Grilled Pork Loin Rolled with Jerk Sauce Recipe (2024)

A couple months ago I attempted to grill a wet rubbed pork tenderloin with varying success. The heart of the problem was the rub burning away during cooking, and I kindly received a reader suggestion that asked, if it burns on the outside, why not move it to the inside? Made sense to me. So I decided to tackle this predicament with one of my favorite wet rubs, jerk sauce, whose great flavor has been claimed by the intense heat of the grill during my previous forays.

Grilled Pork Loin Rolled with Jerk Sauce Recipe (1)

I love heat, and that's one of the main reasons I love Jerk sauce so much. The sauce is based on the fiery scotch bonnet pepper, and I'll take any excuse to cook with this supremely spicy, yet fruity, pepper. The only problem was that all my local groceries were currently out of it. Disappointed, but not despaired, I picked up a bunch of serranos and put them, seeds and all, into the sauce in an attempt to replicate the spiciness of the scotch bonnet.

Grilled Pork Loin Rolled with Jerk Sauce Recipe (2)

After starting with the peppers, it was time to add one flavor after another into the rub. The jerk recipe I prefer is heavy on ingredients, and produces a sauce that's equally complex on the palate. Allspice, cilantro, parsley, scallions, onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg, cinnamon, lime juice, soy sauce, rum, vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper all go in to form the sauce. By the end the rub is so deep that its hard to pick out an individual flavor, but by some divine miracle, they all work harmoniously to make a sauce like none other.

Grilled Pork Loin Rolled with Jerk Sauce Recipe (3)

To solve the problem of getting the rub inside, I chose a piece of pork that could easily be butterflied, so I could spread the sauce on a large flat piece of meat and then roll it up. The pork loin was the perfect cut for this method, and after a brine, all it took was 2 horizontal cuts to butterfly this baby open to form a large rectangle about 1/2 an inch thick. Then I spread a heavy layer of the jerk sauce evenly over the pork and began rolling.

Grilled Pork Loin Rolled with Jerk Sauce Recipe (4)

With the pork rolled, I trussed it closed in order to keep it all together while cooking and to form an uniform cylinder, ensuring the meat would cook evenly. Although I've had problems with the rub burning off and loosing its flavor in the past, I didn't want any of the leftovers to go to waste either, so I took what remained of the rub and covered the entire outside of the loin with it.

Grilled Pork Loin Rolled with Jerk Sauce Recipe (5)

Then it was off to the grill with my meat roll. I built a two zone fire and seared this baby until it was perfectly browned all over. Then it sat on the cool side of the grill, covered, until cooked until medium well. This took a while, around 45 minutes, and the wait was agonizing, but well worth it.

Grilled Pork Loin Rolled with Jerk Sauce Recipe (6)

What I produced was everything I wanted it to be. As I expected, most of the jerk seasoning on the outside burned off during the searing process, but that didn't matter much because the inside was packed with flavor. The mild pork was the perfect vehicle for the jerk sauce, letting the complexity and spice of the rub be the star of the show.

Cooking Jerk must be in the Jamaicans' blood, because they always seem to get it so right, while I've all too often gotten it wrong, but there were winds of change in this meat roll up. For once, I cooked a piece of meat that had all the intense flavor that I love in jerk foods, leading me to start scheming what will next be rolled up in a piece of meat and grilled...any suggestions?

Published on Fri Jul 25, 2008 by Joshua Bousel

Print Recipe

Pork Loin Rolled with Jerk Sauce

  • Yield 6 servings
  • Prep 30 Minutes
  • Inactive 8 Hours
  • Cook 45 Minutes
  • Total 9 Hours 15 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 3lb pork loin
  • 6 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 4 quarts of cold water
  • For the rub
  • 6 to 12 Scotch bonnet chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 bunches scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons dark run
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Procedure

