Can ya help me?

[Jaxon]

A friend asked me to smoke some pork for an event in a couple of weeks and I said I would.  He wants to serve pulled pork sandwiches. I heard from him today that he bought 8 pork loins (half loins about 3.5 lbs each) for me to cook. I smoked one today at 225* till it reached 170; then foiled to 205*;  then rested wrapped for an hour. When I took it out, it was tender and tasty, but kinda dry. (I thought it would be)

Here's where I need the help...can I cook loins for pulled pork in a way that they won't dry out?

Lemme know...

[HighOnSmoke]

I am thinking your friend is going to have to serve sliced smoked pork sandwiches. I have tried a couple times with pork loins and like yours it was tasty and tender but definitely dry and wouldn't pull. Maybe someone with more experience will chime in shortly Jaxon! 

[smokeasaurus]

Not enough fat in them loins to cook them to a pulling temp without them drying out.

Can he return them for some pork shoulders??

[Jaxon]

Can he return them for some pork shoulders??

I'll ask him...

[Pappymn]

Good luck. You have a real challenge with a loin.


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[Lantern]

A brine or injection will help quite a bit. I don't like smoked pork loin much past 145 degrees. For sammiches I'd brine/inject, cook to 145-150, rest and slice VERY thin. A meat slicer sure comes in handy here.


If you can get him to get butts life will be easier, but if ya can't thin sliced smoked loin sammiches ain't bad at all and they hold together easier with toppings.

[RG]

A brine or injection will help quite a bit. I don't like smoked pork loin much past 145 degrees. For sammiches I'd brine/inject, cook to 145-150, rest and slice VERY thin. A meat slicer sure comes in handy here.


If you can get him to get butts life will be easier, but if ya can't thin sliced smoked loin sammiches ain't bad at all and they hold together easier with toppings.

BINGO!

Dead on advice here. Brining helps a lot. Really, everything he said is what I was going to say, lol.

[teesquare]

Brining will help with moisture - without question.

BUT....an equal issue of how it pulls - is as much about how the muscle tissue runs in any cut of meat. Loin is a L-O-N-G strand muscle. Think about the physiology of say...your bicep muscle ....it is connected via tendons to your shoulder on one end, and at the elbow joint of your arm, on the other end.  The muscle fibers run lengthwise. Just like in a loin.

Butts pull so well because in this cut of meat, the groups of muscle fibers run in a number of directions, and not for much distance. As well - there is plenty of fat and connective tissues which constant melt and bathe the muscle fibers as we cook the butt - tenderizing it.

SO: You may find that after cooking the loin, if you slice it - across it's length ( which is also across the "grain" i.e. - @ 90 degrees to the length) in approximate 3-4" sections, then try to "pull" the sections - you might get a very lean...likely in need of added moisture via saucing - but really tasty "pulled pork".

Some folks really prefer leaner pork anyway...we will keep them in our prayers......

[DWard51]

Well I'm late to the party as usual, but....

Count me in with a vote for swapping for pork butts.  The structure of the loin is totally different and I've never seen a loin I cooked that I would consider as a candidate for pulling.  Even sliced, it will need to be brined or like you found, can be on the dry side.  That is a very lean cut and fat has a purpose in certain cuts like pulled pork.   Most people have no idea how much a part fats plays in the making of what they get as pulled pork at a BBQ restaurant.  I've had family members go "ick" when they saw the pork butts going in as they thought it was way too much fat.  But the finished product is what matters and a lot of the fat renders off during the process.

If he wants pulled, go for shoulders/butts!!!

[Lantern]

Lets not forget the roll wonderful wonderful collagen plays in our beloved BBQ as well. LOL!

[TentHunteR]

I seriously doubt that anyone will allow him to return meat once it's left the store, unless there was an obvious issue with it.   There are no stores around here that will do it.

I think the best bet is what Mike suggested and do sliced pork instead.  I've did that once for a large cookout (when the butcher was out of pork shoulders) and it went over very well. Everyone loved it.

[IR2dum]

Jaxon, you'll figure it out. I haven't ever seen a bad cook from you. Whether pork loins or pork butts, you will finish with a perfect product. That's just how you roll.

[Jaxon]

What about this idea?
If I sear the loins first, then put in aluminum pan with some sauce and ACV, then seal with foil, and simmer on the grill for a couple of hours or until they reach 200*...will they be tender and juicy by then?

[HighOnSmoke]

What about this idea?
If I sear the loins first, then put in aluminum pan with some sauce and ACV, then seal with foil, and simmer on the grill for a couple of hours or until they reach 200*...will they be tender and juicy by then?

That may help Jaxon, but I don't think they will be juicy at 200 degrees, no matter what you do with them. Even if you inject moisture into them I personally don't think it will work.

[tlg4942]

  I'm agreeing with Mike... 200 is gonna be too hot. 
    I think having a couple of sliced loins will go over pretty well as lots of people like it sliced. I would pull them off the grill at 145 and rest them 5 or 10 minutes. Then cool them down and slice as close to time to eat as possible.
  If you have to slice them real early seal them in plastic wrap to prevent drying.   
 You could make a thick broth with pork fat, seasonings, onions, etc...  and drizzle it over them. That will add some flavor and help if its a bit dry.
 Then do some pulled butts as well. 
  Your an excellent cook Jack.  Good luck and trust your judgement.