Name: BBQ Pineapple Pork Loin
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 1 gallon cold water; 3 1/2 cups brown sugar; 8 teaspoons pink salt ((cure 1)); Slap Yo’ Daddy "Love Me Tender" All Purpose Rub (to taste); 3 pounds pork loin; 4 tablespoons salted butter; 1/2 cup white sugar; 2 tablespoons karo syrup; 1/4 cup orange juice; 6 tablespoons pineapple juice ((reserved from the canned pineapple slices below)); 1 (15 ounce) can sliced pineapple (grilled (reserve the juice)); 1 small jar maraschino cherries

Traditional flavors with a smokey twist, pork loin is brined, smoked, then topped with a pineapple glaze and finished with cherries. This dish is reminiscent of the classic holiday meal of smoked ham. Both are sweet, salty, juicy, and fun to look at.

When brining the pork make sure that you weigh it down so it is completely submerged. If it floats to the top of your brining container, only part of the meat will be brined. A heavy bowl or plate, or a clean rock or brick should do the trick.

You can adjust the level of sweetness in the final dish depending on what type of canned pineapple you use. For a sweeter end result, use pineapple packed in syrup. For a less sweet meal, use pineapple packed in water or juice.

Swipe to see all photos

Looking down onto a glazed pork loin topped with pineapple rings and cherries.

This smoked pork loin has a very similar look to a glazed ham, topped with pineapple rings and cherries.

A close up of a seasoned and trussed pork loin.

Try to tie the pork loin in a uniform shape so it smokes evenly.

A pork loin submerged with a rock in a vat of brine.

To ensure the pork loin is completely submerged in the brine, weigh it down with something heavy, like a clean rock.

Slices of a smoked and glazed pork loin on a cutting board, topped with pineapple slices and a cherry.

Smoking the pork loin long and slow results in juicy and flavorful meat.

BBQ Pineapple Pork Loin Recipe

Harry Soo

reviews

Traditional flavors with a smokey twist, pork loin is brined, smoked, then topped with a pineapple glaze and finished with cherries.

Print Review

Preparation 30

Cook 1

Glazing 20

Ready in 1 50

Servings

CourseDinner

InfluenceGlobal

DifficultySeasoned

MethodSmoke

Print Review

Ingredients

Curing Brine

1 gallon cold water
3 1/2 cups brown sugar
8 teaspoons pink salt (cure 1)
Slap Yo’ Daddy "Love Me Tender" All Purpose Rub to taste
3 pounds pork loin

Pineapple Glaze

4 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons karo syrup
1/4 cup orange juice
6 tablespoons pineapple juice (reserved from the canned pineapple slices below)

Pineapple Garnish

1 (15 ounce) can sliced pineapple grilled (reserve the juice)
1 small jar maraschino cherries

Equipment

toothpicks
butcher’s twine
smoker

Directions

Curing Brine

Mix the water, brown sugar, pink salt, and Slap Yo’ Daddy "Love Me Tender" All Purpose Rub in a large container.
Soak the pork for 48 hours in the curing brine. Weigh it down so it is submerged.

Pork Loin

Discard the brine and soak the pork for an additonal 2 hours in cold water to remove any excess salt. Pat dry, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook it.
Lay the flattened loin on its side and press down to give it a more rounded shape. Truss snugly with Butcher's twine to give a more rounded shape.
Heat your BBQ pit up to 250 degrees F (121 degrees C) using briquettes.
Add two tennis-sized chunks of apple wood and smoke in the pit until the pork reaches an internal temp of 130 degrees F (55 degrees C), about 30 minutes per pound of pork.

Pineapple Glaze

Melt the butter, sugar, syrup, orange juice, and pineapple juice in a saucepan over medium heat.
Pour the glaze over the ham.
Return to the smoker and cook for 5 minutes or until the glaze is set, repeat the process for a shinier glaze.

Pineapple Garnish

Arrange the grilled pineapples on the glazed ham.
Put cherries on toothpicks and place in the center of the pineapple hole.
Glaze the pork and pineapple one more time.
Return to the smoker and cook for 10 minutes or until the glaze is set and the pineapple rings are starting to get some caramelization.
Remove and tent with foil and rest for 10 to 15 minutes to redistribute the juices.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 995kcalCarbohydrates: 162gProtein: 51gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 3345mgPotassium: 1068mgFiber: 1gSugar: 159gVitamin A: 267IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 2mg