Moist, fork-tender pork loin smoked to mind-blowing perfection. Smoking meat, the ultimate slow-cooking method, retains all that juiciness and natural pork flavor. While this recipe is a fantastic crowd-pleaser any time of year, it's just as good for the holidays!
Put the salt, sugar, cracked peppercorn, and garlic in a pot, then pour the hot chicken stock (this will help dissolve the sugar and salt). Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve.
Then add bay leaves, thyme, and orange slices. Stir it, then add 2 cups of ice water.
Place the pork loin in the pot. Make sure it's submerged in the brine solution.
Cover the pot or container with a lid. Place in the fridge so the pork loin can brine for 3-4 hours, depending on the size of the pork. Prolonged brining will make it too salty.
Remove the pork from the brine, then rinse and dry with paper towels. Set aside on a cooling or cookie rack.
Preparing to Smoke
If you brined the pork loin, rub about a tablespoon of mustard to fully cover the pork loin (optional). If you didn't brine it, sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper, then rub on the Dijon mustard.
Generously sprinkle with pork seasoning, thyme, oregano, granulated garlic, granulated onion, and brown sugar. (You could replace these herbs with your fave seasoning blend. I have used several seasonings, and they all work well.)
Preheat the smoker to 225℉/107°C. Place the pork loin in the smoker and close. Smoke for 2-3 hours or until the meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 145°F/63℃. However, this cut of meat is very lean and shouldn't go over 150°F/66℃.
Remove it from the smoker and let it stand for about 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with chimichurri recipe or mango salsa.
Notes
Doneness - Unlike beef, pork should be cooked medium for perfect tenderness. Too rare, and it can harbor harmful bacteria. Too well done, and it feels like leather. Yikes!
Don't wrap in foil -It may keep the juices, but it keeps the smoke out. No good!
Keep your pork moist - A dry rub gives extra flavor and makes a crust to keep in more moisture. I love my Creole seasoning for this.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.