Pork loin is one of my favorites to BBQ! Here's how I do it.
Start with a dry rub; we've been enjoying this one recently courtesy of hotsmokebbq.com, Juancho's Mustard Dry Rub Recipe No. 2:
2 tble spns: Sea Salt, no iodine, ground medium coarse
2 tble spns: Black Peppercorns (ground medium-coarse)
4 tble spns: Brown Sugar (packed tight)
2 tble spns: Garlic Powder
6 tble spns: Mustard Seed, yellow or brown, ground coarse to medium coarse
I usually use a small food processor to grind the spices to the constancy I want one by one, then add all together and pulse just a few times to combine and mix.
Prep the loin(s) by cutting off any extra fat (not usually a lot) and any silver skin you can get to without taking the whole thing apart. Rinse with water, pat dry with paper towels. Rub a little vegetable oil on the loin(s) then apply a liberal amount of rub, and well, rub in.
I usually am cooking (2) 1.5lb loins at a time; a mix of the rub above in those measurements usually gets me about 2 BBQs worth (4, 1.5lbs loins total). Just a small air tight jar or Tupperware will keep the rub in the spice cabinet till next time.
Wrap the loins in foil and leave on the counter while prepping the fire, usually 30 min or so to get it where I want it.
Soak your wood chips in water. Since we’re smoking somewhat hot and quick, the type of wood chip is not critical here, as long as it’s for BBQ. I usually just buy a bag of whatever chips Wal-mart h as. Make an indirect fire; coals on one side, nothing under the other. I have the vents set so they are open at the coals on the bottom, and the open on the opposite side on the top, all other vents closed, so you are getting air flow across the coals/wood and out past the meat.
Once the coals are ashed over, I set a disposable pie pan directly over the fire & add about a cup of liquid. This will keep the smoke moist. I usually use apple juice with a shot of whiskey in it. Another shot of whiskey goes into the cook...
Add a tong full of your soaked chips directly to the coals, it will take just 1 or 2 to start smoking. Get your loins out of foil and put over the cool side of the grill. I BBQ with a meat thermometer in the loin, set to alert me when internal temp gets to 135. This usually takes about 90 mins cooking time with the grill roughly at 225. I check the grill every 15 min or so, adding another few coals to the fire and some more soaked wood chips until I’ve done 3 doses of wood chips.
Once my thermometer has alerted me to 135, I take the loins off, slide the liquid pan to the cool side, and then put the loins directly over the coals. Don’t walk away, we’re going for 145 internal temp to be done. I let them cook, on one side to 140, then turn, and let them cook to 145 on the other to give a little sear to each side. Depending on how hot the fire was at the time, this could take as little as 1-2 min per side.
That’s it, you’ve got genuine BBQ pork loin! I serve mine with a little Carolina Gold BBQ sauce to dip in. Enjoy!
