Smoked Pork Chops
Thick smoked pork chops are brined for deep seasoning, then smoked low and slow at 200°F until juicy (145-150°F). Finish with an optional quick sear for better crust and color.
Ingredients
For the Pork
- 4 pork chops (thick cut)
For the Brine
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
Instructions
- Make the brine: In a large pot bring 1 quart of the water to a simmer. Add the remaining brine ingredients (except the reserved cold water) and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and add the remaining 3 quarts of cold water. Chill completely.
- Place the pork chips in the chilled brine. Brine the chops 4 to 6 hours in the refrigerator.
- Heat smoker to 200°F.
- Remove chops from brine, rinse, and dry thoroughly. If you have time, place them in the refrigerator uncovered for 2 to 8 hours before smoking. This will help the smoke adhere to the chops.
- Smoke until internal temperature reaches 145°F (juicy) or 150°F (more done). If you want to reverse-sear, see the recipe card notes.
- Rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
NOTES
Reverse Searing: If you want to reverse sear the pork chops, you will need to pull the pork chops at an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Let them cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour before searing on the grill or a heavy-bottomed pan. If you skip this step, you will likely overcook the pork chops.
Smoking at a Higher Temperature: You can smoke the pork chops at a higher temperature than 200 degrees F. However, I don't recommend smoking at a temperature higher than 225 degrees F. The chops will finish cooking before they develop a good smoke flavor profile.
Don't Tent With Foil: After the chops have finished cooking, do not cover them with aluminum foil. This will cause the pork's internal temperature to rise, resulting in overcooked pork.
Using Wild Boar: If you're cooking with wild boar, cook the pork until the internal temperature is 150 degrees or a little higher for food safety reasons.
Nutrition
Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 28411mg | Potassium: 581mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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