Tangy Porkloin.
One of my favorite ways to prepare pork: with hickory smoke & booze! This Recipe has it all. Tequila, Cilantro, Lime and Chili. All served up with fresh Yogurt Lemon dip. I even have a wine Suggestion. Recipe after the Jump.
Marinate:
1/4 cup Olive Oil.
2 Tablespoons Tequila
2 Limes
1 Orange
1 Lemon
2 tablespoons Chili Power (ancho if have it)
1 head Minced Garlic
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon Kosher Salt
Lemon Yogurt Sauce:
1 Liter Plain Balkan Style Yogurt
2 Leafs of Fresh Mint - Minced
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 small hand full Fresh Dill. - Minced
Zest from 1 lemon.
I purchased a whole boneless pork loin from the local grocery store, labeled as "oven roast" anytime you see "oven roast" on a large piece of meat in the grocery store you can translate it to this: BBQ indirect method.
Marinate:
Combine all ingredients in your favorite mixing bowl, make sure you chop garlic and cilantro as fine as you can get it - if you want to use you kitchen power tools - one of the those tiny kitchen choppers can be your friend. You will also need to add both the zest and the juice from the citrus ingredients. Place the pork loin and the marinate in a zip top bag, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, no more than 36 hours.
Lemon Yogurt Sauce:
Place yogurt in a cheesecloth sac and suspend inside a pyrex style measuring cup and let the excess liquid drain in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Keep in mind that low fat yogurt has more water in it, and will yield you less yogurt for your sauce. Once you yogurt has been drained, add the rest of the chopped ingredients and mix well with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 1 additional hour to let the flavors combine. I usually make the sauce the day before.
Cooking:
As you can see from the photo, I am using the "indirect method" the burners under the meat are not turned on. In this case i have 4 burner bbq, if you have a 2 burner set up, just put the meat on one side and turn the opposite burner on. For Charcoal, arrange coals around the meat leaving area under the meat free of charcoal. This method using convection to cook the meat, and will avoid flareups as there is no flame under the meat to catch things on fire. Avoid opening the lid on the bbq when using this method as it will take longer for the inner chamber to rebound from the loss of heat, and will make your meat a little rubbery.
Soak 1lb of Hickory chips in water for 1/2 hour drain divide into 4 small or 2 large foil pouches.
Cook the meat at 300f for 2 - 3 hours. Cook Pork to an internal temperature of no more than 160f using instant read thermometer. Add a new foil pouch of wood chips about every 35 minutes or when the smoke stops. Make sure you rest the meat wrapped in tin foil for at least 10 Minutes before slicing.
Serving:
Cut into 1/4-1/2 inch medallion style slices and fan out on the plate, dollip a bit of the yogurt sauce, and feel free to garnish with fresh mint leaves. I like to serve this with a un-oaked chardonnay or a chablis - Something with a bit of a citrus kick. I served a 2003 VQA Trius Chardonnay.

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