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Loin vs butt
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Depends on the goal. Straight roast to 135 and allow carryover will work better with something like MMD. My process would make a nice crust on something with a no sugar AP rub.
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Exactly. Or 130, then apply a sear and allow carryover to 140.
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I take pork loins to 135°F in the smoker and let carryover cooking get it to 140° by the time I start slicing it.
Kathryn
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bbq_joe even if cooking in the crockpot, a Boston butt will make much better pulled pork than a pork loin. You are cooking the pork loin about 60 to 70 degrees past its optimum doneness, and I imagine the only thing saving it is the fact it is braising in a bunch of liquid in the crock pot.
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Yes, it's technically possible to cook pork loin to a shreddable consistency in the crock pot or in the smoker, and then moisten it with some sauce or gravy to make it edible. But cooking it to death is not a good method to get the most flavor, tenderness, and succulence out of this cut of meat. I'd do a butt low and slow to get a moist, tender meat to shred. I'd cook the loin to 135 F (140 tops) to get a succulent roast to slice.
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Thanks everyone!
I am use to cooking these in the crockpot and when I take it out I am always able to shred it into pulled pork for either pork quesadillas or just bbq pork. I was hoping I’d be able to do the same thing using the smoker. Looks like I’ll be picking up a Boston butt this week.
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bbq_joe I will be more firm than HawkerXP in my answer, and give you a RESOUNDING NO. Pork loin is pretty much inedible cooked beyond 145F internal temperature. It is one of the leanest meats you will cook, and simply has no internal fat or connective tissue that renders, and is not something that can be properly cooked to pulling temperatures like a Boston butt (pork shoulder).
Pork shoulder (typically either a picnic or Boston butt cut) has a lot of connective tissue and internal fat throughout the meat. We cook pork shoulder to temperatures between 195F and 205F at low and slow temperatures in order to break down fat, collagen and connective tissue. This all results in the succulent pork that is fork tender and can be shredded (pulled). You are safe cooking a Boston butt to lower temperatures, and I've done it to 170F to 180F for meat that is intended for slicing - but the fat did not render, and the meat was not shreddable at all at those temperatures.
Under the old FDA guidelines, 20 years ago I would cook a pork loin on my offset until it was 160 to 165 internal temperature. It was extremely dried out and just not enjoyable. We would douse it in BBQ sauce and slice it very thin to make it edible. Under current FDA guidelines, and chef guidelines, that same pork loin is done at 145F, and I can tell you there is a world of difference. I would never try to cook a pork loin above 145F today.
I hope that helps.
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The loin doesn't have enough fat to cook that long. You can add some smoke, but you'll want to be careful not to dry it out. You do not want to over cook. Much better off cooking and presenting as roast pork
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