Grilling Pork Loin Roast is Easy as 1-2-3!

My Grilled Pork Loin Roast

Grilling pork loin roast really isn't hard at all. In fact, cooking one until it's dry-to-death or juicy and tender requires nearly the same amount of effort. The end result is, for the most part, determined by cooking time and temperature. But those two factors are only part of the equation.

The real secret to grilling pork loin roast is (drum roll please): Brining.

Actually, the benefits of brining are no secret at all. Brining adds moisture and flavor to your meats and is excellent for lean cuts like pork loin roast. This fact has not gone unnoticed by the producers of pork.

The National Pork Board states that most consumer pork cuts are, on average,"16 percent leaner than 20 years ago and contain 27 percent less saturated fat". Of course, this is a good thing. However, the downside is that there is some loss of the flavor and moisture that fat provides.

To compensate, pork producers are supplying consumers with pork that has been "enhanced" with a solution that includes water and salt. This process delivers a result very similar to brining.

Sometimes additional flavorings and spices are used for enhancing meat. Corned beef brisket is just one example.

Now obviously, purchasing enhanced meat is a matter of choice. However, when selection is limited, enhanced meats are a viable option, especially for grilling pork loin roast.

Since the intent of this website is to provide you with easy BBQ recipes, I'm going to start with a recipe featuring an enhanced pork loin roast, as these are readily available in many supermarkets and very easy to prepare.

What you'll need:

1. 2-4 pound enhanced pork loin roast
2. 6 garlic cloves
3. 2 tablespoons oil
4. BBQ rub*
5. Mesquite or Apple wood chunks (2-3 large chunks)
6. Charcoal
7. Large plastic storage bags

*Note: The type of BBQ rub you use for grilling pork loin roast, at least in this case, will depend on the sodium content of the roast. Simply check the nutrition label. Some brands of enhanced pork loin roast have as much as 220 mg of sodium per serving, while others contain significantly less. If you choose a roast that already has enough salt, use my low sodium BBQ rub to add flavor without the salt. The point is: pay attention to the sodium content when choosing a BBQ rub for grilling pork loin roast that has been enhanced.

Preparing Pork Loin Roast

Half of a pork loin roast with garlic inserted

Step 1: Peel and cut garlic cloves in half, length-wise.

Step 2: Remove roast from package, rinse well and pat dry.

Step 3: Cut slits in roast that are about 1/2-inch long and 1-inch deep. Insert garlic inside slits (see/enlarge picture to the right).

Step 4: Rub roast with oil, apply BBQ rub, and refrigerate overnight in plastic storage bag.

Grilling Pork Loin Roast

Now it's time for the fun part - grilling your roast.

First, take the roast from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare your grill for indirect grilling over medium high heat (400F). Indirect grilling just means placing your coals on one side of your grill and your meat on the opposite side. Or you can bank your coals against both the left and right sides of your grill, while placing your meat in the center.

Once your grill preheats to 400F, place your roast on the grill and sear it over the hot coals for a few minutes on each side. Then move the roast away from the direct heat of the coals to finish cooking.

At this point, add a chunk of the wood to the coals and close the grill. Add a wood chunk to the coals every 15 minutes.

For grilling pork loin roast, the rule of thumb is cook 20 minutes per pound. So you'll cook the roast for 45-60 minutes. Once the roast reaches an internal temperature of 145F, remove it from the grill - it's done. Cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

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Smoked turkey recipes aren't just for the holidays. Get your smoked turkey fix year-round!

The right smoked turkey recipes will help you cook a bird that is remarkably moist and tender. Additionally, the wood smoke yields a flavor and texture that you just can't get in an oven.

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Now I admit, I do like my oven roasted turkey...braising all nicely in its own delicious juices. My favorite part is the wing!

Of course, when you smoke a turkey the meat will still be juicy but the skin takes on a different texture. Depending on how it's prepped, it can be nice and crispy or a bit chewy.

While I do smoke turkey legs and breasts fairly often, I only have two smoked turkey recipes for whole birds. The recipe I feature here is the easier one.

However, before we get started here is a tip to ensure a safe and enjoyable eating experience. (What follows applies to all of my smoked turkey recipes).

Safe Thawing

Depending on where you live, you may be able to purchase a truly fresh, never frozen turkey. But for the majority of us, it's frozen turkey or nuthin'. But that's okay, as long as we follow food safety guidelines.

A turkey should never be defrosted on the counter.

The USDA says:

"It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Allow about 1 day for every 4-5 pounds of turkey to thaw in the refrigerator.

Turkey may be thawed in cold water in its airtight packaging or in a leak-proof bag. Submerge the bird or cut-up parts in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes... ."

That's important stuff. Using the right smoked turkey recipes is great, but you obviously want to also make sure your bird is safe to eat. And as a side bar, this just doesn't apply to smoked turkey recipes but to the handling of all poultry.

