If you’re looking for a delicious French-Cut Pork Loin Recipe, I’ve got you covered. French-cut meat may sound fancy, but it’s just a term for meat with the bone exposed. This type of cut looks gourmet and is generally cooked on special occasions. It’s a fun change of pace from your typical turkey or ham. Try it for yourself, and you’ll see what I mean!
French-Cut Pork Loin Recipe on the Big Green Egg
This delicious cut of pork is seasoned with my best-selling rubs and smothered in a decadent Dijon cream sauce. You’ll feel like a 5-star chef with every bite! Cooking it on the Kamada gives it that BBQ flair every pitmaster craves. This recipe would be great for a fancy New Year’s Eve dinner or date night.
The Ingredients
Simple ingredients come together in one harmonious, mouth-watering meal. You probably have most of these elements in your kitchen right now. If not, here’s what you need to add to your shopping list.
- French-cut pork loin. I purchased my cut of meat from Cheshire Farms. I love this brand, especially when it comes to fancier styles of meat. Everything I’ve purchased from this company has been excellent.
- Dijon mustard. Mustard is one of my favorite binders. It complements the natural flavors of the pork and helps the seasonings stick. Dijon mustard adds zest and a little style to this recipe. I also use a dash in my sauce to add a hint of tang.
- Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Jalapeño Rub. This spicy AP rub is one of my favorite ingredients. It features garlic, pepper, and a little heat on the back end. Add it to seafood, chicken, pork, and popcorn.
- Heath Riles BBQ Garlic Butter Rub. This popular rub is filled with multiple garlic notes. I use it on veggies, pork, popcorn, and eggs. It’s just that good.
- Herbs. To keep the flavor profile cohesive, I used a blend of rosemary, thyme, and sage to coat the pork loin. You’ll also find this mixture in my Dijon cream sauce. These herbs make the meat look gorgeous and taste great.
- Dry white wine. A dash of wine adds depth to the sauce and gives it a delicate flavor. If you’re worried about adding alcohol to the dish, don’t be. The alcohol evaporates during the cooking process, leaving you with nothing but flavor.
- Chicken stock and cream. Both of these elements create a hearty, thick sauce. Chicken stock pairs well with pork flavors, while cream goes with anything. Mix the two, and you have a great sauce that can go on pasta, omelets, or pork loins.
- Flour. If you want a thicker sauce, you can use flour and water to create a slurry. This is fabulous if you want to thicken liquids without altering their flavor. Start small, as the sauce thickens as it simmers.
The Smoker Setup
Here’s the leading equipment I used for this cook. To see more of my grilling must-haves, check out the Equipment and Tools section.
- Big Green Egg. This durable Kamada-style grill is more durable than most. You get the most bang for your buck, in my opinion! The Big Green Egg is a roaster, grill, smoker, and outdoor oven. It’s easy to use and has a lot of optional accessories if you like bells and whistles.
- Charcoal. I stoked the Big Green Egg with Royal Oak Charcoal and Tumbleweeds. This charcoal doesn’t use any fillers and produces pure, clean smoke. I use them just about every time with fabulous results. If you’re trying to cut down on toxins, give Royal Oak a try.
The Process for Making French-Cut Pork Loin
You can find a detailed demonstration of this cook in my recipe card and video at the bottom of this post. For now, here’s a quick overview of how I pulled these tasty French-Cut Pork Loins together.
- Fire up the grill. I stoked the Big Green Egg with Royal Oak Charcoal and fired it up to about 300℉.
- Trim the French-cut pork loin. I removed the loin from the package and removed some thicker fat pockets. I didn’t take off a lot because I wanted to protect the loin. A lot of the fat will render, so keep that in mind. I also cut my pork loin in half for easier handling.
- Add binder and seasoning. I covered the pork loin with mustard and added a hefty coating of Garlic Jalapeño Rub, followed by Garlic Butter Rub. I flipped the meat over and repeated the process on both sides. I added a sprinkle of my rosemary, thyme, and sage mixture to finish the seasoning. I let the meat sweat in while the Green Egg got up to temp.
- Start cooking. I added a couple of hickory wood chunks to the Kamada, then inserted my place-setter. I wrapped the bones on my pork loin with foil for a better presentation, but this step is optional. Then, I laid the meat on the grill in a tent shape, so the loin stood up. I let the meat cook until it reached 140℉.
- Make the Dijon cream sauce. I removed the pork loin from the grill and let it rest while I made the sauce. To make the sauce, I mixed the wine, chicken stock, broth, cream, mustard, garlic, herbs, and seasonings in a saucepan. Then, I let the mixture simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Finish and serve. I let the pork loin rest for about 30 minutes before serving. To serve, I sliced the pork loin and topped it with a little sauce. The only thing left was to dig in.
The Results
The pork loin came off the pit as juicy as possible. The presentation could win any competition! Each bite was filled with the perfect balance of herbs and seasoning. The Dijon cream sauce pulled everything together in one heavenly plate.
Serving Suggestions for French-Cut Pork Loin
This fancy dish would taste great with a side salad, rolls or crusty bread, and a glass of white wine. Of course, you can always serve it on its own, too!
Storing French-Cut Pork Loin
You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Equipment and Tools
Big Green Egg Kamada, charcoal pellets, wood pellets, Royal Oak tumbleweeds, heavy-duty aluminum foil, instant-read meat thermometer, insulated gloves for handling meat.
