While this roast could be prepared in an oven, smoking it over apple and cherry wood adds another dimension of flavor to complement the peppercorn and mustard glaze. A boneless pork loin could also be substituted for the bone-in sirloin roast. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes as pictured here. Note: This entrée does require some advance preparation; be sure to read all the recipes before proceeding, as some of the steps are interrelated.
This recipe appears in Mike Stine’s article “Outdoor Cooking: Not Just a Summer Pastime“
Ingredients
1 (5-pound) bone-in pork sirloin roast
4 to 5 gloves garlic
2 to 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon black peppercorn
1 tablespoon green peppercorns, drained
1 tablespoon pink peppercorns
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
For the gravy:
4 tablespoons pork fat, divided
2 1/2 cups apple cider
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons flour
Instructions
Trim the excess fat from roast, and reserve. Peel the garlic cloves and slice into slivers. Using a sharp paring knife, cut into the pork roast in several areas and insert slices of garlic at varying depths. (If desired, the roast may be tied between the bones to help retain its shape during cooking as the outer layer tends to separate from the rib-eye muscle.) Brush Dijon mustard onto the meat.
Using the side of a chef’s knife, a rolling pin, or a small spice grinder coarsely crack the peppercorns and mustard seeds. In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, thyme, peppercorns, mustard seeds, and salt. Liberally apply the rub to the roast. (If desired, the roast could be prepared to this point one day ahead and held, wrapped in food film and refrigerated.) Allow the roast to come to room temperature before cooking.
In a small saucepan, melt the pork fat over medium low heat until fat renders, about 10 to 15 minutes, being careful not to allow the fat to burn. Remove cracklings, and reserve if desired. Strain the fat and reserve. (Depending on the amount of fat, it should render to about 1/3 to 1/2 cup.)
To prepare the grill dome: Fill the Grill Dome firebox with hardwood lump charcoal and light the charcoal. Allow the temperature to stabilize at 360 degrees F to 370 degrees F. (This will take about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of your Grill Dome and the amount and type of fuel. For my Grill Dome ET, the bottom vent should be open about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch and the top vent about 10 percent to maintain the desired temperature.) Add two chunks of apple wood and 1/2 cup of BBQr’s Delight cherry pellets (in an aluminum foil pouch or smoker tray) to the charcoal.
Place the pork on the cooking grate and roast 25 to 30 minutes per pound (about 2 1/2 to 3 hours) or until the pork has an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. Remove the roast from the grill, tent with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
To prepare the gravy: In a covered saucepan over medium heat, reduce 2 1/2 cups of apple cider to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 to 20 minutes.
In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, heat two tablespoons of pork fat and cook the onions until caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes (a pinch of granulated sugar will help caramelize the onions). Remove from the heat, remove the onions and reserve (do not clean the pan, as it will be used later to prepare the gravy).
Using the same sauté pan as for the onions, melt two tablespoons of pork fat (or unsalted butter) over medium high heat; add flour and cook, stirring constantly, to a blonde roux. Add reduced cider, reduce heat and simmer for three to four minutes Add two-thirds of the sautéed onions (reserve remaining onions for garnish). Return gravy to a simmer and cook for two to three minutes. (The gravy may be prepared ahead and held, refrigerated, for up to two hours. If the gravy is too thick, thin it with some apple cider or chicken stock.)
