Smoked Pork Loin and Baked Potatoes

A month or so ago, I had something rare happen. I had the house to myself for the 

Smoke Pork Loin and Baked Potatoes
on the Grill

weekend. My wife had taken the kid off to see the Grands for a few days. On these rare occasions, I get to make whatever I want without having to worry about who is going to eat it. I had a pork loin in the fridge and found some potatoes and went to work. A smoked pork loin was just the thing I wanted.

I knew I had some yard work to do, so the smoker was the way to go. I put some seasoning on the pork and I was on my way!

The Tools

• Smoker or Grill
• Lump Charcoal
• Chimney Starter
• Wood Chips or Chunks
• Foil

The Ingredients

• Pork Loin
• Potatoes
• Butter
• Spice Rub
• Salt and Pepper

Smoked Pork Loin Method

The first thing gets the grill going. It can be a regular charcoal grill, a full-size smoker, though it might be a bit overkill for this application, or even a pellet smoker, which might be a bit much too. My favorite way to light the grill is with a chimney starter. There’s no messy lighter fluid flavor this way. I still use a classic Weber for my smoker. It’s what I have had the most success with.

While the charcoal is getting ready, it’s time to get the pork and potatoes ready. For the pork, use your favorite spice rub. I’ve used quite a few spice rubs over the years, and my favorite is called The Dalmatian. It’s 50/50 salt and pepper. I’ve found that anything complicated gets lost in the smoker when the final product comes off the smoker. Generously apply the spice rub to the pork, making sure everything is covered.

The potatoes will get a similar treatment. Season them with salt and pepper. and wrap in foil with a few generous pieces of butter. The foil will still allow smoke to pass through, but you can punch some holes with a fork if you want.

The charcoal should be ready by now. All you will need is a small fire to get the grill temp between 225 and 250 degrees Fahrenheit. No matter which grill you use, you’ll want to use indirect heat. That just means the fire is on one side and the meat is on the other. The meat will be ready once the internal temp is between 140 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before you cut into it. The potatoes will be ready at the same time as the pork. Mine was on the grill for about an hour.

Serving the Smoked Pork Loin

Feel free to use any barbecue sauce you want to with this. It will lend itself well to whichever you choose. For the potatoes, I went classic baked potato, with butter and cheese and green onions.

Happy eating!

Italian Sausage Stuffed Pork Loin

Italian sausage stuffed pork loin

Today I am sharing my recipe for my Italian Sausage Stuffed Pork Loin. This is one of those recipes I created back in college to use on my friends who didn't mind being guinea pigs for food every now and then. Ultimately this recipe was inspired by stuffed pork chops we used to get from Veron's Cajun Meat Market when I was little. I've done this one a few different ways, with a tenderloin, pork chops, or a loin, smoked or baked. It always comes out great!


The Recipe:

• 3 to 4 lb pork loin
• 2 links Italian sausage, skinned
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and Pepper
• String
• Plastic wrap

Butterfly the pork loin and lay it flat on a sturdy surface. Cover the meat with a sheet of plastic wrap to keep the mess to minimum. Starting in the middle and working your way out, use a meat tenderizer to tenderize the meat. You'll want it to be about a 1/2 inch to 3/14 of an inch thick. 

Meat Tenderizer

I have a meat tenderizer that I really like that is different than the traditional mallet style meat tenderizer. It has a handle with a reversible disc on the bottom. The disc sits under your fist and uses the full force of your hand motion to tenderize the meat. It works a lot more efficiently than the mallet style tenderizer. I generally stick with flat side so that I don't destroy the meat.

Remove the plastic wrap and apply salt and pepper to both sides of the meat. Set aside.

Stuffed pork loin ready to go in the oven.

Combine the sausage, bell pepper, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. The best way to mix it up is with your hands. Once combined, spread the mixture evenly in the pork loin and fold the pork loin over. Tie the pork loin with string to keep the stuffing from coming out. I usually use 5 or 6 pieces of string to keep the pressure even.

Place it in the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees and the reduce to 350 degrees. Cook 20 minutes per pound at 350 degrees or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

If you decide to smoke it, plan on 4 to 5 hours at 225 degrees, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.