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[Brushpopper]

Have any of y'all ever done pulled pork out of a small loin?  My wife likes puled pork, but doing a whole butt is too much food for us.  Our daughter will seldom eat it (she's not a fan of BBQ sauce) and Bonnie's niece that lives with us won't eat leftovers (I would've starved as a teen).  I've made it in a slow cooker but want to try it with the smoke flavor.  I've cooked loins on the DB and they were a hit but I don't know if they could become pulled pork.  Maybe smoke it for a couple hours at 150 and then into the slow cooker??  Thanks in advance!   

[Bar-B-Lew]

Sure, you could try the smoke and then slow cooker.  I think if it was braised it can be pulled.  I know my Dad did that for pork and sauerkraut for New Year's Day the last few years.  Otherwise, make the pork shoulder and freeze your leftovers.  I usually do that every Oct/Nov so I have BBQ to eat all winter without having to go outside to cook.

[Brushpopper]

Sure, you could try the smoke and then slow cooker.  I think if it was braised it can be pulled.  I know my Dad did that for pork and sauerkraut for New Year's Day the last few years.  Otherwise, make the pork shoulder and freeze your leftovers.  I usually do that every Oct/Nov so I have BBQ to eat all winter without having to go outside to cook.

I've been trying to justify a vacuum sealer to Bonnie.  I might be able to pull it off if I say we could use it for things she likes.  Especially if she likes it with the smokey taste in the slow cooker.  And it'll give me a chance to maybe run temp tests to see if our slow cooker qualifies as a Cheap Screw Productions sous vide machine.

[SmokinHandyman]

I have never pulled a pork loin, but I have diced or chopped it up.

[Brushpopper]

I have never pulled a pork loin, but I have diced or chopped it up.

I'll let y'all know how it comes out with the combination GMG DB/slow cooker tag team.  Going to try it tomorrow.  The few times I've pulled a loin is when everything was thrown into the slow cooker.  I just want to try it with some smoke.  I made chili with hamburger I smoked for an hour or so and it was a big hit, so I figured I'll give this a go.  Now the big decision is hickory, mesquite, cherry or apple pellets.  That's all the flavors I have on hand.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I have never pulled a pork loin, but I have diced or chopped it up.

I'll let y'all know how it comes out with the combination GMG DB/slow cooker tag team.  Going to try it tomorrow.  The few times I've pulled a loin is when everything was thrown into the slow cooker.  I just want to try it with some smoke.  I made chili with hamburger I smoked for an hour or so and it was a big hit, so I figured I'll give this a go.  Now the big decision is hickory, mesquite, cherry or apple pellets.  That's all the flavors I have on hand.

If the hickory or mesquite is not 100% of that specie, I don't think you are going to notice a difference in which pellet you use.  Cherry will probably add some redish hue to the outside of the meat.  Regardless of that, looking forward to your experiment and hope it works out great for you so you have another menu item on your list.

[Trooper]

I have never done anything other than Boston Butt.
I have a friend that makes pulled pork using pork loin as the meat.
It becomes obvious that there is not enough fat content in this cut of meat to keep it from drying out. At least in her process it's really dry.

Hmmmm  dry pulled pork

[Canadian John]

 BH - The grain structure of the loin varies from the shoulder in that it doesn't lend itself well to pulling..A loin can de very dry (no fat) even if slightly overdone. MAX DONE temp is 160º, and that is pushing it. Some go as low as 145º.. Remember, there is carry- over. So depending on the rest, thickness of the loin and covered or not, the final temp will be higher by a few degrees..A loin should rest 5 to 10 min..Maple syrup or brown sugar applied before the cook adds flavour. With no fat, the taste of a plain loin is bland (to me). Let us know how it turns out.

[bregent]

I agree, not enough fat for me to take past 145-150. Even braised I find it too dry. Better off with shoulder cut into sizes that you want, and freeze the rest.

[Brushpopper]

I'm going to put it on the DB for an hour or so at 150 to get some smoke flavor and then into the slow cooker with all the other goodies until done.  I saw a small pork shoulder at HEB (our Texas grocery store).  It had way more fat than the loin does.  I'm trying stuff out, so we'll see how this turns out.  And our teen daughter is willing to try it if it has some smoke on it even though BBQ sauce will be involved.  No pressure!

[Michael_NW]

I'm assuming that the muscles in that loin are going to be pretty long compared to the ones in a shoulder? Just throwing this out there, but would it help the pulling if the loin were sliced into sections about 3" long prior to the slow cooker? Shortening the muscle length might also hasten the drying out of the meat though, so I'm not sure if that would accomplish anything. 

[pmillen]

I, too, suspect that pulled loin will be dry.  Also, it's soooo good other ways it seems a shame to cook it in a way that doesn't allow it to be at its best.

I also agree that vacuum sealing pulled butt without BBQ sauce in meal-sized packages and dropping them into boiling water to reheat them is your solution.  That vacuum sealer is also handy after Costco or Sams Club trips.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I also agree that vacuum sealing pulled butt without BBQ sauce in meal-sized packages and dropping them into boiling water to reheat them is your solution.  That vacuum sealer is also handy after Costco or Sams Club trips.

Or when I got a case of 40# of boneless, skinless chicken breasts at RD for $0.99/#

[Bentley]

Ding...Ding...Ding...We have a winner!  Not enough connective tissue to make break down into collagen and give that lovely soft texture!

It becomes obvious that there is not enough fat content in this cut of meat to keep it from drying out. At least in her process it's really dry.

[silverbullet]

I have never done anything other than Boston Butt.
I have a friend that makes pulled pork using pork loin as the meat.
It becomes obvious that there is not enough fat content in this cut of meat to keep it from drying out. At least in her process it's really dry.

Hmmmm  dry pulled pork

I will agree to this although I've never attempted pulled pork from a loin either. Always a Boston Butt,
Do yourself a favor, Get yourself a vacuum sealer. Freeze meal size pouches. So nice to have that option when there's no time to, or feel like cooking.