles, jalapenos - whatever you think will compliment the meat, but enough for 100.
This is for a noon meal. I've got wood on the trailer - oak and pecan, or at least some hickory. I've got my fold out shelter tent to put up once the sun comes up. I've got coffee, and iced bottled water, and probably some beer.
Up at 4:30AM. Out at the pit, which was pre-positioned the night before at 5:30. Start the charcoal fire in the fire box and let it get going. Start getting the pork loins out of the coolers and ready for prep. Meat prep consists of washing the pork loins once out of the wrapper, then slicing a crevice from the fat side down, almost through to the bottom of the loin - in essence making a trough for some baste to settle in once on the smoker.
In one large aluminium pan, mix the Cajun Seasoning and Brown Sugar. Blend it all together so it is all mixed up, but hold your nose bacause some sneezin is about to take place. In a second pan take the big bottles of lemon and worchestershire sauce and mex together.
Take the prepared loins, one at a time and roll into the liquid, then over into the dry mix. The brown sugar will cake onto the loin. Place the loin on the smoker, with the trough side up and finish up the remaining loins. I've learned through experience to use some kind of surgical glove during the step, otherwise you'll be sticky from the brown sugar for the rest of the month.
You can get between 15 to 25 slices of pork loin out of one of these big cuts, depending upon how you slice them. So keep that in mind when you are cooking how many folks this is to feed.
Once all your loins are on the smoker, take the liquid mixture and pour over into whats left of your dry mix. Mix this all up and it will become your baste. Once mixed up, ladel the liquid baste into the trough you cut into the loin. Chill the remainder of the liquid baste to re-apply later in the morning, as needed.
By the time all this is completed, it should be about 6:15-30 in the morning. Throw some oak and pecan on the charcoal fire and let it get to smoking. Then go get a cup of coffee and breakfast at the clubhouse or Denny's, which ever is closer.
About 10:30, start taking the loins off and slicing them however you desire. They are NOT done yet!!! Pan them in the larger aluminium pans. Ladel some of the baste over the full pans of sliced loin, then cover with foil to let them steep and steam. Stoke the fire and place the filled pans of sliced loin back down near the heat source to complete cooking and be ready for noon. Believe me, by noon, they are done.
I always get three industrial sized cans of Bush's Baked Beans, cut the lid almost all the way off, drain the juice and put on the smoker in the middle around 9:45-10. This way they are good and hot by noon. Smoked sausage (Hickory Farms or whatever is handy) goes on about then too. Usually 2-3 packs from Sam's does the job. I slice and quarter it before panning prior to serving.
Yield from the pit: 2 big aluminium pans of sliced pork loin, 2 pans of sliced smoked sausage, two pans of baked beans.
Yield from the coolers are 2 big pans of tator salad and a relish tray to include pickles, onions and sliced jalapenos. 6-8 loaf's of sliced bread, a couple thee BIG coolers of iced cold drinks, and the feed is on.
This variation of pork loin is a recipe that a very good friend of mine perfected. He left us all too suddenly last year, but his good name lives on each time our core group prepares this tried and true batch of pork. I, myself have been cooking this for enough years that recounting the ingredients and amounts come off the cuff.
My apologies for not having pictures. I promise to take my camera the next time I get called upon to do same. Believe me, it is a beautiful thing to behold - not only the cooking part, but when you have roughly a hundred people come around with full belly's, pattin you on the back and tellin you how good it was.
Sorry for the long post, people. But it's all there. As my dearly departed buddy used to say, "There you go, there you have it!"
Enjoy!