  1. Dissolve the salt into the cold water to make the brine. Wash the pork loin and place it in brine, then set in the refrigerator to brine for 8 hours.
  2. While the pork is brining, place all the ingredients for the rub into a bowl of a food processor. Process until finely chopped and thoroughly combined.
  3. Remove the pork loin from the brine and rinse with water. Butterfly the pork loin into a flat rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Spread the jerk rub all over the opened side of the pork. Roll the pork close and truss with butchers twine to form a even cylinder. Spread reaming rub evenly over the outside of the pork.
  4. Light 2/3 chimney full of charcoal and when the charcoal is all lit and covered in gray ash, pour out and spread all the coals to one side of the charcoal grate, keeping the other side empty.
  5. Grill the pork loin directly over the hot coals, turning 4 times, until evenly browned all over. Move the pork to the cool side of the grill. Cover the grill and continue to cook until an instant read thermometer reads 150 degrees when inserted into the middle of the loin.
  6. Remove the pork from the grill and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the twine and cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Jerk Sauce recipe from How to Grill by Steven Raichlen

You Might Also Like

Spicy Roasted Poblano Sausage
Grilled Pork Loin with Apple-Cranberry Filling
Carne Enchilada Torta

Comments

  1. Heidi A Wow, I was literally salivating looking at these pics. Love the idea of putting the jerk seasoning inside.Posted Fri, Jul 25 2008 9:11PM

  2. LA I'm Jamaican and nothing beats good jerk (we don't use cilantro, parsley or marjoram but i'm sure your version is very good). Try it using whole fish wrapped in foil which you can throw on the grill too; you can put the rub both on the outside and inside of the fish. You could also stuff the fish before grilling. Here, steamed callaloo (a dark leafy green veggie) cooked with onions, garlic and well seasoned, is often used but you could substitute steamed spinach.Posted Sat, Jul 26 2008 9:25AM

  3. Murray The narrative discusses using a port tenderloin where the ingredients call for a 3 lb. pork loin. I'm not sure whether I have ever see a 3 lb. tenderloin so I will assume that this is a boneless pork loin. Just looking for a little clarification. Recipe looks great!Posted Sun, Jul 27 2008 12:02PM

  4. josh! @Murray: I used a boneless pork loin roast to make this. The tenderloin mentioned at the beginning is a reference to a meal a made back in May.Posted Sun, Jul 27 2008 1:19PM

  5. diva beautiful pictures and heck, one beautiful pork roll. i can't get over how juicy and tender and flavourful it all looks.Posted Sun, Jul 27 2008 8:24PM

  6. Chinya oh, this looks so good! I love everything about the way it looks and am very excited to try it out!!!!!!! thank YOU!Posted Mon, Jul 28 2008 10:03AM

  7. josh! @Chinya: I hope yours turns out as well as mine :)Posted Mon, Jul 28 2008 12:58PM

  8. [eatingclub] vancouver || js The pork looks scrumptious! Jerked and juicy: yummy! Great recipe.Posted Mon, Jul 28 2008 7:11PM

  9. Meryl Wow, does that look incredible! I want! I want!

    I hope your serranos were "good."Posted Thu, Jul 31 2008 10:02PM

  10. Madeline This looks so good! I must try this recipe. Your photos are gorgeous!Posted Tue, Aug 19 2008 5:29PM

Grilled Pork Loin Rolled with Jerk Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you roll a pork loin? ›

Roll up the pork loin around its stuffing and put it, skin-side up, on a chopping board. Run a roll of string under the far end of the pork with the roll (or long end) in your left hand and the cut end in your right hand.

Do you have to sear a pork loin before roasting? ›

Skipping a pan sear before roasting all but guarantees you'll miss out on the former. Sear and roast in the same pan: A cast iron skillet mitigates the “one more pan to wash concern” since you can sear the pork loin roast in it, add some aromatics like onions and apples, and then roast the whole thing in the oven.

