Pork loin roast question

[richinlbrg]

I have a heritage hog pork loin roast I expect to cook Monday (looking like a work from home due to weather kind of day). It appears to have more fat than I am accustomed to in a pork loin. Pics of top and both ends are below. I REALLY don't want to screw this one up!

Should I cook it like a loin, or take it up to a higher temp and pull?

Any and all thoughts are greatly appreciated!

[Jon Solberg]

That looks like the sirloin end?? It's got some fat for sure.

Normally I'd say that cut wouldnt hold up to low and slow but the fat on connective tissue in it say it will.

Man there's not much meat on it. I'm leaning toward steaks to be honest.

I'm very curious to here what folks have to say on this one.

BTW Great post Bro! I love starting my day with a coffee and a pork puzzle. Thank you.

[HorseDoctor]

Yum... that's what pig is supposed to look like. Darker meat & plenty of flavor (fat). You have lottsa muscles running lottsa directions. I almost think that looks more like the butt (front) end of the loin than a sirloin (rear) end roast. Looks enough like a butt that I would treat it like one. IMHO: Plenty of fat for a low & slow. Pull it. Bet you won't be sorry. Looks delicious! Good cooking!

[Medusa]

Whoaaa! I've never seen fat like that that on a "loin", and I've just cut one up. Half chops, half for roast. I wonder if this was mis-labeled?

Haven't tried the recipe below for Carnitas, but I now have a set of Bear Paws thanks to #1 watching the show. If your folks like Mexican, this could be a solution, and you could become the hero of dinner!

Personally, I wouldn't fool with the grill on this piece. Last Smithfield Ham was 75% fat and I don't buy them anymore.

HTH - let us know what happens!

-- Ed

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/r.../carnitas.html

[Meathead]

I too question if that is loin. Looks more like from the shoulder.

[Jerod Broussard]

What is in the circle looks a lot like money muscle you find on one end of a pork butt.

[richinlbrg]

Meathead , Jon Solberg , Jerod Broussard , HorseDoctor , Medusa , @l a porkbutt , THANK YOU!!!!!

Took it to 203 +, 2 hour faux cambro. Cooked on SnS'd kettle with hickory, crutched. IT IS AWESOME!!!

It was definitely mis-labelled (see pics). But it is rich, juicey and WONDERFUL!!

Thank you all for your inputs, without which I may have made a grievous error. Pulled pork is this cuts best and highest use that I know of.

Can't tell you how appreciative I am for this site and your help!

[Jerod Broussard]

Awesome!!!

[Jon Solberg]

Rich. You did all the heavy lifting bro. Pat yourself on the back.

Great job on a great cook. WTG

[PaulstheRibList]

Nice looking!

[Medusa]

Well Done! and kudos to you for pulling this off - YAY!

-- Ed

[HorseDoctor]

There is the blade bone I was wondering about! Mislabeled for sure! If it tastes half as good as it looks, you done good!!!

[fzxdoc]

Congrats, richinlbrg , that's some beautiful pulled pork. It's good you had the Great Minds of the Pit for advice. They've saved my bacon many a time as well. Enjoy eating all that porkalicious goodness.

Kathryn

[LA Pork Butt]

richinlbrg so happy it worked so well for you. If it looks like a butt, cooks like a butt, tastes like a butt, and has a bone like a butt, it must be a butt - that's my favorite cut of low and slow. It is a testimony to you and your cooking skills.

[richinlbrg]

Thank you fzxdoc and LA Pork Butt !

Kathryn, this site has saved so many cooks, butt this one takes the cake. And when you ask a question, you just never know who it is that will be enlightening you. Could be a KCBS judge, a competitor, a chef in Alaska, Meathead himself.... you just never know, but it always seems to work out perfectly, doesn't it?

LA, once we figured out what we thought it was, it was just a simple smoke we've all done so many times!

FWIW, the pork is LONG gone! That sow may have been a testy one, but she sure was sweet and guuud. Back to the freezer tonight when I get home tonight to see what else I have hiding in there (another winter event might come our way next week)!