Smoking my first pork chops - newbie questions


 
D

Dave from Mishawaka

New member
Hello all,

I am going to fire up my new WSM this weekend to smoke up some pork chops. I have some newbie questions that I hope you can help me with:
1. They are about 3/4" thick. Assuming I can keep the temp about 220, how long should I smoke them?
2. Should I fill the pan with water, or keep it dry?
3. Will a couple of hunks of hickory help give them a nice flavor?
4. Any suggestions for a simple brining solution?
5. Since I am brining them, should I bother with a rub?

Huge thanks in advance for those taking the time to reply. I greatly appreciate it!

Dave
 
Dave, welcome to the forum. If you insist on doing pork chops I would suggest getting the fattest that you can. Chops are generally pretty lean and can tend to dry out easily. I use a simple brine with 3/4 cup kosher salt and 3/4 cup turbinado (raw) sugar to 1 gal water. You can vary the amount of water just keep the ratio the same.
You might consider cooking the chops at a higher heat and closer to the fire, ala grilling.
I have never done pork chops that thin and then only grill not slow smoke. If you want better pork do a butt, longer cook but mmm mmmm good.

Good luck, whatever you do.
I am sure that you will get many varied responses from this group.
 
I've never tried smoking pork chops. I've smoked a couple steaks that came out pretty good. I'd say go easy on the hickory, and you'll probably want to use some water.
 
Agree with Mark.

I prefer to grill chops because they're so lean I'm concerned they'd dry out. But then I don't brine them either.

Since you're going to brine them, I'd go with a no-salt rub.
 
Hey Dave, welcome to the forum! I would listen to Mark. I have never done chops on the WSM. I can however make it to Mishawaka in about 45 minutes or so if samples are available!!! Good luck.
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Oh, and I would recommend leaving the pan dry with foil in it for easy clean up.
 
If you brine I'd still go with a rub, my preference, but use one without salt, as Travis notes. Thick chops are better but the operative issue is not to cook them to the point where they become dry. You'll have increased leeway if brining, but I would still not take them much over 140-144 internal.

Welcome to the board.
 
Dave,

Since dryness is a concern, maybe you could wrap/drape them with bacon?

Don't know if it would work well. Just a thought.
 
But then you end up smoking the bacon, not the chops. Wrapping or covering meat with bacon lessens evaporative moisture loss from the meat being wrapped, perhaps offering more leeway, but it will not prevent dryness which comes from overcooking.
 
Kevin,

I've read elsewhere that whatever smoke flavor is going to be infused in the meat happens within the first 15 minutes or so. Is that true? I'm thinking that might be true when grilling at high heat, but not low and slow.....
 
Not true on any count. Not only does smoke not penetrate into the meat in typical barbecue cooks, there is no cut-off either.

Smokering formation has a temp limit. Smokerings form due to a chemical reaction at the meat's surface. With a little time this reaction extends inward, forming the ring. As surface temps increase the reaction stops. Smokerings have nothing to do with smoke 'penetration', flavor, or anything of the sort.

Particulates in smoke and perhaps some volatiles stick to the meat's surface. In barbecue, meat does not absorb smoke nor does it penetrate. This will continue as long as smoke is present.
 
Interesting. So if I understand you correctly, the smoke flavor only "sticks" to whatever surface area it can touch (does not penetrate), and secondly, increased exposure to smokewill continue to add smoky flavor, regardless of whether the meat is cooked, or how long it's been cooking.

Is that right?
 
There is no problem with smoking lean meat. But the "done" window is mutch smaller. Temp 1 of the chops. And pull(like kevin said) @ 140.
The resting temp will be minimal If cooking @ 220f. If you cook em hotter lets say 275-300 pull em @ 135 and after the "rest" they will be 142-145 internal.

Report back with the resaults Dave...And good luck.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
Not true on any count. Not only does smoke not penetrate into the meat in typical barbecue cooks, there is no cut-off either.

Smokering formation has a temp limit. Smokerings form due to a chemical reaction at the meat's surface. With a little time this reaction extends inward, forming the ring. As surface temps increase the reaction stops. Smokerings have nothing to do with smoke 'penetration', flavor, or anything of the sort.

Particulates in smoke and perhaps some volatiles stick to the meat's surface. In barbecue, meat does not absorb smoke nor does it penetrate. This will continue as long as smoke is present. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Nice explanation! I could almost get tired of thanking you, Kevin.
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I knew most, not all, of these pieces and what you say puts it all together -- the right way.

Rich
 
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