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Smoked Pork Lunch Meat

There’s nothing tastier than slow smoked pork piled high on a sandwich. Smoked pork loin is so delicious and so easy that you’ll never have to buy overpriced deli meat again! Making this Smoked Pork Lunch Meat is a breeze – fire up your smoker, and let’s get cooking!

Sliced Smoked Pork Lunch Meat on a cutting board.

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This is a delicious and fabulous way to save some money. Using affordable pork loin and making your own rub, you can make your own Smoked Pork Lunch Meat and freeze it for lunches throughout the week or month.

I’ll buy a whole pork loin when they go on sale. Then, I’ll break it down into a few roasts, maybe some chops, and the rest I save for smoking. I will smoke a huge piece at a time, 4-5 pounds worth, then slice and freeze it to make flavorful sandwiches.

A top down shot of smoked pork lunch meat on a cutting board with buns in the background.

The rub that’s on this pork loin is SO CRAZY GOOD! It’s sweet and spicy and is packed with flavor. The best part is that it’s not loaded with salt, and by making it yourself, you don’t have to shell out bucks for fancy rubs.

But my favorite part about smoking pork loin for sandwiches is how quick a smoke this is. The pork takes on a lovely smoke flavor without spending hours on the smoker. And when you cook to temp – and not to time – you can pull it off at 145-F and let it rest so that it’s perfectly juicy every time.

What you’ll love about Smoked Pork Lunch Meat


  • So easy! No brining and no curing!
  • The sweet & spicy rub is crazy good!
  • Sliced pork for sandwiches freezes well for sandwiches anytime!

I make all my smoked lunch meats on a Traeger pellet grill and smoker, but you can use any smoker. The key to making great sliced pork is consistent and low smoking temperature. If your smoker can handle that, you can make this easy pork lunch meat recipe.

Ingredients

  • Pork loin – Boneless, 2-3 pounds (or more).
  • Brown sugar – Packed. Dark brown sugar gives the best flavor but use what you have.
  • Chili powder – Fresh spices are always best!
  • Chipotle powder
  • Paprika
  • Ground mustard
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Pepper
Spice rub ingredients for smoked pork lunch meat.
Sweet & Spicy Rub ingredients.

You’ll Also Need

  • Traeger smoker – Or any other smoker.
  • Smoker pellets – I love using applewood pellets with pork.
  • Digital meat thermometer – Always cook to temp, not time.

How To Make The Best Smoked Pork For Sandwiches

  1. Fire up your Traeger – or another smoker – and preheat it to 180F.
  2. Mix the brown sugar, chili powder, chipotle powder, paprika, ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
  3. Rub the pork loin all over with the spice rub.
  4. Smoke the pork loin at 180-F for about 30 minutes, then turn the heat to 225-F and continue smoking until the pork loin reaches 145-F on a digital meat thermometer.
  5. Rest the pork for about 30 minutes, then pop it into the fridge for about 4 hours or overnight.
  6. Slice the pork loin across the grain into thin deli slices.
  7. Make your favorite sandwich with the sliced pork, and enjoy!

Recommended

How To Slice Meat For Sandwiches

You can get perfect deli meat slices at home – just follow these tips and tricks!

  • Cold meat will always slice better – and thinner – than hot/warm meat. I always chill the meat thoroughly before slicing.
  • Use a good meat slicer – they’re not overly expensive, and if you do a lot of smoking/cooking, they come in handy! Just remember, you get what you pay for. A cheap slicer won’t slice well.
  • Most home slicers won’t do shaved meats well, so adjust the thickness until you get the slices you’re happy with.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

  • Pork loin is fabulous, and if you cook to temp – not time – and pull it at 145-F, it’ll be moist, juicy, and flavorful.
  • This is a short smoke, so pellet flavor doesn’t really matter. Use what you’ve got.
  • Because you’re not overcooking the pork, there’s no need to brine it.
  • This rub makes enough to liberally coat a 2-3 pound chunk of pork loin. Double it if you need more – just be sure to discard any rub that comes in contact with the pork or any pork juices.
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Serving Suggestions

Serve this succulent lunch meat on a sandwich on your favorite bread or bagel – here are the best gluten-free bagels. I also love serving this on a charcuterie board or just nibbling on it as a snack. And don’t forget to save some sliced pork to make Cubano sandwiches or sliders. Serve your tasty sandwich with a slice of this Peach and Pecan Custard Pie for dessert!

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Sliced pork lunch meat on a cutting board with buns in the background.
Print Pin
4.73 from 11 votes

Smoked Pork Lunch Meat

Packed with flavor and oodles of smoky flavor, this Smoked Pork Lunch Meat is better than anything you'll get at your grocery store deli! Pile it high on your favorite sandwiches and dig in!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword deli slices, lunch meat, pellet smoker, pork loin, smoked pork, smoked pork loin, smoker, smoker recipes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 209kcal
Author Chef Jenn

Ingredients

  • 3 pound pork loin
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons chipotle powder
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground mustard
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt use half as much table salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Fire up your Traeger – or another smoker – and preheat it to 180F.
  • Mix the brown sugar, chili powder, chipotle powder, paprika, ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
  • Rub the pork loin all over with the spice rub.
  • Smoke the pork loin at 180-F for about 30 minutes, then turn the heat to 225-F and continue smoking until the pork loin reaches 145-F on a digital meat thermometer.
  • Rest the pork for about 30 minutes, then pop it into the fridge for about 4 hours or overnight.
  • Slice the pork loin across the grain into thin deli slices.
  • Make your favorite sandwich with the sliced pork, and enjoy!

Notes

Chef Jenn’s Tips

  • Pork loin is fabulous, and if you cook to temp – not time – and pull it at 145-F, it’ll be moist, juicy, and flavorful.
  • This is a short smoke, so pellet flavor doesn’t really matter. Use what you’ve got.
  • Because you’re not overcooking the pork, there’s no need to brine it.
  • This rub makes enough to liberally coat a 2-3 pound chunk of pork loin. Double it if you need more – just be sure to discard any rub that comes in contact with the pork or any of the pork juices.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ounces | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 547mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.

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Sliced Smoked Pork Lunch Meat on a cutting board with buns in the background.
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