Larded Pork Loin

Smokin Don · Post by **Smokin Don** » Sun Dec 02, 2012 07:39

Dec 01 2012

Larding meat is an old method of getting some fat into lean cuts of meat for taste and tenderizing. Slits are cut into the meat and fat inserted or you can use a larding needle. Two types are available now, one has a clip on the end where the needle is inserted into the meat then a string of fat is pulled through; the other type you lay a string of fat in a U shaped needle insert it into the meat then pull it out leaving the fat.

I have laid bacon across a pork loin and many even wrap them in a basket weave of bacon. I don`t know why I never thought of larding one before. I love pork loins for sandwiches. Salt pork, side meat or bacon is used for larding; I decided to use bacon.

I had a pork loin frozen, about 4 lbs. I thawed it out and Friday I was ready to smoke it. I cut the slits in the meat side of the loin so I could smoke it fat cap down. I cut two slits across the loin an inch wide and as deep as I could without going through it. I spaced them about ¾ inches apart the length of the loin. I used partially thawed bacon, this made it easier to stuff in the slits; and left it long enough for some to stick out.

I melted some butter and brushed over the loin, seasoned with some ground fennel, fresh ground pepper and dried garlic flakes. I used a lot of the garlic for a garlicky crust. I tied the loin so it would stay together when cooking.

I put the loin on my Traeger pellet grill on smoke mode 175 deg. for one hour then eased the temp. up to 275 deg. the grill level temp. was running about 300 deg. When the IT of the loin was 120 deg. I went to 300 deg. I pulled the loin when it hit 142 deg. IT. I tented it with foil and a towel for a half hour then let it cool more before putting in the fridge covered. I left it tied.

This evening I untied it and sliced up. I vacuum packed some and froze for later. I browned up a slice for my sandwich on some garlic bread, Lowensenf mustard and Claussen dill pickles. For a side I had some Bush`s grillin beans, smokehouse style; they`re about as good as any I could make and so much easier! I didn`t have to cook for my wife; she went out for a big lunch with girlfriends and was having some chicken and noodle soup I made.

I thought the pork loin was great; as moist and tender as any I have made and the bacon gave it a flavor boost! I will be doing more of these in the future.

Loin with bacon inserted

Seasoned and tied

After an hour on smoke mode

Just about done

After resting

Slicing

Browning a slice

My Plate

Smokin Don

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Sun Dec 02, 2012 08:07

Great post! Larding sure does add the flavor and your idea about using bacon is pretty neat. Thanks Don. That browned pork just creates hundred of flavors eh? Wow, those photos are incredible. Shucks, I just have one question... how did you get your wife to take all YOUR girlfriends out for lunch?

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Sun Dec 02, 2012 20:13

Don,
You have changed my mind about loins. I definitely will do one the same shortly. It looks great
Congratulations.
Jan.

Smokin Don · Post by **Smokin Don** » Sun Dec 02, 2012 22:10

crustyo44 wrote:Don,
You have changed my mind about loins. I definitely will do one the same shortly. It looks great
Congratulations.
Jan.

Hope yours turns out as good as mine and I am sure you will like it. I forgot to say the total cook time was 2 1/2 hours. I usually brine loins and this one was as good as any I have brined. I used to do them to an IT of 160 deg but found they are much better if done to an IT of 140 deg. Don

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 04:24

Hi Don,
Another request, your bean recipe. I love beans with a fair bit of kick in them too, I only hate crappy baked beans.
Please PM me your recipe.
Thank you.
Regards,
Jan.

Smokin Don · Post by **Smokin Don** » Mon Dec 03, 2012 22:14

crustyo44 wrote:Hi Don,
Another request, your bean recipe. I love beans with a fair bit of kick in them too, I only hate crappy baked beans.
Please PM me your recipe.
Thank you.
Regards,
Jan.

Sorry about that Crusty and anyone else; Bush's is a popular canned bean here in the US. These were straight out of the can. Don

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 10:10

Hey Smokin` Don and Crusty,
Would you fellas mind terribly if I stuck my big nose into this discussion. I have a couple of bean recipes that just might work for Crusty`s "fair bit of kick". Crusty wrote:

I love beans with a fair bit of kick in them too, I only hate crappy baked beans.

The first recipe is a good ol` favorite with some chiles kickin` all the beans around your plate. The reason I use beans from a can is because of the "earthquake potential". Dry beans, even soaked with baking soda, epizote, etc... are just "too active" for me. Canned, the beans are a little more... uh...subdued.

Our buddy Redzed on Vancouver Island just might appreciate the second recipe too (has plenty of mushrooms in it).

Normally, I would put this post in the "recipes" section but then, according to American tradition, how could we have a smoked pork forum topic and not include baked beans? Impossible.

