The Most Tender Cut on a Pig

If you are looking to enjoy some tender meat, you have come to the right place. Pork tenderloin is not only a skinny long piece of meat that doesn't take too long to smoke, but it is also the most tender cut on a pig.

Pork Tenderloin vs. Pork Loin

Believe it or not, pork tenderloin and pork loin are not the same, and they cannot be substituted in a recipe. They are actually cut from two different parts of the pig, and they taste and cook quite different.

Pork tenderloin is cut from the muscle that runs through the central spine of the pig. It is the most tender portion of the pig, and it doesn’t have a very strong “pork” flavor. This cut is long and thin, and it makes for an extremely delicious meal. Even when this cut of meat is fully cooked, it still has a slight pink tint, especially when it has been smoked, so don't worry when your thermometer tells you its fully cooked but still looks a little pink.

Pork loin, also knows as "the other white meat," is a center cut loin chop cut from tissue along the upper side of the rib cage. Pork loin is a large cut of meat that can be further cut into smaller slices, known as pork chops or pork steaks. It can also come with or without a bone.

What You'll Need

Serves 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes - 24 Hours | Cook Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes

Recipe

1. You can start by brining or dry brining your pork, or you can go straight into seasoning it. If you are interested in brining them, submerge your pork loin in water with salt and sugar, and let it rest for 1 hour to 24 hours. If you are interested in dry brining them, cover your chicken in salt and leave it uncovered in a fridge for 1 hour to 24 hours. Once you have finished this, pat it dry if they have been brined, and season them with salt, pepper, and Loubier Gourmet Chipotle Seasoning.

*If you want to learn more intricate brining methods, check out our brining blog!* 

2. Warm up your smoker to 225 degrees F. We recommend using cherry, hickory, or maple wood. Make sure to let your smoker run for 30 minutes to and hour before placing your pork loin on the grill grates and letting them cook in the smoke for 2 hours. You want to cook it until the pork's internal temp reaches at least 145 degrees F. Remember to keep your pork moist by spraying an apple cider and water mix onto your chicken every 30 minutes or so. 

*Check out our Smoking Tips & Tricks Blog to get the best results possible!*

3. Before your pork reaches your preferred internal temperature, cover it in BBQ sauce and let it finish up.

4. Once it's done cooking, let it rest for at least 15 minutes and Enjoy :)