Smoked Pork Loin with Dried-Fruit Chutney
By Steve DunnPublished on July 26, 2016
Time
3 to 3½ hours, plus 6 hours brining and 30 minutes resting
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Pork
½ cup packed light brown sugar ¼ cup Kosher salt 3.5 pound boneless pork loin roast, blade-end, trimmed2 cups wood chips 1 Disposable 13 by 9-inch aluminum roasting pan (if using charcoal) or 1 (9-inch) disposable aluminum pie plate (if using gas)Chutney
¾ cup dry white wine ½ cup dried apricots, diced½ cup dried cherries ¼ cup white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 1 shallot, minced2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 ½ teaspoons dry mustardBefore You Begin
Note that the roast needs to be refrigerated for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours after the salt rub is applied. A blade-end roast is our preferred cut, but a center-cut boneless loin roast can also be used. Any variety of wood chip except mesquite will work; we prefer hickory. If you’d like to use wood chunks instead of wood chips when using a charcoal grill, substitute two medium wood chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, for the wood chip packet.
Instructions
- Combine sugar and salt in small bowl. Tie roast with twine at 1-inch intervals. Rub sugar-salt mixture over entire surface of roast, making sure roast is evenly coated. Wrap roast tightly in plastic wrap, set roast in rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in 8 by 4 1/2-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Arrange 25 unlit charcoal briquettes over half of grill and place disposable pan filled with 3 cups water on other side of grill. Light large chimney starter two-thirds filled with charcoal briquettes (4 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over unlit briquettes. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Place disposable pie plate filled with 1 inch water directly on other burner(s). Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature of 300 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Unwrap roast and pat dry with paper towels. Place roast on grill directly over water pan about 7 inches from heat source. Cover (position lid vent over roast if using charcoal) and cook until meat registers 140 degrees, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, rotating roast 180 degrees after 45 minutes.
- Combine wine, apricots, cherries, vinegar, water, sugar, shallot, and ginger in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until fruit is softened, 10 minutes. Remove lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter, Dijon, and dry mustard and continue to cook until slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt. Transfer to bowl and let stand at room temperature.
- Transfer roast to cutting board, tent with foil, and let stand for 30 minutes. Remove and discard twine. Slice roast 1/4 inch thick and serve with chutney.
for the pork
for the chutney
Time
3 to 3½ hours, plus 6 hours brining and 30 minutes restingYield
Serves 6Ingredients
Pork
Chutney
Ingredients
Pork
Chutney
Ingredients
Pork
Chutney
Why This Recipe Works
For a recipe that satisfied that meaty, smoky pork craving in less time than all-day affairs like barbecued ribs and pulled pork, we looked to the quicker-cooking pork loin. The trick was keeping this lean, mild-tasting cut juicy and also infusing it with just the right amount of smoke. Choosing a blade-end roast over a center-cut roast meant at least some additional fat and thus more flavor. Letting the roast sit overnight rubbed with a mixture of salt and brown sugar helped season it and keep it juicy and helped deliver a nicely caramelized exterior. Low-and-slow indirect cooking was key for an evenly cooked, juicy roast, so we poured lit coals over a layer of unlit coals to create a fire that wouldn’t require refueling. Two cups of wood chips (a single packet) provided just enough smoke to enhance the roast’s meaty flavor without overwhelming it.
Before You Begin
Note that the roast needs to be refrigerated for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours after the salt rub is applied. A blade-end roast is our preferred cut, but a center-cut boneless loin roast can also be used. Any variety of wood chip except mesquite will work; we prefer hickory. If you’d like to use wood chunks instead of wood chips when using a charcoal grill, substitute two medium wood chunks, soaked in water for 1 hour, for the wood chip packet.
Instructions
- Combine sugar and salt in small bowl. Tie roast with twine at 1-inch intervals. Rub sugar-salt mixture over entire surface of roast, making sure roast is evenly coated. Wrap roast tightly in plastic wrap, set roast in rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Just before grilling, soak wood chips in water for 15 minutes, then drain. Using large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, wrap soaked chips in 8 by 4 1/2-inch foil packet. (Make sure chips do not poke holes in sides or bottom of packet.) Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
- FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Arrange 25 unlit charcoal briquettes over half of grill and place disposable pan filled with 3 cups water on other side of grill. Light large chimney starter two-thirds filled with charcoal briquettes (4 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over unlit briquettes. Place wood chip packet on coals. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 5 minutes.FOR A GAS GRILL: Remove cooking grate and place wood chip packet directly on primary burner. Place disposable pie plate filled with 1 inch water directly on other burner(s). Set grate in place, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot and wood chips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn primary burner to medium and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner as needed to maintain grill temperature of 300 degrees.)
- Clean and oil cooking grate. Unwrap roast and pat dry with paper towels. Place roast on grill directly over water pan about 7 inches from heat source. Cover (position lid vent over roast if using charcoal) and cook until meat registers 140 degrees, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, rotating roast 180 degrees after 45 minutes.
- Combine wine, apricots, cherries, vinegar, water, sugar, shallot, and ginger in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook until fruit is softened, 10 minutes. Remove lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Add butter, Dijon, and dry mustard and continue to cook until slightly thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt. Transfer to bowl and let stand at room temperature.
- Transfer roast to cutting board, tent with foil, and let stand for 30 minutes. Remove and discard twine. Slice roast 1/4 inch thick and serve with chutney.
for the pork
for the chutney
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