This smoked pork loin is the kind of meal that turns a regular backyard BBQ into something special. It’s juicy, easy to make, and packed with flavor — whether you go classic or try injecting it with something bold like creole butter.
Let’s fire up the Pit and dig in.
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
Aside from being a simple cook, this recipe let me try something new — injecting one half of the pork loin and leaving the other half plain. I wanted to see how much of a difference an injection could make. Spoiler alert: I was impressed. It was juicy either way, but the creole butter gave it an extra kick and richness that I’ll definitely play around with more in the future.
🥩 Know Your Cut
Before you get started, it’s important to know this recipe is for pork loin, not pork tenderloin. The loin is thicker and better for smoking low and slow. Tenderloin is smaller and better suited for high heat, fast cooking.
🔪 Prepping the Pork
Trim the Loin
Start by trimming off any silver skin and excess fat — it can block your rub from getting into the meat.
Slice and Set Up
Cut the loin in half lengthwise. This helps it cook a little faster and gives you the chance to test two different rubs or injections if you’re in the mood to experiment.
(Optional) Injection
If you want to test out injections, fill a meat injector with creole butter and inject the pork loin in a checkerboard pattern, spacing out your injections every inch or so. I used a tip with a single opening at the end — it helps control the flow a bit better.
Note: It can get a little messy, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly. And the payoff is worth it.
Add the Rub
On the injected half, I used the leftover butter as a binder before applying a Carolina-style mustard and vinegar rub. On the non-injected half, I skipped the binder and went straight to rubbing. Either way, get a nice, even coating on all sides.
🔥 Smoking the Pork
Preheat your smoker to 225°F using indirect heat. Hickory or fruit wood both work great — I used hickory this time, and the smell as it cooked reminded me of bacon in the best way.
Once your smoker is up to temp:
Place the loins directly on the grates.
Insert a temperature probe if you have one (recommended).
Let it cook until it hits an internal temperature of 145°F — this usually takes around 2 hours, depending on the size.
🕒 Don’t overshoot 145°F. Pork can dry out quickly when overcooked.
Once it’s done, pull the pork off the smoker and let it rest for 10–15 minutes to let the juices redistribute.
💭 Final Thoughts
Injection Results
I was skeptical about whether injecting would make a real difference — and while the plain side was still juicy and flavorful, the injected half came out even juicier. The kick from the creole butter was a great addition. No leaking during the cook, and the flavor held strong. It’s definitely something I’ll be experimenting with more in future cooks.
Sauce Suggestion
While this pork is delicious on its own, it also pairs perfectly with Alabama White Sauce. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend checking out my white sauce recipe — it was an amazing combo with this cook.
🔥 So fire up the pit, and let’s grill and chill.
Smoked Pork Loin (Juicy, Flavorful & Perfect for Experimenting)
This smoked pork loin is the kind of meal that turns a regular backyard BBQ into something special. It's juicy, easy to make, and packed with flavor — whether you go classic or try injecting it with something bold like creole butter.
