Smoked Pork Chops?
- Thread starter Joe P
- Start date
Joe,
I'm not entirely sure, I'm betting that those are pretty tasty, but different than anything that you would end up smoking at home. I've smoked a pork chop or two at home and they have been excellent. The biggest difference being that the ones at the store are pink through out and the ones I've done at home only have a slight smoke ring.
My best results on smoked pork chops has been on my grill. Searing and then indrectly cooking them with a packet of pellets. Juicy and smokey.
I'm sure someone will tell you more about the whole thing and how they will differ. I hope that helps.
Josh
I'm not entirely sure, I'm betting that those are pretty tasty, but different than anything that you would end up smoking at home. I've smoked a pork chop or two at home and they have been excellent. The biggest difference being that the ones at the store are pink through out and the ones I've done at home only have a slight smoke ring.
My best results on smoked pork chops has been on my grill. Searing and then indrectly cooking them with a packet of pellets. Juicy and smokey.
I'm sure someone will tell you more about the whole thing and how they will differ. I hope that helps.
Josh
adam clyde
TVWBB Pro
If they are pink throughout, then I bet they were completely cured before they were smoked... so, more like what Rich said in his post.
Steve Abrams
TVWBB Pro
I'd brine them before smoking. Keeps them moist and tasty.
Gary R Miller
TVWBB Super Fan
Well I am thinking they are brined as well. But are cold smoked then which will give them the all pink ness. This is something I have always wanted to do but never took the time to really search it. A Friend of mine says he has an old time soke book but we haven't been able to connect recently.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Yes, Rita, curing would cause the color.
Gary, they could be cured dry or in a brine cure. Both would cause the rosy color and either is required for cold smoking (commercial products tend to be cured in solution--or injected--because it's cheaper and faster). Curing for cold or low-smoking is not difficult to do. Many of us here do our own bacons and cured sausages. The book Rita mentions is a good place to start. Here.
Gary, they could be cured dry or in a brine cure. Both would cause the rosy color and either is required for cold smoking (commercial products tend to be cured in solution--or injected--because it's cheaper and faster). Curing for cold or low-smoking is not difficult to do. Many of us here do our own bacons and cured sausages. The book Rita mentions is a good place to start. Here.
Tom Barineau
TVWBB Super Fan
Smoked Pork Loin Ham **
4-5 pound pork loin
1 quart water (or to cover)
1/2 cup Morton's Tenderquick or 1 1/3 teaspoon
prague powder
2 cups maple syrup
Put the loin in a 2 gallon ziplock bag.
Mix the ingredients and then pour into ziplock covering the loin. Place in dish and in the refrigerator for 5 days. Swoosh it around every day so that meat is covered (careful not to let the bag come unzipped).
On cooking day, remove the loin from the brine and rinse it really well, then pat dry and leave out on the counter while the WSM gets ready. Smoke at 225 with hickory (about 2 hours). Take it off at 140-145.
**The above recipe I got off the internet, so it is not mine.
We used a boneless pork loin.
You can order the Morton's Tenderquick from Morton's website if you cannot find it locally. I can't speak for the prague powder.
Most important thing that we found we had to do in order to approach the smoked pork chops you can buy was that we injected the loin in many places so as to get the brine uniformly throughout it. Our first try without injecting resulted in smoked pork chop taste only on the outside and that disappeared overnight in the fridge.
Also, we used 1/2 cup honey and 1 1/2 cup sugar cane syrup rather than the two cups of maple syrup, but that is just to suit our southern tastebuds.
Search this site. I believe Mr. Minion and possibly others have done this.
Tom
4-5 pound pork loin
1 quart water (or to cover)
1/2 cup Morton's Tenderquick or 1 1/3 teaspoon
prague powder
2 cups maple syrup
Put the loin in a 2 gallon ziplock bag.
Mix the ingredients and then pour into ziplock covering the loin. Place in dish and in the refrigerator for 5 days. Swoosh it around every day so that meat is covered (careful not to let the bag come unzipped).
On cooking day, remove the loin from the brine and rinse it really well, then pat dry and leave out on the counter while the WSM gets ready. Smoke at 225 with hickory (about 2 hours). Take it off at 140-145.
**The above recipe I got off the internet, so it is not mine.
We used a boneless pork loin.
