Newbie Pork Loin Question

[threeseas]

My wife wants me to try to make pulled pork loin. Is that possible? I told her it would be too dry if I smoked it to pulling temp (190). Would a brine help? Thanks for helping a newbie!

 

[fire it up]

You would do best to smoke a butt for pulled pork, the loin is wayyyy too lean to take to such a high temp and shred, but if she insists on it you could always smoke it to 160 or so then chop it up and have chopped pulled pork.

 

[threeseas]

I did a Boston Butt last weekend and it turned out incredible, but she only likes the white meat. I told her a loin wasnt possible, but...

 

[dirt guy]

It's tough to do one. I generally will let a loin take smoke for 60 to 90 minutes (depending on the meat, heat, smoke). After that, I will pan it up and cover it. There is usually enough of a fat cap to keep it moist in the pan if you put the fat on the top side. I take mine to 170, but you could probably take them higher without much drying out taking place. That's only if your foil is sealing well with the pan.

Many times it will fall apart when I am trying to slice it. When that happens, it becomes pulled loin. If you think it dried out too much prior to panning, try pouring some zesty Italian dressing over it once it's in the pan. It will help to moisten it back up and give some added flavor. Check out my Pork-U-Pine link and leave out the hot link.

 

[pineywoods]

You could marinade a loin and slice it, you could bacon wrap it and slice it, you can stuff it and slice it, you can just take it out season it and slice it. The thing I have found you can't really do with a pork loin is take it to pulling temps without it completely drying out

 

[mballi3011]

I too don't think that the loin will do very good at the temps that you need to pull it. Now you can use a Alabama BBQ sauce (mayo based) and it's white in color. So maybe she will like that stuff but the butt is for pulling tand the loin is for slicing or stuffing and even Canadian bacon if you want to try that.

 

[smoke 2 geaux]

I agree with everybody else. I think you would make jerkey out of it before it would pull. However... You could get some good smoke on it for an hour or so, then put it in the crock pot with some liquid and cook it until it disentigrates. It wouldn't be the same as smoked the whole way, but it might be passable for sandwiches. May be worth a try.