Special Tools
Ingredients
Method
- Prep. Season the pork loin with Kosher salt. If you can, give the salt 1 to 2 hours to be absorbed. The process of salting in advance is called dry brining. The rule of thumb is 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of meat.
- Prepare a sous vide immersion circulator, such as Joule by ChefSteps, according to the manufacturer's instructions and set the water temperature for 140°F (60°C).
- Place the seasoned pork loin in a gallon-size sealable freezer bag. Carefully submerge the freezer bag in the water bath until most of the air has been removed and then seal. Once the bag is submerged, cook the pork loin for four hours.
- Once the pork loin has finishing cooking, remove the bag from the water and submerge in a large container filled with a 50/50 mix of ice and water until the meat’s core temperature reaches a safe range of 34-38°F (1.1 - 3.3°C), at least 30 minutes. At this point, the pork loin can be refrigerated until you are ready to grill (up to two days ahead of time) or frozen for future use. Thaw before grilling.
- Fire up. Prepare a grill for 2-zone cooking. On a charcoal grill, place a chimney full of pre-heated charcoal briquets on one side of the charcoal grate to create direct and indirect cooking zones. Adjust the grill vents to bring the temperature to about 325°F (163°C). Add 2 to 3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal for flavor. On a gas grill, adjust the temperature knobs so that one half of the grill is off (the indirect side) and the other half is heated enough to maintain a temperature of approximately 325°F (163°C) on the indirect side.
- Cook. Once the grill is ready, remove the pork loin from the ice bath or refrigerator, pat dry, and season with Meathead’s Memphis Dust dry rub. Place on the cooler side of the grill as far away from the heat source as possible. Set the lid on the grill with the top vent fully open and positioned directly above the pork loin in order to force the smoke over and around the meat. Allow the pork loin to smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 120°F (49°C), about 1 hour 30 minutes. Note that the pork loin will already be perfectly cooked inside from the sous vide step. The goal is to simply reheat and smoke the pork without overcooking it.
- Serve. Remove the pork loin from the grill, slice, and serve immediately.
Notes
About the salt. Remember, kosher salt is half the concentration of table salt so if you use table salt, use half as much. Click here to read more about salt and how it works.