"Rio Rojo Baked Beans"
(Western Style Baked Beans With Sun-Dried Tomatoes)

Sauté the onion, chilies and garlic in oil inside a Dutch oven. Stir in the remaining ingredients, cover the oven, and bake the beans at 350°F. for 30 minutes. Removing the oven`s lid, bake 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until the liquid is nearly absorbed.

2 cups onion (chopped)
1/2 cup poblano chili (seeded and chopped)
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
1 jalapeño chili (seeded and chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tblspn. olive oil
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans (rinsed - drained)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tspn. ground cumin
1 tblspn. liquid smoke
1/2 tspn. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tspn. salt
1 cup lager beer

"Rio Verde Baked Beans"
(Wild Mushroom Baked Beans)

8 ounces wild mushrooms of your choice
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms (sliced)
1 yellow onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tblspns. olive oil
2 tblspns. butter
2 tblspns. flour
1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans (rinsed-drained)
1 can (15 oz.) great northern beans (rinsed-drained)
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans (rinsed-drained)
1 can (15 oz) black beans (rinsed-drained)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup vegetable broth
3/4 tspn. dried thyme
finely chopped parsley

Lightly sauté the mushrooms, onion, and garlic in the olive oil and butter inside a large black skillet. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes longer. Combine the mushroom mixture and the remaining ingredients, except the parsley, into a Dutch oven. Bake the mixture, uncovered, at 350° F. for 45 minutes. Sprinkle the beans with parsley before serving them. Any desired wild or domestic mushroom may be used in this recipe.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

Smokin Don · Post by **Smokin Don** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 15:02

New Recipes are always welome! I vote for the Rio Rojo beans, all good ingredients and I figure if it's got beer in it, it's gotta be good!

Don

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Tue Dec 04, 2012 20:04

Bazza,
Those recipes look great, I am sick of crappy canned baked beans for sale here, only suitable for concentration camps.
I will make both recipes shortly but will have to substitute the pinto beans.
Thank you for sharing.
Jan,

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 01:58

Both versions look good. I think I'll try the Rio Rojo version (I like the chiles), but I'll leave out the brown sugar. ...just don't care for sweet beans, baked or otherwise. I'd use 3 or 4 seeded jalapeños, instead of just one. (Whatzat, Boy? ...whataya mean, just one? You ain't f'um around here, are ya, Son?), Seed 'em, slice 'em. There ya go.

Same way on corn bread- - lots of folks put sugar in their recipe, especially in the Southeast. ...never cared for that. I put in salt, instead. ...and jalapeños. ...lotsa jalapeños. Seed 'em, slice 'em...

CW, they tell me that fresh epazote works far better than the dried version for "emissions control." Good luck finding it in most parts of the world, however.

Oh, yeah- - a caution: please dispose of the remaining beer responsibly. (If you don't, I will.)

crustyo44 · Post by **crustyo44** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 04:29

Good to see you on line again Duck.
I like plenty of hot chillies and I eat sambal oelek by the jar full. I will make them beans according to the recipes and your alterations as well. Why seed'em, the heat will be gone? Correct?
Personally I don't go much for sugar, but I will try it all.
Cheers Mate.
Jan.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 06:22

The larding of lean meat is a great idea, will have to try it on our very lean Sambar venison in Aus.

Thanks fellas.

el Ducko · Post by **el Ducko** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 07:05

crustyo44 wrote:I like plenty of hot chillies and I eat sambal oelek by the jar full.

Had to look that one up, Jan. Yeow! Looks good. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambal I'll have to hunt around for some.

Reminds me of a time when we had a bunch of Indonesians visit for a mining engineering economics short course, back in my grad student days. Boss/Professor's wife had the whole crew over for a turkey dinner. At one point she asked the Head of Delegation if he'd like some more, and he asked for some part or other. ...at which point the rest of the delegation began laughing and pointing, embarrassing him.

Seems that the man's father was known to have been a practicing cannibal in the distant past. ...from which we learned that Indonesians say "Thank you from the bottom of my LIVER" instead of heart, because it is considered a greater delicacy.

...and "the ice was broken" and the party, as well as the course, went very well.

orf · Post by **orf** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 15:14

don, I tried the larded loin just like you discribed but used garlic powder instead of flakes.It was outstanding! Just wanted to tell all about this great "new" dish that me and my family will have again many times. thanks orf...

Smokin Don · Post by **Smokin Don** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 22:22

orf wrote:don, I tried the larded loin just like you discribed but used garlic powder instead of flakes.It was outstanding! Just wanted to tell all about this great "new" dish that me and my family will have again many times. thanks orf...

Thanks orf, glad you liked it!! Smokin Don