Now that we have that out of the way, let's discuss the prepping and cooking process step-by-step.

Here's what you'll need:

• turkey
• low sodium turkey rub
• broth for injecting turkey
• food and grill thermometer
• syringe food injector
• drip pan
• charcoal
• 4 or 5 chunks of fruit wood for smoking (apple or cherry are great)

Preparing Your Turkey

Step 1: Clear main cavity
Once your turkey is defrosted, remove any contents from inside the bird - usually the neck and a bag of "giblets". If your turkey came with a plastic, pop-up thermometer inserted in the meat, remove it.

Step 2: Separate the legs
There may be some small metal contraption or a flap of skin holding the legs together. Remove it. Holding the legs together impedes the wood smoke from freely entering the bird's cavity and it makes the legs/thighs take longer to cook. Trussing the bird's legs like in the picture at the top of the page is purely for show.

Next, rinse the bird with water and pat dry.

Step 3: Rub turkey with oil
Rubbing the turkey with oil will help the skin get crispy when the bird is smoked.

Adding Flavor

Step 4: Season turkey
You want to use a low sodium seasoning or rub for your turkey as we'll be using a bit of salt in the next step. As you apply your seasoning, be sure to work some of it under the skin so that the meat will have additional flavor.

Step 5: Inject turkey with broth
I generally recommend brining poultry. However, for my smoked turkey recipes I inject the bird with a simple flavor solution that includes low-sodium chicken broth, butter, and white wine. You just need a syringe food injector which is sold in most supermarkets.

Do keep in mind that most turkeys sold in your local supermarkets have already been enhanced with a solution that contains salt. So, if you wish, you can omit some or all of the salt from the injection solution by using melted butter and wine only.

Below are the ingredients for the broth solution to inject in your turkey. This will be enough for any size turkey, even a large one:

1. 2 cups of low sodium chicken broth
2. half a stick of melted butter
3. 1/4 cup of white cooking wine

Mix the ingredients in a large bowl or container. Take your syringe food injector and fill it with the flavored broth. Stick the needle in the turkey parallel to the grain and inject the broth slowly as you carefully remove the needle. Repeat several times throughout the turkey, concentrating on the breast.

Be careful not to squirt yourself in the eye with the broth as you're removing the needle. You will not enjoy it if you do.

Finally, take some aluminum foil about the size of your hand, rub it with oil and wrap the ends of the wings and drumsticks with it. This will protect them from getting dried-out during the first hour of cooking. The oil on the foil prevents it from sticking to the skin.

At this point, you're done prepping your turkey. Let it sit while you move on to the next step.

Step 6: Getting your grill ready
For all my smoked turkey recipes, I set-up my grill for indirect heat of 325F (see my grilling basics guide for help with setting up your grill).

A good digital grill thermometer will give you an accurate heat reading. I use the Maverick ET-732 Wireless Barbecue Thermometer Set. It lets you monitor the temperature of both your meat and the grill simultaneously.

To heat-up your grill, a full chimney starter worth of coals will get your started.

Since we're cooking with indirect heat, at no point do you want the turkey directly over the coals. If you're using a kettle-type grill put your coals off to each side of the grill and put a drip pan in the middle to catch the drippings.

Fill the drip pan with about 4 cups of hot tap water to add moist heat in your grill and to stop the drippings from drying-up and burning on the hot surface of the drip pan. Try to keep the drip pan about 5 inches from the bottom of the turkey so you can get adequate heat and smoke flowing beneath.

Smoking your turkey

Step 7: Smoking your turkey
Once your grill is set-up, insert the thermometer probe into the breast meat of your turkey (if you have a leave-in thermometer). Make sure the probe is not near any bone. Place your turkey on the grill breast-side up. Add a couple of wood chunks to the coals and close the lid.

Add two chunks of wood after 45 minutes and two more chunks 45 minutes after that. Then that's it for the wood. You don't want to over-smoke your bird.

Add 15 to 20 charcoal briquettes every hour to keep the heat going. Be sure to remove the foil from the wings and drumsticks after the first hour.

After the first hour has passed, make sure the water in the drip pan has not evaporated. If it's getting low, add several cups of boiling water this time, as you want to maintain the temperature within your grill/smoker.

Once the temperature of the breast portion of the turkey reaches 160F, check the dark meat. Once the dark meat has also reached 160F, remove the turkey from the grill and let it rest for 15 minutes.

During the resting period the internal temperature will rise another 5 degrees and reach the required 165F. After the resting period, your culinary masterpiece is ready for carving. And that's it!

Other smoked turkey recipes

This is just one of several of my smoked turkey recipes, with more to follow. In the mean time, check this one out:

1. Grilled Turkey Breast (with apple wood and banana leaves)

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