Learn how to cure your pork loin in just a couple of hours with this flavor packed recipe. Chef Eric Gephart fires up the Kamado Joe Pellet Joe for his Quick Cured Pork Loin with Pura Vida Sauce.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Dry-brining for a full 3 hours before cooking: Seasoning the loin heavily and letting it "quick cure" in the fridge draws moisture to the surface and reabsorbs it, seasoning the meat all the way through rather than just coating the outside.
- Scoring a diamond pattern into the fat cap: Cutting through the fat before curing increases the surface area the seasoning can penetrate, and later helps the fat render and crisp more evenly during the sear.
- Roasting indirect first, then slicing and searing direct: Cooking gently to about 120°F on the indirect side first, then splitting the loin down the center and searing the newly exposed faces over direct flame, builds a deep crust on surfaces that were never actually exposed to direct heat during the initial roast.
- Rolling the halves during the sear to avoid over-caramelizing: Actively rotating the pork while it sears keeps one spot from burning while the rest stays pale, giving even color across the whole cut surface.
Category
Main Course
Cuisine
American
Servings
8
Prep Time
3 hours
Cook Time
50 minutes
Calories
263
Try Chef Eric Gephart's Quick Cured Pork Loin recipe with Pura Vida Sauce, prepared on a Kamado Joe Pellet Joe. In just a couple of hours you'll have a flavorful and delicious pork loin that your family will love!
Ingredients
- 1 Pork Loin
-
1/4 Cup Killer Hogs Texas Brisket BBQ Rub
-
1/4 Cup R Butts R Smokin' Ozark Heat BBQ Rub
- 2 Each Avocado
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
-
FUEL: 2 Chunks Hickory Wood Chunks
- 4 Tablespoons Chipotle in adobo (minced or pureed)
- 4 oz Lime Juice, Fresh Squeezed
- 6 Tablespoons Cilantro, Rough Chopped
-
2 Tablespoons Kozlik’s Triple Crunch Mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic, Fresh Chopped
-
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Salt, Kosher
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, Fresh Ground
Pura Vida Sauce
Directions
For Pura Vida:
Combine all is a bowl and whip until fully incorporated. Reserve for alter use. Whip again just before using.
Pork Loin Method:
- Trim the pork loin of any visible silver skin. Cut a diamond pattern across the top and fat cap. Season all sides liberally and allow to quick cure or dry brine in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, rinse the seasoning off and blot dry with disposable towels. Stabilize your grill at 400° F and set up for a half direct and half indirect grill face.
- Place the wood chunks in the hottest portion of the bed of coals. Once the wood chunks ignite, place the loin, fat cap side down on the indirect side of the grill and roast lid down for 20 minutes. Then flip. Roast for another 20 minutes lid down. Then remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes (loin should have an internal temp around 120° F at this point). While the pork is resting, leave the lid and draft door fully open to drive up the temperature.
Slice the pork loin directly down the center, season the newly revealed sides and then sear them on the direct flame. Be sure to roll loins around to avoid any “over caramelization” until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145° F.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why dry-brine the pork loin for a full 3 hours before cooking?
Seasoning it heavily and letting it sit in the fridge draws moisture to the surface, where it dissolves the seasoning and gets reabsorbed into the meat. This seasons the pork all the way through, rather than just coating the outside.
Why score a diamond pattern into the fat cap before curing?
Cutting through the fat first increases the surface area the seasoning can penetrate during the cure, and it also helps the fat render and crisp more evenly once the loin hits the grill.
Why slice the loin down the center and sear the newly exposed faces instead of searing the outside?
The outside was already roasted on the indirect side, but the interior faces revealed by slicing were never exposed to direct heat. Searing those cut surfaces builds a fresh crust and adds another layer of seasoning and char that roasting alone wouldn't produce.
Why roll the pork around while searing instead of leaving it in one spot?
Actively rotating the halves keeps any single spot from burning while the rest of the surface stays pale, giving even, consistent color across the whole cut face.
What internal temperature should the pork loin actually reach?
This recipe finishes it at 145°F, which matches the USDA minimum for whole-muscle pork exactly — no correction needed here.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
2 out of 5 — the dry brine and Pura Vida sauce can be done in any kitchen, but the two-stage indirect roast and direct sear rely on a real grill setup with wood chunks for smoke flavor.
Recipe Highlights
3-hour dry brine: Seasons the pork through, not just on the surface.
Scored fat cap: Improves seasoning penetration and even rendering.
Slice-then-sear method: Builds a fresh crust on interior faces the initial roast never touched.
Active rolling during sear: Keeps color even across the cut surface.
Recommended Recipes
Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 7.27 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 263
- Carbs
- 4 grams
- Protein
- 23 grams
- Fat
- 17 grams
- Sodium
- 726 milligrams