You can order the Morton's Tenderquick from Morton's website if you cannot find it locally. I can't speak for the prague powder.
Most important thing that we found we had to do in order to approach the smoked pork chops you can buy was that we injected the loin in many places so as to get the brine uniformly throughout it. Our first try without injecting resulted in smoked pork chop taste only on the outside and that disappeared overnight in the fridge.
Also, we used 1/2 cup honey and 1 1/2 cup sugar cane syrup rather than the two cups of maple syrup, but that is just to suit our southern tastebuds.
Search this site. I believe Mr. Minion and possibly others have done this.
Tom
Tom, Google "prague powder" and you'll find a lot of sausage-making information.
Meanwhile, I have a query out to The Sausage Maker to see if they might have a product that is the same formulation, but under a different name, and also if this product might not be acceptable at the present time. Will let you know when I hear.
I'm sure Jim Minion would know. By the way, where's he been lately? He's been noticeably absent from our BB and it hasn't been the same.
Rita
Meanwhile, I have a query out to The Sausage Maker to see if they might have a product that is the same formulation, but under a different name, and also if this product might not be acceptable at the present time. Will let you know when I hear.
I'm sure Jim Minion would know. By the way, where's he been lately? He's been noticeably absent from our BB and it hasn't been the same.
Rita
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Rita-
I believe Sausage Maker carries Insta-Cure #1 and #2. Prague powder, Insta-Cure, Modern Cure are all the same (and there are other proprietary names for the same formulation, butcher-packer.com has DQ #1 and #2). Prague powder #1 (which would be appropriate for the recipe above--note: it would be used instead of Tenderquick, as noted, not with it) because prague #1 is meant for products that are going to be cooked. Prague #2 (Insta-Cure #2, et. al.) are meant as dry cures for products that are not meant to be cooked, such as several of the hard salamis, prosciutto and the like.
Yes, where are you Jim?
I believe Sausage Maker carries Insta-Cure #1 and #2. Prague powder, Insta-Cure, Modern Cure are all the same (and there are other proprietary names for the same formulation, butcher-packer.com has DQ #1 and #2). Prague powder #1 (which would be appropriate for the recipe above--note: it would be used instead of Tenderquick, as noted, not with it) because prague #1 is meant for products that are going to be cooked. Prague #2 (Insta-Cure #2, et. al.) are meant as dry cures for products that are not meant to be cooked, such as several of the hard salamis, prosciutto and the like.
Yes, where are you Jim?
I just heard back from thesausagemaker.com - here are some prices for you:
"We have replaced Prague Powder with Insta Cure #1 to be used when smoking, item # 11000 for 1 lb @ $8.99 & 11200 for 5 lbs @ $19.99. Insta Cure #2 is to be used when dry curing, the item # is 11300 for 1 lb @ $8.99 and 11400 for 5lbs @ $19.99."
Rita
"We have replaced Prague Powder with Insta Cure #1 to be used when smoking, item # 11000 for 1 lb @ $8.99 & 11200 for 5 lbs @ $19.99. Insta Cure #2 is to be used when dry curing, the item # is 11300 for 1 lb @ $8.99 and 11400 for 5lbs @ $19.99."
Rita
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
That's very expensive. Allied-Kenco (www.alliedkenco.com) has it for $2.20/lb, $13/5lbs and Butcher&Packer (www.butcher-packer.com) has their version (DQ Curing Salt, same thing) for $1.50/lb. Just FYI.
Kevin, Rita, all,
Thanks for all this good information, but I am getting confused. I've got some TenderQuick, as well as two different bags of other stuff. They may all be the same thing. I don't know.
Can someone list the chemicals used for curing by scientific name along with the various trade names each one is sold by?
Thank you.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Tender Quick is not the same as prague. It is a proprietary blend and contains salt, sugar, both sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite (either or both cause the characteristic red color we associate with cured meats, markedly extend shelf life, and allow a much greater margin of safety (by inhibiting bacteria) for cold smoking or allow for the curing of meats meant to be consumed uncooked) and propylene glycol to keep the mixture uniform. It cannot be used as a 1:1 exchange with prague powders.
