Spice Encrusted Smoked Pork Loin

Ingredients:

3 lb pork loin
3 tablespoons coarse red sea salt
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cayenne
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dehydrated minced onion
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon ground achiote
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper



Directions:
Whisk together all of the spices in a small bowl. Thoroughly rub the spices on all sides of the meat. Store leftover spice rub in an airtight container.

Place on one rack of your smoker. Place one chimney worth of unlit coals in the coal ring. Add two chunks of mesquite then add one chimney worth of lit coals on top. Place two chunks of apple wood on top of the lit coals. Reassemble the smoker. Fill the water bowl with cold water. Smoke for 3 1/2 hours keeping the temperature between 225-275. Optional: brown on the grill or under a broiler briefly. Allow to sit 5 minutes prior to slicing.

My thoughts:

Oh my, this was a wonderful dinner. I have never had a tastier, juiciest pork loin in my life. I've had good pork loin but none like this. Pork loin is a tricky thing, you need it to be thoroughly cooked because, well, it is pork but since it is so lean, it goes from tasty to dried out piece of wood quickly. It had a lovely light smoked flavor and the spices provided the perfect spicy note. My new favorite pork loin.