Grill-Roasted Pork Loin for Charcoal Grill
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 6, 2012
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
If only "enhanced" pork is available (it will be stated on the label), do not brine the roast. Instead, simply add 2 tablespoons kosher salt to the black pepper seasoning. With minor adjustments, a roast larger than the one called for can be cooked using the same method. For each additional pound of meat over 3 pounds (do not use a roast larger than 6 pounds), increase the salt in the brine by 1/4 cup and the water by 1 quart; also increase the oil and pepper by 1 teaspoon each (if using a spice rub, increase the recipe by one-third). Because the cooking time depends more on the diameter of the loin than its length, the cooking time for a larger roast will not increase significantly. After rotating the roast in step 5, begin checking the internal temperature after 30 minutes of cooking.
Instructions
- Dissolve salt in 3 quarts water in large container; submerge roast, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until fully seasoned, 3 to 4 hours. Rinse roast under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Rub roast with oil; sprinkle with pepper or spice rub and press into meat. Let roast stand at room temperature 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, soak two 3-inch wood chunks in water to cover for 1 hour; drain. About 25 minutes before grilling, open bottom grill vents. Using large chimney starter, ignite about 5 quarts charcoal, or about 90 individual briquettes, and burn until fully ignited, about 15 minutes. Empty coals into grill; build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover one-half of grill, piling them about 3 briquettes high. Place soaked wood chunks on coals. Position grill grate over coals, cover grill, and heat until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grill grate clean with grill brush.
- Grill pork directly over fire until browned, about 2 minutes; using tongs, rotate one-quarter turn and repeat until all sides are well browned, about 8 minutes total. Move loin to cool side of grill, positioning roast parallel with and as close as possible to fire. Open grill lid vents halfway; cover grill so vents are opposite fire and draw smoke through grill. (Internal grill temperature should be about 425 degrees.) Cook 20 minutes.
- Remove cover; using tongs, rotate roast 180 degrees so side facing fire now faces away. Replace cover and continue cooking until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of roast registers 140 degrees, 10 to 30 minutes longer, depending on thickness.
- Transfer roast to cutting board; tent loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to 150 degrees. Remove twine; cut roast into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve.
Yield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We found that the best cut for our grill-roasted pork loin recipe was the moist and flavorful blade-end roast, brined and coated with coarsely ground pepper. We then used a two-step grilling process: searing the roast directly over the fire and finishing it over indirect heat. The final step was removing the roast from the grill when the internal temperature reached 140 degrees, then allowing it to rest until the temperature rose to an ideal 150 degrees.
Before You Begin
If only "enhanced" pork is available (it will be stated on the label), do not brine the roast. Instead, simply add 2 tablespoons kosher salt to the black pepper seasoning. With minor adjustments, a roast larger than the one called for can be cooked using the same method. For each additional pound of meat over 3 pounds (do not use a roast larger than 6 pounds), increase the salt in the brine by 1/4 cup and the water by 1 quart; also increase the oil and pepper by 1 teaspoon each (if using a spice rub, increase the recipe by one-third). Because the cooking time depends more on the diameter of the loin than its length, the cooking time for a larger roast will not increase significantly. After rotating the roast in step 5, begin checking the internal temperature after 30 minutes of cooking.
Instructions
- Dissolve salt in 3 quarts water in large container; submerge roast, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until fully seasoned, 3 to 4 hours. Rinse roast under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
- Rub roast with oil; sprinkle with pepper or spice rub and press into meat. Let roast stand at room temperature 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, soak two 3-inch wood chunks in water to cover for 1 hour; drain. About 25 minutes before grilling, open bottom grill vents. Using large chimney starter, ignite about 5 quarts charcoal, or about 90 individual briquettes, and burn until fully ignited, about 15 minutes. Empty coals into grill; build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover one-half of grill, piling them about 3 briquettes high. Place soaked wood chunks on coals. Position grill grate over coals, cover grill, and heat until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grill grate clean with grill brush.
- Grill pork directly over fire until browned, about 2 minutes; using tongs, rotate one-quarter turn and repeat until all sides are well browned, about 8 minutes total. Move loin to cool side of grill, positioning roast parallel with and as close as possible to fire. Open grill lid vents halfway; cover grill so vents are opposite fire and draw smoke through grill. (Internal grill temperature should be about 425 degrees.) Cook 20 minutes.
- Remove cover; using tongs, rotate roast 180 degrees so side facing fire now faces away. Replace cover and continue cooking until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of roast registers 140 degrees, 10 to 30 minutes longer, depending on thickness.
- Transfer roast to cutting board; tent loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to 150 degrees. Remove twine; cut roast into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve.
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