Prague #1 (Insta-Cure #1, Modern Cure, DC #1, DQ #1, et. al., all the '#1's) is 6.25% sodium nitrite and 93.75% salt. It's used in dry cures and in brine cures, primarily for meat that will be smoked (though not necessarily) and cooked for service. It's used at the rate of 1oz/25lbs meat or 1 level teaspoon/5lbs meat.
Prague #2 (Insta-Cure #s, et. al., all the '#2's) is for dry-cured meats that require long aging (weeks or months) to cure and/or develop flavors and for products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. It contains 1oz of sodium nitrite and .64oz sodium nitrate per pound of salt. Sodium nitrate acts as sort of a time-release cure and slowly breaks sown into sodium nitrite and then into nitric acid. It is also used at the rate of 1oz/25lbs meat or 1 level teaspoon/5lbs meat.
Some #1 and #2 products are colored pink so that they can easily be distinguished from plain salt because large amounts of nitrite/nitrate can be dangerous. If you look at the figures above, very little nitrite or nitrate is needed per pound of meat to achieve the best cure, shelf life, and reduction of potential bacteriological activity. Just 6.25% of that single level teaspoon is sodium nitrite and this is enough for 5lbs of meat. This is why prague powders were developed in the first place. Because the amount of chemical(s) needed is so small manufacturers pre-mixed salt with the appropriate chemical(s) in the proper balance so that they could be more easily and correctly measured.
It is important to have a good understanding of curing products before you use them. Follow manufacturer's recommendations and be careful measuring and mixing. Reducing or increasing meat amounts for a given recipe require like reduction or increase in cure mixes.
Additional detailed information (some technical but accessible) can be found here.
Note: I am not recommending one company over another in my post on prices above, just saying that it is worth shopping around. Price isn't always the most important factor. Shipping costs, customer service, product range, etc., can lead me to favor one company over another as I'm sure many here would agree. I've been known to favor one company over another--irrespective of price--simply because I like one company's web design more than another's!
Prague #1 (Insta-Cure #1, Modern Cure, DC #1, DQ #1, et. al., all the '#1's) is 6.25% sodium nitrite and 93.75% salt. It's used in dry cures and in brine cures, primarily for meat that will be smoked (though not necessarily) and cooked for service. It's used at the rate of 1oz/25lbs meat or 1 level teaspoon/5lbs meat.
Prague #2 (Insta-Cure #s, et. al., all the '#2's) is for dry-cured meats that require long aging (weeks or months) to cure and/or develop flavors and for products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. It contains 1oz of sodium nitrite and .64oz sodium nitrate per pound of salt. Sodium nitrate acts as sort of a time-release cure and slowly breaks sown into sodium nitrite and then into nitric acid. It is also used at the rate of 1oz/25lbs meat or 1 level teaspoon/5lbs meat.
Some #1 and #2 products are colored pink so that they can easily be distinguished from plain salt because large amounts of nitrite/nitrate can be dangerous. If you look at the figures above, very little nitrite or nitrate is needed per pound of meat to achieve the best cure, shelf life, and reduction of potential bacteriological activity. Just 6.25% of that single level teaspoon is sodium nitrite and this is enough for 5lbs of meat. This is why prague powders were developed in the first place. Because the amount of chemical(s) needed is so small manufacturers pre-mixed salt with the appropriate chemical(s) in the proper balance so that they could be more easily and correctly measured.
It is important to have a good understanding of curing products before you use them. Follow manufacturer's recommendations and be careful measuring and mixing. Reducing or increasing meat amounts for a given recipe require like reduction or increase in cure mixes.
Additional detailed information (some technical but accessible) can be found here.
Note: I am not recommending one company over another in my post on prices above, just saying that it is worth shopping around. Price isn't always the most important factor. Shipping costs, customer service, product range, etc., can lead me to favor one company over another as I'm sure many here would agree. I've been known to favor one company over another--irrespective of price--simply because I like one company's web design more than another's!
Tom Barineau
TVWBB Super Fan
I probably should not have even mentioned the prague powder, but was copying the recipe verbatem that I found on another site.
I used the Morton's Tenderquick and accomplished what I was hoping for.
I'm not sure just what you are expecting, Joe, but these come out tasting a good bit like ham.
Tom
I used the Morton's Tenderquick and accomplished what I was hoping for.
I'm not sure just what you are expecting, Joe, but these come out tasting a good bit like ham.
Tom