Braided Smoked Pork Loin 2

INGREDIENTS (Pork Loin & Bacon):

• Boneless pork loin, 8–9 lb
  • You will lose about 1 lb of fat and silverskin and about 1 lb of red meat.
  • You an cut the red meat into stir fry meat.
• 2 lb regular-cut (not thick-cut) bacon
  • About 20 slices.
  • Sam’s 10 lb. restaurant style works well because it is very thin and packed in single layers on parchment paper.

INGREDIENTS (Injection):

• 1 cups 100% Apple juice
  • Adds Flavor + natural sweetness
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (not low sodium)
  • Adds Umami + thins the brine
• 1/2 teaspoon Pink curing salt #1 (Prague Powder)
  • Food safety for 72 h + (7-14 days) and pink color
• 1 Tablespoons Phosphate
  • Locks in 20–30% more moisture

INGREDIENTS (Under Bacon Rub):

• 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 4 teaspoons dried)
• 4 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (or 4 teaspoons dried)
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 2 tsp dried)
• 4 Tablespoons finely chopped or prepared garlic (or 4 teaspoons of garlic powder)
• 2 teaspoons salt
  • There is a lot of salt in the bacon.
• 1 teaspoon pepper

INGREDIENTS (Outer Marinade):

• Zest from two medium lemons
• Juice from two medium lemons
• 3 Tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup olive oil or clarified butter.
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut the fat and the silver skin from the loin.
   • When you remove the silver skin, you will also separate off the dark red meat from the small end of the loin.
2. Starting about 2-inches from the small end, cut the loin into three strips.
   • Leave the strips connected at the small end.
   • Cut at an angle from the upper right to the lower middle and from the upper left to the lower middle. This creates three similar sized triangle strips of meat that can be braided together.
3. Inject the entire pork loin every inch with the injection solution.
4. Rub all the exposed sides of the meat with the under bacon rub recipe.
5. Wrap each of the three legs you’ve just created in bacon. Also, wrap the 2″ chunk at the connecting end in bacon.
6. Braid the loin by crossing the right leg over the center leg, then the left leg over the center, then the right leg again, etc.
   • The bacon may get pushed around during the braiding process but it will still taste great.
7. Tie the loin together with approximately 9 feet of string.
8. Store in a plastic bag or a tupperware container in the refrigerator a minimum of 48 hours.
9. Remove the loin from the refrigerator.
10. Preheat the smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
11. Rub the braided loin with the outer marinade.
    • Stuff it into cracks and crannies.
12. Smoke using fruitwood at 225 degrees for approximately 4 hours or until the inner temperature reaches 145°F.
13. Remove from the smoker and sear the outside with a torch or on a large griddle until the outside is browned and the exposed bacon is crispy.
14. Let the meat rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.