Are you ready for the best Pork Chops ever? I hope so! These Smoked Pork Chops aren’t only juicy and tender, but the combination of our pork marinade and smokey flavor makes them a cut above the rest!
Smoked Pork Chops
Pork, the other white meat! Has there ever been a meat more suited for BBQ than pork? Today we’re going to talk about pork chops. What makes pork chops so good is that you don’t need a lot to make them delicious. Most of the time, a simple seasoning or marinade will do the trick no matter how you plan on cooking them. And trust me, this recipe will be the bell of the ball, the cream of the crop, the center piece of your BBQ table!
This recipe incorporates our Pork Marinade, a simple but flavorful marinade that when combined with smoky flavor makes simply the best pork chops you’ll ever have. The low and slow cooking in the pit is possibly the best way to cook pork chops. It may be a longer process, but well worth it in the end.
Another bonus to pork chops, is that they are so easy when pairing with sides. Pork chops go well with almost any BBQ side you can imagine. Try adding some color with a Watermelon Feta Salad and of course you can’t go wrong with a Smoked Baked Potato!
Making Smoked Pork Chops
While this recipe is super easy, as with anything, it’s best to take your time. For this recipe, that means marinating your pork chops. It’s best to do this over night, but if your in a pinch, you can reduce that time down to 2 hours. The process of marinating tenderizes and flavors the meat before cooking. The more time you allow your meat to marinate the more this process will take hold. It’s important though to not over marinate your pork as it can begin to break down the fibers of the meat and cause it to get mushy.
Directions:
Our marinade is a combination of simple ingredients. But don’t underestimate the power of this simple marinade, it packs a flavor punch. It’s most likely that you have everything you need for this marinade already in your kitchen. You will need the basics like oil, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, garlic, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. You can find the entire recipe here or scroll down to the bottom of this post. Once you have combined all of the ingredients pour them into a strong zip-top bag.
Add the pork chops and make sure to spread them evenly. Get all the air out and seal the bag. Place the bag with pork on the plate and into the refrigerator. Use bone-in pork chops that are between 1 and 1 1/2 inches thick. Thin pork chops will cook very fast and you will run the risk of drying them out by overcooking. Bone in pork chops tend to be slightly fattier than boneless pork chops. This added fat helps to keep the chops from drying out quickly while adding a richer flavor.
If possible, allow your pork chops to marinate over night, but if not 2 hours will do. Just be sure to not marinate them for more than 12 hours. Any longer than over night and you risk ruining the integrity of your chops. Once these thick juicy cuts have absorbed your marinade, you’re ready to start smoking!
With your smoker maintaining a temperature of 225°, insert an internal thermometer into the thickest part of the thickest pork chop. Place your pork chops into the smoker and allow them to smoke until their internal temperature has reached 145°. Depending on the thickness of your pork chops cook time can vary but could take approximately an 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach 145°. We used a maple wood in our smoker for a mild and somewhat sweet smoky flavor. For this smoke, while we want to infuse our smoke, we also want the marinade to shine.
Once your pork chops have reached the desired temperature of 145°, pull them and tent them with foil. Allow the chops to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. Tenting your smoke pork chops will allow the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat. This will help your pork chops be as juicy and tender as possible.
After those excruciating 10 minute are up, your pork chops are ready to serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best temperature to smoke pork chops at?
As with most meats, 225° seems to be the magic number when smoking pork chops. Remember that low and slow typically produces the juiciest end results.
How long should you cook smoked pork chops?
Depending on the thickness of your pork chops, it could take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to cook. Rather than a set time, it’s most important to cook the chops to an internal temperature of 145°.
What wood is best to use when smoking pork chops?
Pork is so versatile a meat that you can pick and choose your wood based on your tastes. For this recipe we chose a more mild and sweeter wood in Maple. Apple wood always pairs well with pork as well.
How to serve:
With your Smoked Pork Chops ready to go, it’s time to dress the table around them. You can compliment your smoked pork chops with a variety of sides. If you’d like to go with something fruity, try some Grilled Pineapple, but for something a bit more traditional try Our Favorite Potato Salad.
CLICK TO PIN THESE SMOKED PORK CHOPS FOR LATER
Smoked Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops about 1 – 1 1/2 inches thick
- 1/3 cup canola or vegetables oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 cloves of garlic pressed
- 1 tsp black pepper to taste
- pinch salt if using low sodium soy sauce
Instructions
Marinating pork:
- Combine all the ingredients in a large zip-top bag and mix them well. Add pork chops and make sure to spread them evenly.
- Get all the air out and seal the bag. Place the bag with pork on the plate and into the refrigerator. Let it marinade for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Grilling pork chops:
- Set up your smoker using your desired wood chips and get it to a steady 225°. Insert digital meat thermometer probe into the one of the pork chops and place it on the grate.
- Close the lid right away and do not open it again until the thermometer reads an internal temperature of 145°. Pork chops will take approximately 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours depending on the size of your chops.
- Take the chops off the smoker placing them on a cooking tray Loosely tent them with a sheet of aluminum foil. Let them rest 10-15 minutes before serving.
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