Make the dry spice rub by placing spices in a medium sized bowl. Mix well, to fully combine ingredients. Cover roast with about 1/3 cup of the dry spice rub, patting it onto the surface of the meat, making sure to cover all sides. *You will have leftover spice rub- SEE RECIPE NOTES BELOW)*. When done, set roast aside until ready for smoker.
When ready to begin, turn the Traeger grill to the SMOKE setting. Let it fire up for 4-5 minutes, with the lid OPEN. Once grill is smoking, turn the temperature gauge to 225° F. Close the lid on the grill and let it preheat for 10 to 15 minutes. We used mesquite pellets.
Once the grill/smoker is preheated, place an aluminum pan with 2 cups of apple juice into a corner (this will help keep some nice moisture in the grill during the long smoking process). Another option for this is to use a spray bottle and spritz the apple juice onto the roast about once an hour, if desired. Place the seasoned pork loin roast on the grill, FAT SIDE UP. Insert the temperature probe into thickest part of meat (but not touching any bones). Roast the pork for 3 hours, with the lid closed.
After pork has smoked/roasted for 3 hours, transfer the roast into an aluminum pan, and place back onto grill (with temperature probe still attached). Continue to cook the smoked pork loin roast for 5-6 hours, or until the temperature in the thickest part of the meat reaches an internal temperature of 190° F.
Remove roast from grill. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil, and let the meat rest for approximately 30 minutes. Pour any accumulated juices in the pan into a separate container (or gravy separator). Transfer the roast to a cutting board.
While the pork is still quite hot, slice it, or pull the pork into chunks or shred with two forks. Be sure to discard any fat or bones that you find (nobody wants a big bite of THAT!). You can add additional seasoning rub (and a little of the reserved juices) to the meat at this point OR a favorite BBQ sauce (if using pork to make sandwiches). Serve sliced or pulled, with or without and enjoy the delicious smoky flavor!
NOTE: As written, dry rub recipe makes almost 2 cups. I cut the recipe for the dry rub in half. The quantities are easy to cut in half (except for the 1/3 cup of dark brown sugar. If cutting brown sugar in half, use 2 Tablespoons PLUS 2 teaspoons brown sugar). If halved, you'll end up with about 1 cup of spice rub, which is enough for 3 pork roasts or chickens (about 3 pounds each). Each roast uses about 1/3 cup of the rub to cover. Store leftover spice mix in airtight sealed container.
Traeger Smoked Pork Loin Roast https://www.thegratefulgirlcooks.com/traeger-smoked-pork-loin-roast/