Apple Stuffed Pork Loin Question/Cook

[Durzil]

I'm planning on cooking a Pork Loin tonight. I cut about 2/3rds of the Loin into chops and am planning on stuffing and smoking the remaining 1/3rd to keep the portion size into perspective for the 2 of us. Hopefully this wont make for a dry loin by having it small. I plan on making an apple based stuffing and was hoping to get some feedback on it. I'll butterfly the loin and then roll the stuffing into it. I left the fat cap on the loin in hopes to put the cap side down to keep it moist. I'm also planning on wrapping the loin in some bacon.

Apple Stuffing:

1 golden delicious apple chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper finely chopped
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic (I'll just mince 2 cloves)
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

To sprinkle inside butterflied loin:
1 Tablespoon SM Sweet Seduction
1 teaspoon SM Season All

I'll use the Olive Oil in a skillet and saute the apple, bell pepper and onion until soft. I'll add in the garlic and spices for a bit longer then set the pan aside to cool. Then I'll butterfly the loin and using the spices and stuffing to roll a thin layer of the stuffing inside. Season the outside with SM Sweet & Spicy and then wrap in some bacon and tie the bacon and loin up. Season some more with the SM Sweet & Spicy, got to keep Steph in business you know. Then I plan on putting it on my UDS at 275*-325* untill IT is 140*-145* and let rest for 30 mins prior to slicing.

Anyone got any suggestions or comments about the proposed plan? Cooking temp sound fine? Any help is appreciated.

 

[Big slick]

I have stuffed a few pork loins and smoked them. One thing I can tell you is that a good amount of fat is needed to keep the loin moist during the cook. I usually wrap mine in bacon to give it extra flavor and to also keep it moist. I also never butterfly my pork loin. I usually make a cut into the bottom of the pork loin about an inch thick and then slowly unroll the pork loin keeping that 1" thick guideline till the whole pork loin is unraveled. What I am left with is a 1" thick pork loin plate. I layer my stuffing evenly across it and then roll it back up making sure the fat cap is on top.

Next I lay out about a pound of bacon slightly stretching each piece. I then lay the pork loin in the center and then pull over the side of bacon the the fat cap edge is facing. Then I pull over the other side of bacon and overlap the edges.

If you don't want to do the bacon thing then tie it up. I you don't it may unwrap itself during the cook.

 

[Durzil]

How you described to cut it I thought was butterflying it? Regardless of name that is the method I was planning on using. I also planned on wrapping it in bacon. Do you have any comments regarding the filling and cook temp? Im worried about drying it out with it being so small and am not entirely sure if hot or slow is the best way to proceed.

 

[Big slick]

I smoke around 225-250 for around 4 hours. I use half a pork loin though so your cook time may be less than mine. I pull mine when an internal temp of 145 is reached.

Also for the stuffing I make it ahead of time and stuff the pork loin after its cooled.

 

[Drh7003]

What I have done was either wrap them in proscuitto or a mild bacon to keep some moisture in them. On a slight derail; I made Alton Brown's recipe for pork Wellington a couple weeks ago: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pork-wellington-recipe/index.html It definitely was a hit.

 

[Durzil]

Well the loin turned out very good I really liked all the flavor in the stuffing. The bacon was a little too smokey for my taste but my wife loved it. If I did this again I would make a sauce to put on the loin as well to accentuate the apple flavor I was going for.

Wrapped up ready too go!

Right off the smoker, the color was amazing.

And a good shot showing the roll of stuffing

 

[JMSetzler]

The last one I cooked had an apple-based stuffing but I put some crumbled bleu cheese in it as well... it was delicious. I cooked at around 300 degrees to an internal temp of 130. I pulled it, let it rest for 20 mins or so and served... awesome!

 

[Durzil]

Yeah I did it at 250* until 140 IT then let it rest 20 mins prior to serving, we had it with home canned pears and rice and it was a nice meal, I just would of liked a tiny bit of sauce to punctuate the apple flavor a little more.

 

[Big slick]

Yeah the bacon does give it a bit more smoke taste. Not too mention salt. Looks great though!