Content
- 1 The value and calorie content of the product
- 2 Principles and methods of smoking loin
- 3 How to prepare a loin for hot and cold smoking
- 4 Hot smoked loin recipe in a smokehouse
- 5 How to smoke a loin with garlic and carrots
- 6 Cooked-smoked loin recipe
- 7 Cold smoked loin
- 8 Professional advice
- 9 Storage rules
- 10 Conclusion
Self-preparation of meat delicacies will significantly diversify the menu, as well as please family and friends with new tastes. Home-cooked and smoked loin is a simple recipe that even an inexperienced cook can handle. Strict adherence to the instructions and recommendations presented will allow you to get a finished product of the highest quality.
The value and calorie content of the product
Pork is the most common meat in most regions of Russia. One of the best parts is the loin - the cut of the dorsal portion that lies between the ribs. Traditionally, only a clean tenderloin is used for dishes, however, for processing, they often retain a small fat layer and the adjacent bone. When smoked, these parts will create an additional flavor and aroma note.
Smoked pork loin is not only tasty, but also a healthy delicacy
A properly cooked piece of meat with fat and bone is a rather fatty food. 100 g of boiled-smoked pork loin according to GOST contains about 330 kcal. Nutritional value of the finished product:
- proteins - 15 g;
- fats - 30 g;
- carbohydrates - 0 g.
You can make the dish more dietary by completely removing all the pieces of fat. In small quantities, such a delicacy will be useful for people looking after their health. Hot smoked loin is perfectly absorbed by the body. Regular consumption of such meat strengthens bone tissue and helps to build muscle mass.
Principles and methods of smoking loin
There are several common approaches to smoky pork. The most popular methods include hot and cold smoke treatment in special smokehouses. In the first case, the loin is placed in a container, which is placed directly on the fire or lighted coals. The second method involves the use of a smoke generator that saturates the product with smoke for a long time.
Since pieces of pork are most often of impressive size, housewives use a combined method. Many recipes for smoking pork loin use pre-cooking. In such cases, even a short-term heat treatment will ensure full readiness of the product, regardless of the time spent in the smokehouse.
Smoking time and temperature
The rules for preparing delicacies in a smokehouse apply to pork in the same way as to other dishes. To smoke hot smoked loin, it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature of 120-140 degrees in the chamber. This heat is retained for 30 minutes - this time is enough for browning and impregnating with the aroma of smoke. For cold smoking, the temperature is about 40 degrees with a procedure duration of 12-24 hours, depending on the size of the piece used.
How to prepare a loin for hot and cold smoking
Proper processing of meat before cooking will ensure that you get the highest quality delicacy.The first point before smoking is the choice of the loin for the future product. The butcher shops offer a wide range of pork. It is recommended to use a clean fillet with a small layer of fat on the side.
In no case should you use frozen pork - its structure has changed, so when smoked, such meat can fall apart. Fresh or chilled pieces are best. The color of the loin is uniform, without cloudy spots and bruises. A pleasant aroma should come from the meat.
Depending on your culinary preference, you can keep the ribs and lard or remove them entirely.
After the loin for smoking has been selected, it is recommended to trim off the excess fat adjacent to the bone from it. The next step is salting or pickling. Skipping these procedures can lead to serious health problems - salt completely destroys possible harmful organisms. It is especially important to follow the rules of salting for a cold-smoked delicacy.
How to pickle a loin for smoking
Although smoked meat gains a unique taste and aroma, the absence of salt and spices in modern cooking is considered an unaffordable luxury for the perfect delicacy. Prolonged marinating will not only protect against possible parasites, but also add bright notes to the dish. To prepare the brine, use:
- 4 liters of water;
- 500 g of salt;
- 10 bay leaves;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 20 g peppercorns.
The garlic is crushed with a crusher and added to salt, pepper and bay leaves. All ingredients are poured with water and mixed thoroughly. Water is poured into a large saucepan, spices are added to it and boiled for 5-10 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, the loin, cut into portions, is placed in a container. Marinating lasts 24 to 48 hours depending on the size used. This volume of brine will be enough to prepare a piece of 2-2.5 kg.
How to salt a loin for smoking
The addition of a large amount of salt allows not only to enhance the taste of the finished product, but also to significantly improve the texture of the meat. Dry salting will allow you to draw out excess liquid from the loin. It will take a longer time for the spices to completely saturate all the meat compared to marinating. Salting the loin for smoking at home lasts from 3 to 5 days.