What is a good side dish for jerk pork? ›

Classic Caribbean Sides
  • Festival. ...
  • Fried Plantains. ...
  • Caribbean Coleslaw. ...
  • Roasted Vegetables. ...
  • Cucumber Salad. ...
  • Mac and Cheese. ...
  • Baked Beans. Baked beans are a classic side dish that pairs perfectly with jerk pork. ...
  • Potato Salad. Potato salad is a classic side dish that pairs perfectly with jerk pork.
Mar 29, 2024

How do you cook a pork loin so it doesn't dry out? ›

Grilling
  1. First, use a high-heat area to quickly brown the meat on all sides. ...
  2. Next, move the loin to a low-heat area of the grill and cover it with foil.
  3. Now, you can roast the pork using indirect cooking for approximately one to one and a half hours, or about 20 minutes per pound of meat.
Oct 3, 2023

Does pork loin get tougher the longer you cook it? ›

but in my case it just got really dry and hard. You probably used a really lean cut of pork, like a pork loin or pork tenderloin. Because there's almost no fat on these particular cuts, the longer they cook the drier and tougher they get.

Is it better to grill or bake pork loin? ›

The answer is almost always grilled pork tenderloin. Pork, especially the pork tenderloin, takes incredibly well to the smoky char of the grill.

Should pork loin be covered when cooking? ›

For a crisp surface on your roast, be sure the oven is fully preheated before putting the roast in and don't cover the meat while roasting. Searing (quickly browning at high heat) the outside of a pork roast before continuing with cooking is a great way to seal in flavor.

Do you season pork before or after searing? ›

Season with salt and pepper: Just before cooking, sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Wait to do this until you're ready to actually put the meat in the pan, otherwise the salt draws moisture out of the meat and you'll need to pat it dry again.

What is Boston style jerk? ›

Boston is synonymous with jerk, which began as a method of cooking wild boar or pork. While in the 1940's the traditional meal served in Boston was jerk pork and roasted breadfruit, today you can find many jerk dishes, both in Boston and around the island.

What meats are good to jerk? ›

Their meat options were primarily buffalo, venison, elk, and bear. If none of those options are available, today's “jerk” can use beef. Salt and pepper are optional. If you desire a more modern recipe, you can add garlic, onion salt, a small bit of cayenne pepper, or even MSG.

What makes a dish jerk? ›

Jerk refers to a style of cooking in which the main ingredient—which most often is chicken but may also be beef, pork, goat, boar, seafood, or vegetables—is coated in spices and slow-cooked over a fire or grill traditionally composed of green pimento wood positioned over burning coals; the resulting smoke is key to the ...

Why is my pork tenderloin in two pieces? ›

The size of the pork tenderloins makes them particularly attractive to smaller families. Tenderloins commonly come two to a package, with each piece weighing 3/4 to 1 pound. The two together are perfect for a family of four. It is no accident that the tenderloins are packaged this way.

Do you cook a pork tenderloin fat side up or down? ›

Step 4: Place your pork, fat side up, in your prepared pan. Step 5: Add oiled/seasoned vegetables around your pork loin to make it a complete meal. Use vegetables that require longer cook times like potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and carrots. Step 6: Roast in a 400 F oven for 15 minutes.

Where do we use pork loin rolled? ›

Rolled loin

Pork loin is a classic roasting cut. Boned and rolled it makes a fantastically juicy and tender roast. You can leave the skin on to get lovely crackling. You can stuff the rolled loin roast to add flavour to your roast.

Do you need to wrap a pork loin? ›

Do You Wrap Pork Loin in Foil When Smoking? We don't wrap pork loin in foil when smoking because the foil prevents the smoke from flavoring the meat. Larger cuts of meat like pork butt are sometimes wrapped in foil to help speed the cooking process. But it shouldn't last long with pork loin which is a smaller cut.

What is pork roll used for? ›

It is usually eaten in what is arguably New Jersey's most popular breakfast sandwich: pork roll (or Taylor ham), egg, and cheese. This combination can be served on a croissant, English muffin, or stuffed between any two carb-loaded ends, but is most commonly eaten on a bagel (another Jersey food staple).

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jerrold Considine

Last Updated:

Views: 5826

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jerrold Considine

Birthday: 1993-11-03

Address: Suite 447 3463 Marybelle Circles, New Marlin, AL 20765

Phone: +5816749283868

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Air sports, Sand art, Electronics, LARPing, Baseball, Book restoration, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.