Need ideas on a large pork loin

[LarryWolfe]

Larry explain this osmosis thing...could you use it to smoke an egg in it's shell

 

[allisonandrews]

Yep, this is the same old forum I remember. Plenty of heat, flames, and some smoke blowing around! Just kidding.

I'm just going to sit back and let you all duke it out. Hubby wants the pork loin; I could care less. I may just let him mess with it all!!

 

[Finney]

Larry explain this osmosis thing...could you use it to smoke an egg in it's shell

No... osmosis is with liquids............

 

[Finney]

Larry explain this osmosis thing...could you use it to smoke an egg in it's shell

No... osmosis is with liquids............

But I guess you could use 'liquid' smoke...... LOL

 

[Rag1]

Given all that, injecting is just an obstacle to normal moisture loosing during the cook???? :?:

 

[wittdog]

For once you hit the nail on the head.....and extra flavor.

 

[K Kruger]

Right. It adds moisture and flavor.

Larry-- Why is it you often seem to think I am arguing with you when I am not?

I did not say you or anyone else said that brining was required. I am pointing out that it is not, i.e., it is not required for good results but doing so widens the done window. First, I do not know Allison but more importantly I think it is worth remembering that there are many people who are new to Q, new to the whole idea of brining, even new to cooking that read this board. I write for them too.

I don't think it is a given that people 'know' that it is overcooking that is what will lead to dry meat, not the lack of a brine. How many times have we seen someone who has cooked a center-cut pork loin to 180 (remember, up until not many years ago that was the recommended finish temp for ALL pork and many people stil overcook pork because of the trichina fears of yore)--and even brined it--and don't get why it came out so dry?

I totally agree with your and Stogie's finishing temps. I wss not disputing your posts. What gave me pause was this:

"I would envision cutting the loin into thick chops (maybe 1 1/2 inches or so). Brine for an hour or so (this would be the added step). Then prepare like we do ribs. Rub down and place in an aluminum pan (yep, we're pan cookers - do not like stuff cooked directly on the grate). Keep uncovered for the first hour or so with beer poured into the pan to keep them moist. Keep dribbling the juices on the meat - turn them over occasionally... cover with foil for another hour or two... remove foil, brush on some bbq sauce and cook until done, turning once."

Temps aren't mentioned here but time is. Unless the temps are kept quite low, the times indicated could mean a very dry result, irrespective of brining, keeping in beer, basting, etc., as muscle fiber shrinkage starts to oocur at temps above 140. If the chops hit this temp fairly early in the cook--even if the internal rise never gets above 150--if the time factor is long enough (it's shorter with lean meat), drying will occur.

Again, I don't know Allison and do not know her level of cooking knowledge. (My apologies Allison.) I am not interested in arguing with you or anyone else. My effort is to be helpful to those who may not clearly understand some of this stuff. None of us were born knowing it.

 

[allisonandrews]

I totally agree with your and Stogie's finishing temps. I wss not disputing your posts. What gave me pause was this:

"I would envision cutting the loin into thick chops (maybe 1 1/2 inches or so). Brine for an hour or so (this would be the added step). Then prepare like we do ribs. Rub down and place in an aluminum pan (yep, we're pan cookers - do not like stuff cooked directly on the grate). Keep uncovered for the first hour or so with beer poured into the pan to keep them moist. Keep dribbling the juices on the meat - turn them over occasionally... cover with foil for another hour or two... remove foil, brush on some bbq sauce and cook until done, turning once."

Temps aren't mentioned here but time is. Unless the temps are kept quite low, the times indicated could mean a very dry result, irrespective of brining, keeping in beer, basting, etc., as muscle fiber shrinkage starts to oocur at temps above 140. If the chops hit this temp fairly early in the cook--even if the internal rise never gets above 150--if the time factor is long enough (it's shorter with lean meat), drying will occur.

Again, I don't know Allison and do not know her level of cooking knowledge. (My apologies Allison.) I am not interested in arguing with you or anyone else. My effort is to be helpful to those who may not clearly understand some of this stuff. None of us were born knowing it.

I definately did not take any offense. Just an FYI on my above statement, times aren't mentioned because we cook it until it is "done", not for a specific time limit. Our fire normally runs around 225 degrees, but we have to adjust time limits based on weather or other things we are cooking in the smoker that might have us opening the lid more often, etc.

BTW, I never specifically mentioned it, but we'll pull our ribs off at any point after 140 degrees. Normally once they get to 135 -140, that's about what time we start messing with them in the bbq sauce. It's been a few months since we cooked ribs, but I think they were reading about 145 - 150 when I pulled them and got close to around 160 after they sat for a few minutes.

 

[allisonandrews]

I had to go back and find my old thread about my first (and only) experience with a pork butt. For some reason I seem to have kept some of the pictures and deleted others in addition to using two different hosting places.

It did bring a chuckle back if anyone gets bored.

http://www.bbq-4-u.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5188&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

[LarryWolfe]

Larry-- Why is it you often seem to think I am arguing with you when I am not?

Kevin, I did not think you were arguing with me, nor was I trying to argue with you. I asked you a question and made a statement.