Grill-Roasted Pork Loin - Cooks Illustrated

Published July 1, 2005.

Inexpensive and easy to find, a boneless pork loin roast seems nicely suited to grilling. Why, then, is it so often dry and flavorless?

The Problem

Today's leaner pork dries out considerably when cooked with a dry-heat method like grilling.

The Goal

We wanted to produce a succulent roast with a deep brown crust and aromatic, smoke-flavored meat.

The Solution

First, we chose the best cut. Our top choice--the blade-end roast--was moist and flavorful and was the hands-down winner over center-cut, sirloin, and tenderloin roasts. Next, we brined the roast and coated it with coarsely ground pepper. We then used a two-step grilling process: searing the roast directly over hot coals and finishing it over indirect heat. The final step was removing the roast from the grill when the internal temperature reached 140 degrees, then allowing it to rest until the temperature rose to an ideal 150 degrees.

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