How to Make Smoked Pork Loin Roast - Tender Juicy Recipe

Discover the perfect cooking time for smoked pork loin roast and indulge in a tender and smoky flavor experience. Find out how to achieve the best results using pellet or an electric smoker, along with a delicious recipe featuring a mouthwatering dry rub.

Learn the secrets of low and slow smoking, ensuring the connective tissues break down perfectly. Your search for the ideal smoking duration ends here

Whether you're a seasoned pitmaster or a novice enthusiast, this is the best way to smoke a pork loin roast, ensuring tender, juicy results every time.

Smoked Pork Loin Roast

The pork loin roast is an excellent choice for smoking due to its natural tenderness and flavor. Unlike pork chops, which are cut from the loin and can be prone to drying out during smoking, a pork loin roast contains more connective tissue. This connective tissue, including collagen, breaks down slowly during the smoking process, resulting in a tender and succulent texture.

The slow cooking at a low temperature allows the connective tissue to convert into gelatin, adding richness and depth to the meat. Additionally, the larger size of a pork loin roast makes it ideal for long smoking sessions, allowing the flavors to penetrate deeply into the meat.

Choosing the Perfect Pork Loin Roast

Before we dive into the cooking process, let's start by selecting the star of our show—the pork loin roast. Head to your local grocery store or butcher shop and look for a well-marbled, boneless pork loin roast weighing around 4 to 5 pounds.

Ensure the roast has a thin layer of fat on one side, known as the fat cap, which will add flavor and moisture to the meat during the cooking process.

Preparing Pork Loin Roast

Trim the Excess Fat: Begin by trimming any excessive fat from the pork loin roast, leaving a thin layer intact to enhance the flavors. Use a sharp knife to remove the silver skin—a thin, translucent membrane—on the surface of the meat, as it can hinder the absorption of the flavors from the rub.

Favorite Rub: The dry rub is the secret to infusing the pork loin roast with the best flavor. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1 tablespoon of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of paprika.

Generously coat the entire surface of the pork loin roast with the dry rub, ensuring every nook and cranny is well-seasoned. For enhanced flavor, you can wrap the seasoned roast tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight, allowing the flavors to penetrate the meat.

Preparing the Pellet Smoker (electric smoker below)

Preheating the Pellet Smoker: To achieve the best results, preheat your pellet smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. This low temperature will allow the pork loin roast to slowly cook, tenderizing the connective tissues and infusing the meat with a delectable smoke flavor.

Choosing the Right Wood: Selecting the appropriate wood is crucial for enhancing the taste of your smoked pork loin roast. Apple wood is an excellent choice, as it lends a subtle sweetness that complements the pork's natural flavors. Fill the hopper with apple wood pellets, and let the smoker work its magic.

Smoking Pork Loin Roast

Once the smoker has reached the desired temperature and the wood chips have produced a thin, bluish smoke, it's time to place the pork loin roast on the grates. For an even distribution of heat, position the roast with the fat side up.

Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the pork loin roast, ensuring it does not touch any bone. Close the lid and let the magic happen. It's essential to monitor the internal temperature throughout the smoking process, aiming for an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures a perfectly cooked and safe-to-eat pork loin roast.

To keep the meat moist and add a hint of sweetness, occasionally mist the pork loin roast with apple juice using a spray bottle. This step will contribute to a beautiful caramelized exterior while maintaining the meat's tenderness.

The smoke ring is a coveted hallmark of great smoked meat. It's a pinkish layer just under the surface of the meat, formed by a chemical reaction between the smoke and the myoglobin in the muscle. While the smoke ring is primarily aesthetic, it adds an extra touch of authenticity to your dish.

How Long To Smoke Pork Loin Roast

As a general guideline, when smoking a pork loin roast at 225 degrees Fahrenheit, you estimate a cooking time of 20 - 30 minutes per pound.

When smoking a 7-pound pork loin roast at 225 degrees Fahrenheit, you can generally expect it to take approximately 3 to 4 hours. However, it's important to remember that cooking times can vary depending on factors such as the thickness of the roast and the accuracy of your smoker's temperature.

Resting & Serving Smoked Pork Loin Roast

Resting the Meat: Once the internal temperature of the pork loin roast reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully remove it from the smoker and loosely tent it with aluminum foil. Allow the meat to rest for at least 15 minutes. During this time, the juices will redistribute, resulting in a more succulent and tender roast.

Slicing and Serving: After the resting period, it's time to unveil your masterpiece. Using a sharp knife, slice the smoked pork loin roast into thin, juicy pieces. Arrange them on a platter and serve with your favorite BBQ sauce on the side. The sweet and tangy flavors of the sauce perfectly complement the smoky goodness of the meat.

Key Ingredients

These simple ingredients create a symphony of flavors with smoked pork loin!

• 4-5 pound pork loin roast
• brown sugar
• kosher salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder
• paprika
• Apple wood pellets
• Apple juice
• BBQ sauce (for serving)

Instructions

1. Trim excess fat from the pork roast, leaving a thin layer intact. And pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to create the dry rub.
3. Generously coat the pork loin roast with the dry rub, ensuring every surface is seasoned.
4. Preheat the pellet smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, using apple wood pellets for smoke.
5. Place the pork loin roast on the smoker, fat side up.
6. Monitor the internal temperature with a meat thermometer until it reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Occasionally mist the roast with apple juice using a spray bottle.
8. Remove the roast from the smoker and tent it loosely with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
9. Slice the smoked pork loin roast into thin pieces and serve with BBQ sauce on the side.
10. Enjoy your delicious masterpiece with your favorite side dishes!

Note

The recipe card serves as a quick reference for your smoking adventure, highlighting the key steps and ingredients needed for a successful smoked pork loin roast.

​Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Pork Tenderloin Recipe Card

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