For salting, a special aromatic mixture for pork is most often used. For its preparation, 20 g of ground black pepper, 5 chopped cloves of garlic and a few bay leaves are added to 1 kg of salt. Rub the loin on all sides with the prepared mixture and put it in the refrigerator. When the product is ready to smoke, it is rinsed in water and wiped off with a paper towel.
Hot smoked loin recipe in a smokehouse
Before you start preparing a delicacy, it is recommended to prepare the coals. You should not put the smoker on an open fire - this is fraught with instantaneous burning of chips and the transfer of a burning smell to the meat. The best way is to make the coals for a kebab. They are bred in the grill or the remains of an open fire are used.
The duration of heat treatment with hot smoking does not exceed an hour
The next step is to prepare the smokehouse. Several handfuls of wood chips soaked earlier are poured into it. Place a container for fat on top. Depending on the device of the smokehouse, grates or hangers with hooks are installed in it. A salted loin is placed on them. The lid of the device is hermetically closed and placed on the prepared coals.
Vigorous smoke production will start soon. It is recommended to release it every 5-10 minutes, slightly opening the lid of the smokehouse. Cooking takes about 40-50 minutes. The delicacy is cooled and served.
How to smoke a loin with garlic and carrots
To obtain a brighter taste of the finished product, many housewives use various techniques. The most popular is the stuffing of meat with garlic and carrots. To prepare such a delicacy, you will need:
- 1 kg of loin salted earlier;
- 1 small carrot;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 50 g of salt;
- spices to taste.
In fresh meat, shallow cuts are made into which pieces of fresh carrots and garlic are inserted. Then the loin must be salted with the addition of black pepper and aromatic herbs - basil, marjoram and thyme. A piece is evenly rubbed on all sides, wrapped in foil, put under oppression and put in the refrigerator for a day. The finished product is cleaned of salt and washed in running water.
Carrots and garlic make the meat taste brighter and more balanced
The coals and the smokehouse are prepared for traditional hot smoking. For a brighter flavor, it is recommended to use soaked cherry chips. A fat container and grates are placed on top, on which pork is placed. Smoking lasts about an hour with occasional release of excess smoke.
Cooked-smoked loin recipe
The biggest problem for most gourmet food lovers is the potential for raw meat after a short heat treatment. The recipe for boiled-smoked pork loin allows you to reduce the problem to zero. To do this, previously salted meat is placed in boiling water and boiled for 5 to 10 minutes. The loin is then immediately removed and wiped off with a paper towel.
Cooked-smoked delicacy guarantees complete readiness of the meat from the inside
The meat is placed in a prepared smokehouse, which is exposed to hot coals. The process takes no more than 1 hour. Every 10 minutes the lid of the appliance is opened slightly to remove excess smoke. The finished dish is slightly cooled and served.
Cold smoked loin
This method will allow you to get a more expensive delicacy. Cold smoked loin at home is valued higher due to the time spent - the cooking time can reach 24 hours. A prerequisite for such a dish is a smoke generator capable of providing continuous supply of smoke over a long period.
Cold smoked pork is the most valuable delicacy
Prepared meat is placed in a smokehouse and hermetically closed. A smoke generator filled with chips moistened earlier is connected to it. Cooking times can vary significantly depending on the size. For a kilogram piece of meat, 15-18 hours is enough. The cold smoked loin is removed from the smokehouse and, according to the recipe, is ventilated in the open air for 30-60 minutes to remove excess smoke.
Professional advice
It is quite easy to change the taste of a smoked delicacy, therefore culinary experts recommend strictly adhering to the amount of spices used in the recipe. The greatest care should be taken with aromatic herbs such as thyme, rosemary and marjoram. At the same time, a slight increase in the amount of peppercorns or bay leaves will definitely not spoil the finished dish.
When preparing hot-smoked boiled-smoked loin, you should pay special attention to the primary heat treatment. It is best to make the water fairly salty. The ideal proportion is considered to be 50 g of salt per 1 liter of liquid. Many housewives add garlic, chopped onions and other seasonings to boiling water to enhance the final taste.
Storage rules
Although smoking can significantly increase the shelf life of the finished product, the pork delicacy cannot boast of long-term preservation of consumer qualities.Already a week after cooking, it is recommended to dispose of the leftovers of hot smoked meat, even with constant storage in the refrigerator. When using the cold method, the meat will retain its consumer properties for 2-3 weeks.
The right conditions for the smoked pork delicacy are essential. Given its rather powerful scent, it is recommended to place it in an airtight container on a separate shelf. The temperature should not exceed 3-4 degrees.
Conclusion
Home-cooked and smoked loin is an excellent delicacy that will diversify the usual menu. Several cooking methods make it possible to choose the perfect recipe according to gastronomic preferences.
