Smoked pork loin is a delicious treat that takes well to brining. Brining pork loin before smoking infuses it with flavor and keeps it incredibly moist through the smoking process. With the right brine and timing you’ll end up with tender smoked pork loin with a wonderful smoky flavor.
Below you’ll find everything you need to know to brine pork loin perfectly every time before smoking it
Why Brine Pork Loin Before Smoking?
Brining pork loin provides several benefits that make the end result much better when smoking it
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Enhanced moisture – The salt in the brine seasons the meat and helps it retain more moisture as it smokes. This prevents it from drying out.
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Improved texture – Brining begins to break down muscle fibers in the pork through osmosis. This makes the meat more tender.
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Deeper flavor – The brine solutions penetrate deep into the meat, seasoning it thoroughly. Smoking then adds robust smoky flavor.
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Curing color preservation – Curing ingredients in brines keep the pork’s color from greying as it smokes. This results in better appearance.
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Security against bacteria – Brines infused with nitrites prevent dangerous bacteria growth during extended smoking times.
Overall, brining makes pork loin the perfect candidate for smoking by boosting moisture, tenderness and flavor.
How Long to Brine Pork Loin
The ideal brining time for pork loin is 6-12 hours. This allows the brine enough time to thoroughly penetrate and transform the meat’s texture.
Brining for less than 6 hours may not fully season the center of thick pork loin roasts. Brining longer than 12 hours risks making the pork overly salty.
For quick weeknight meals, an overnight brine in the refrigerator of 8-12 hours delivers great results. A 6-8 hour brine works well if you’re smoking the pork loin on the same day.
Make Sure Pork Loin is Fully Submerged
It’s important when brining pork loin that the meat is fully submerged in the liquid brine. All surfaces should be surrounded by brine to absorb it effectively.
Use a non-reactive container large enough to completely cover the pork loin. Place the pork in first then pour the brine over top until it covers the meat completely. If needed, weigh down the pork with a heavy plate to keep submerged.
You may need to make extra brine solution to fully immerse pork loins longer than 8 inches. It helps to know pork loin dimensions before mixing your brine.
Best Brine Ingredients for Smoked Pork Loin
The basic brine ingredients are water and salt. However, for flavorful smoked pork loin, consider adding the following:
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Brown sugar – Adds subtle sweetness that complements the smoky flavor
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Garlic – Infuses brine with rich, aromatic garlic notes
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Thyme – Imparts earthy herbal flavors into the pork
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Black pepper – Boosts spicy complexity in the finished smoked pork
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Curing salt – Use in place of regular salt to preserve pink color and inhibit bacteria
Experiment with different combinations of herbs, spices and aromatics to give your brined pork loin unique flavor profiles before smoking.
Step-By-Step Brining Method
Follow these simple steps for flawlessly brined pork loin ready for smoking:
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Make brine – Combine water, salt, sugar, herbs and spices. Stir or whisk to fully dissolve salt and sugar.
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Submerge pork – Place pork loin in non-reactive container. Pour over brine until pork is fully covered.
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Refrigerate – Cover and refrigerate for 6-12 hours, flipping pork halfway through.
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Remove from brine – Take pork loin out of the brine and discard used brine. Rinse pork briefly if brine is sticky.
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Pat dry – Thoroughly pat pork loin dry with paper towels before smoking.
And that’s all it takes for perfectly brined and ready-to-smoke pork loin!
How to Smoke a Brined Pork Loin
Once your pork loin has brined, it’s time for the fun part – smoking! Follow these tips:
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Let pork loin sit at room temperature 30 minutes before smoking.
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Set up smoker or grill for smoking at 225-250°F, using apple, cherry, hickory or other fruit woods.
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Rub pork loin lightly with oil or mustard to help smoke particles adhere.
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Insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the loin, keeping probe tip centered in the meat.
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Smoke pork, maintaining temperature in smoker between 225-250°F, until pork reaches 145°F internally.
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Remove pork loin and let rest 10-15 minutes, until it reaches 150°F. The temperature will continue rising as it rests.
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Slice into thick chops or medallions. Serve and enjoy!
The brined pork loin will have an incredible smoky flavor in the meat, tons of moisture, and a tender, juicy texture.
Troubleshooting Brined Smoked Pork Loin
While brining makes perfect smoked pork loin much easier, you may encounter an occasional issue. Here are some potential problems and fixes:
Pork loin is too salty – Reduce brine strength or brine for shorter duration next time.
Pork loin lacks flavor – Use more seasoning in brine, rub with spices/herbs before smoking.
Pork loin is dry or tough – Brine and smoke at lower heat next time. Do not overcook pork.
Smoke flavor is light – Smoke pork loin for longer duration next time. Use more wood chips and replenish as needed.
Making any adjustments needed to your brine, smoking method or cook times will help you achieve fantastic smoked pork loin every time.
Enjoy Your Brined Smoked Pork Loin
With its juicy texture and rich smoky flavor, brined smoked pork loin makes fantastic sandwiches, salads or main dishes. Leftovers can be wrapped well in the fridge for 3-4 days. Sliced pork also freezes well up to 3 months.
Brining is easy but transforms basic pork loin into sublime smoked pork. Follow these tips and enjoy incredible home-smoked pork loin success!
Apple cider pork tenderloin is a great quick cook on the smoker – brining first keeps the meat moist during it’s smoke bath.
Some cuts, like tri tip and pork tenderloin, can be ready to eat in just two to three hours. Most traditional meats take at least six hours to smoke.
Unlike beef which can be smoked to medium rare, pork does need to be cooked to a minimum safe temperature of 145f (fun fact – it used to be 165f until recently revised by USDA). To make sure you are cooking no longer than you need to, I recommend using an instant read thermometer like this Thermapen. If you’re looking for a slightly cheaper option, the Thermapop is a good starting place. A decent meat thermometer is the most important tool in a meat cooker’s tool kit.
Even with the new lower safe pork temperatures, pork can tend to dry out. A great solution to this is brining – extended immersion in a wet saline solution before cooking. The brine “forces” liquid into the muscle, increasing the moisture levels before the cook. So you’re basically giving yourself a head start. These days, the brine is made with apple cider, which goes so well with pork.
Recipe after the pics:
How to Brine & Cook a Whole Pork Loin
FAQ
How long should you brine pork before smoking?
Should pork loin be brined?
Is it better to brine pork loin wet or dry?
What is a good brine for smoking meat?
How do you brine a smoked pork loin?
This simple apple cider brine with whole spices, kosher salt and a splash of bourbon infuses the smoked pork loin with flavor and ensures that the pork stays moist, tender and juicy as it cooks. Don’t over brine the roast. Too long in the brine will actually have a negative effect, making the flesh soft and mealy.
Can You brine smoked pork?
Just be sure the brine is at room temperature before adding the meat — you don’t want to poach the pork. This simple apple cider brine with whole spices, kosher salt and a splash of bourbon infuses the smoked pork loin with flavor and ensures that the pork stays moist, tender and juicy as it cooks. Don’t over brine the roast.
How do you prepare a pork loin for smoking?
To smoke a pork loin, place it directly onto your smoker grill grate and discard the remaining marinade. If desired, add sugar. Pat the pork loin mostly dry using paper towels, then rub 2 tablespoons (27.5 grams) of light brown sugar over the entire surface of the pork loin roast before smoking.
How long should a pork loin be brined?
When it comes to brining a pork loin, the amount of time you let it sit in the brine is crucial. The goal is to allow enough time for the brine to penetrate the meat and add flavor, without over-brining and making the meat too salty. For a 3-4 pound pork loin, a brine time of 2-3 hours is sufficient.