Skip to main content

I love to experiment with the Cookshack Smoker, so I go to the internet (Google is my friend) and find a recipe that I might like smoked in my Elite. We were planning on pork tenderloin for dinner last night and wanted to find a brine that sounded good. Here's what I found and prepared Friday night:

Maple Bourbon Brine Recipe

2 pork tenderloins
-1 quart water
-2/3 cup kosher salt
-3/4 cup maple syrup (I used pure)
-1/2 cup bourbon (maybe a tad more)
-1 tablespoon ground mustard
-1 bay leaf
-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
-2 quarts ice

Bring all the ingredients (except the tenderloins and the ice) to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes or so. Now add the 2 qts ice to bring the brine to a cold temp. After a couple minutes add the pork tenderloins and throw into fridge overnight. Could actually brine 4 or more tenderloins in this recipe if I had used zip lock bags or such.

Here are the tenderloins ready for a little trimming and then their bath.


Here they are after the overnight brine, trimmed of a little fat and the silverskin, ends tied for evenness, rubbed and sprinkled with Williams Rib Tickler Rub.


I then threw them back into the fridge for a few hours until they were ready for the smoker. Preheat the smoker to 225* with some apple wood (apple and pork) until the smoker starts to smoke. Add the tenderloins and smoke until an internal of 135*, apprx. 45 minutes. They'll be a little pink inside. Mrs. Pags actually tossed hers into the microwave. Eeker

Sorry. No pics of the finished product. My son and his new bride dropped by to see the work we did to the house and joined us for dinner. I forgot to take a picture.

However, the tenderloins were great. Lean, moist, smoky, tender...could cut them with a fork. Could actually pick up the maple and bourbon (just slightly) flavoring. Very, very tender.
Last edited {1}
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Mine were roughly 2.25 lbs each. I'd go more rare also, but trying to appease Mrs. Pags., who still went to the microwave. Everyone else loved them. I had pork tenderloin Caesar Salad the following night. Tasty.

You've gotten into this barbecue thing big time trying different recipes Vicki, just like I did. Glad to see you're having fun with it. Enjoy the tenderloins.
Well, we just finished dinner. The loins were done at 33 minutes. Very moist and I am thinking I may have brined a bit long. 9 last nite to about 1 today. Everyone liked the texture, and I think the brine recipe added really nice flavor to the meat, but it may have been slightly hammy, but will make a perfect Sandwich over the next few days. I put a spicy rub on two and a sweet rub on the other two. I liked both, but I think the Butchers honey complimented the brine flavor well. Looking forward to slicing very thin on the slicer and piling it on a hard roll with mayo tomorrow. Oh, I think I used too much smoke. It was amazing how much the meat picked up after only 33 min. My 025 is very seasoned so I may only need some chips or nothing next time. Thanks Pags for sharing this recipe, it is a keeper. I am looking forward to making this for my neighbors.

Add Reply

Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×