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Standing Walrus

Steakhouse Brined, Pork Loin Roast

O.K. I screwed up, and left this roast in the brine for 2 days instead of one, and it worked out perfect.

I ended up smokin' it on the grill, and ended up with a nice smoke ring, a little bark, and a real moist interior. Just in case you didn't know, "bark" is the crunchy outside of the meat. A term usually reserved for smokin' a Pork Butt, for pulled pork.

When you purchase a 1/2 pork loin at your local grocery store, you're usually not getting 1/2 of the loin, your getting 1/3. What local supermarkets do is cut the whole pork loin into thirds. The center section becomes, "Center Cut Pork Loin Chops". one end becomes chops also, but they're a little flatter. And, the other end is called the "Rib End". This is the third you're usually offered as 1/2 of a pork loin. It's expected that you'll be making a roast out of it. Because it has the red, rib meat as part of the roast, it'll be quite tender and moist when cooked in your oven. Brining , then low smokin' on the grill ended up perfect.

This is another "no fail" recipe that's really easy to do. About the only way to mess it up is to over cook it. 135 degrees is about all you want to go to, or you'll end up with a dry piece of meat. Remember, the meat will continue to cook after you've taken it off the grill and covered it with aluminum foil. It's called "residual cooking", and the temperature, inside the roast, will come up another 7 -10 degrees.


1. Beginning with the whole Pork Loin, you'll have to cut it into sections. I'll be using the middle section, or "Center Cut" for Steakhouse Marinated Pork Loin Chops, the "Flat" end for more chops like my Cajun Brined, Pork Loin Chops.
The end that has the "Red" meat in it is called the "Rib End". It contains the meat you would get on ribs and makes the BEST Pork Loin Roast. Rinse the Pork Loin, then wipe it dry to make it easier to work with. Cut it into thirds. We're using the Rib End, for this recipe.
Ron's Note:
When cutting the Loin, I use a carving knife. The long blade lets me cut the slice in one easy cut, without using a lot of pressure on the blade (I keep it Razor Sharp). By all means do NOT use a short knife that you'll have to saw through the meat. It'll cause a real rough cut on the exposed side of each slice.
Tieing a Whole Pork Loin, Picture
2. Using Butcher's twine, tie the roast every 1 1/2", or so. This will help the roast hold a round shape. When your done, place the roast into a plastic baggie.
A hint for using butcher's twine, Picture
3. Ron's Note:
When using Butcher's Twine, it's easy to use if you place it in a bowl. This will let you spool off as much twine as you need without seeing the whole spool roll all over the counter, or the floor!
Brining a Whole Pork Loin, Picture
4. Mix the Brine, and dump it over the roast. Seal the bag, making sure to get as much air out of it as you can.

Keep this in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours, turning it around every once in a while.
Porioning a Whole Pork Loin, Picture
5. When you take the meat out of the brine, you'll notice that it's color is a little washed out, don't worry, that's just the brine doing it's thing.
Cooking a Whole Pork Loin, Picture
6. I cooked this about an hour on my small grill, until the internal temperature reached 135 degrees. Your cooking time may vary, by the thickness of the meat, and the temperature of the grill.
7. When the roast reaches 135 degrees, place it on a platter, and cover with aluminum foil to let it rest for 10 minutes or so. Resting allows time for the juices to be redistributed within the meat.

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