Disappointing pork loin - can I do this?

K

karennoca

Well-known member
I marinated a beautiful, boneless 2 1/2 lb pork loin in a fabulous marinade for two days. Set in on a bunch of Vidalia onions with fresh sage, and cooked to just below the proper temp. for pork. It was very chewy. The pork these days has no fat!

So I am thinking today I am going to put it in my slow cooker with a batch of homemade bbq sauce I have in the freezer, adding a little cider vinegar to the mix. Do you think it will break down to a tender hunk that I can shred for pulled pork sandwiches?

 
Sadly, this has happened to me. I tried the Crockpot, did not work well,.... I used ours for

Pork Fried Rice, Pork nachos, Pork Tacos, etc. I was never able to make it moist again.....
Let me know what works for you!

 
I think you are correct--it won't work. She can mince it and put it with some BBQ

sauce or do as you and make lo mein or tacos or such as you did.

 
My pork loin came out moist, very tasty and I liked it so much better than the fatty pork shoulder

I usually use. I used a recipe from Food Network which called for shoulder. I reseasoned the meat, put it in the crock pot (it was alrady browned nicely) and put in a mix of more spices, apple cider vinegar and tomato paste, along with all the sweet onions which had cooked under the roast and three Jimmy Nardello sweet peppers. I cooked on low from 8 am to 2 am until the roast fell apart. I then shredded it and put it back in with the veggies and juices and kept on low for one more hour. At the finish, I drizzled just a tad good balsamic over and mixed well. Even my hubby commented on how good it was without all the usual fat which we have to let congeal first. Having it again tonight. We served on Mexican Bolillo rolls with coleslaw made from green and red cabbage and shredded carrots, lightly dressed with mayo, vinegar, tad sugar, lemon juice and celery seed. Very yummy!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-pulled-pork-sandwiches-recipe.html

 
You can do a pork loin in the crockpot from the beginning and get it to that soft

nice pulled pork stage. The fatty pork butt with its collagen and fat is traditional, and it isn't a low fat meal but we don't have it often so it is a "treat" done the Carolina way.
You can get the meat to that temp where all the collagen breaks down WHEN you start it low and slow. That temp is 190*. When you roast it, it will get to maybe 175* and be like cardboard. But you can't take back what has been done in the roasting. Hence, that is why putting an already roasted piece in the crockpot won't really tenderize it any. The proteins have been "cooked".
I make a braised pork loin with apples and onions (winter dish) that is cooked low and slow (braised) and as you say, is falling apart and delicious.

 
Charley, my pork loin was not cooked to well done, but a little under and it was chewy

It was more on the medium side. Yes, it did come out nice and moist and it did break down to that soft meat that was very easy to pull apart. It had a thin fat cap on top. But I did not get all the fat that comes from a pork shoulder which I have to make a day ahead in order to let the fat congeal. I really think the vinegar helped. At the end of all this, it was a very good dinner and I am pleased I experimented with it by braising in my Crock Pot.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top