Smoked Pork Loin

We’ve been introducing you to all kinds of smoked meat guides lately, including smoked beef short ribs, smoked pulled pork, and smoked top sirloin roast. This guide to smoking pork loin is sure to be another crowd-pleaser you’ll want to revisit when you’re looking for your next meat to smoke.

Bookmark this guide now to find it later, and enjoy learning everything you want to know about smoked pork loin.

Pork Loin vs. Pork Tenderloin: What’s the Difference?

It’s not uncommon to hear people refer to pork loin and pork tenderloin as the same thing, but in reality, they’re actually two different cuts of meat. To be clear, this guide is about smoked pork loin rather than tenderloin.

Pork loin is a larger cut that starts near the shoulder of a pig and stretches down its back. It’s available in both bone-in and boneless form, although boneless is the more popular version. A traditional pork loin cut is about 2-6 pounds and is wider than a pork tenderloin, making it a good cut for slicing into pork chops.

Pork tenderloin is much smaller, usually weighing about 1-2 pounds. The tenderloin sits near the end of the pork loin area, closer to the rump of the animal. It’s cut from a muscle that runs along the backbone, but it’s not an overworked muscle, so it’s actually extremely tender.

If you need more meat to feed several people, a pork loin is the better option. But if you want excellent texture, pork tenderloin is the way to go.

Tips for Smoking a Pork Loin

We’ll break down all the details for smoking your pork loin in the recipe below, but it can help to know a few tips for smoking pork loin before getting too deep into the process. Here’s what you need to know:

• Get rid of excess fat: Pork loin can have some chunks of fat along the outside that may not render down all the way when smoking the meat. It’s fine to leave small strips of fat in place—in fact, it’s encouraged when you smoke pork loin—but slice off any larger chunks before seasoning the meat.
• Don’t think you’re stuck with a smoker: Don’t have a smoker available? Use a grill instead. You can still adjust the heat to low to cook the pork loin slowly over time, resulting in tender meat and lots of flavor. The grill can also help you cook the pork loin a little faster if you don’t have several hours to spare.
• Wrapping could speed up the process: If you need to cut down some time when smoking pork loin, consider wrapping it in foil or butcher paper near the end of the cooking process after it gets that crisp-like bark on the outside. Wrapping it traps heat inside, allowing the innermost section of pork to cook faster. 

Preparing the Pork Loin

As we mentioned as a top tip for smoked pork loin, your preparation should start with getting rid of any excess fat chunks running along the edges of the cut. Use a sharpened knife, gliding it gently and slowly underneath the fat as you hold the fat with your other hand and pull it away from the meat.

After removing the fat, pat the pork loin dry and score its fat cap, the thick layer of fat that runs along one side of the loin. Use a knife to make cross-hatch marks, which helps the fat break down better when smoking and allows the seasonings to penetrate through the fat and into the meat.

Then, brush on a light layer of oil, and season both sides with seasoning or a rub. More on choosing your seasonings in the following section. 

Seasoning & Rub Ideas for Smoked Pork Loin

You have a few options for seasoning smoked pork loin:

• Injections: An injection places flavorful liquid—similar to a marinade—directly into the meat. This has two purposes: It keeps the meat tender and moist while cooking and adds flavor to the inner portion of meat rather than just the outside. You can combine an injection with any other outer seasoning method for extra flavor.
• Rubs: Rubs are blends of spices that you rub along the outside of a piece of meat to add flavor and crisp up the outside while cooking. Because of the way they’re applied to meat, the entire outer portion gets covered, ensuring flavor from the rub in every bite.
• Marinades: Marinades help tenderize and flavor pork loin, usually over several hours. It’s best to leave the pork in a marinade for at least 2-4 hours, but preferably overnight in the fridge. The best marinades use oil, acids, and flavoring agents.
• Traditional seasoning: If you want to go the traditional seasoning route for your smoked pork loin, that works too. Combine your favorite seasonings for pork, like salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper, and sprinkle it generously on both sides of the pork loin before placing it in the smoker.

Preparing the Smoker

Before you get started on the smoked pork loin recipe below, you’ll need to prepare your smoker.

Your first step is cleaning the smoker. Make sure all the grates are clean and free from leftover food particles. If needed, rub a light layer of oil on the grates to prevent sticking, or use a grill pan to hold the pork loin.

Next, fill your smoker’s water pan or add a water pan of your own to maintain moisture in the smoker while the pork cooks. You’ll also need to add your wood chips—find more information about choosing the best type of wood for pork loin below—before you preheat the smoker. Make sure you have some extra wood on hand, as you might need to refill them during the process.

Finally, preheat your smoker to 225°F, giving the smoker about 20 minutes to come to temperature and maintain consistent heat. 

Choosing the Right Wood

When smoking pork loin, you can use either wood pellets or wood chips. Pellets tend to take longer to burn and burn more reliably, so you might be able to extend your pellets throughout the cooking process. On the other hand, wood chips are known for creating lots of smoke, so if it’s an intense smoky flavor you’re after, chips might be the better option. 

Wood flavor is another point to consider. Pork pairs well with fruity and nutty flavors, though, so keep that in mind when you’re looking for wood to use with smoked pork loin. Apple and cherry are popular picks for pork, but pecan and alder are also good choices. They’re all milder flavors, so they won’t overpower your pork loin. 

What’s the Safe Serving Temperature for Pork Loin?

Pork loin should reach a minimum temperature of 145°F to be considered safe for consumption, according to the USDA. Your thermometer should reach at least this temperature when the probe is placed into the thickest part of the meat. For smoked pork loin, this typically takes 2-4 hours. 

When resting the meat after cooking, keep it tented lightly with foil to hold the heat in. Then, check that the temperature has remained at 145°F before serving. 

Smoked Pork Loin Recipe

Ingredients

• 4-6 pound pork loin
• 2 tablespoons mustard or oil
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp dry mustard
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the water pan and wood pellets in the smoker. Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
2. Remove excess fat from the pork loin and score the fat cap. Pat the pork loin dry and brush on a light layer of mustard or oil.
3. Mix all seasonings together. Rub the mixture on both sides of the pork loin, using your fingertips to work the seasonings into the meat. 
4. Place the pork on a grill pan or directly into the smoker. Smoke for 2-4 hours, or until the pork loin reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. If desired, wrap the pork loin in butcher paper or foil for the last 30-60 minutes of cooking.
5. Rest the pork loin at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. 

Conclusion: Smoking Pork Loin

You now have all the tools you need to smoke pork loin on your own—enjoy! If this recipe and guide satisfied your appetite, be sure to check out our other recipes and cooking guides for pork loin, including cooking pork loin steaks and frying pork loin steaks in a pan.