Everyone who tries these Smoked Pork Chops will say, “These are the best pork chops I’ve ever had!” because they are brined overnight, rubbed with a flavorful rub, and smoked slowly.
For a full meal, serve the smoked pork chops with my dad’s famous BBQ baked beans and blue cheese potato salad.
Literally every time I serve these pork chops, I hear the same thing from friends and family. “These pork chops are the best ever! They’re so juicy and tender!” And they’re right, these are the best pork chops ever!
So what makes them so good? It’s just a few simple ingredients and four easy steps!
It’s that simple to make truly epic pork chops. You can never go back to dry, bland pork chops again because you now have a recipe that always makes pork chops tender and juicy.
Smoking pork chops may seem intimidating for beginners but it’s actually quite simple with the right techniques. The perfect smoked pork chop is juicy, tender and packed with smoky flavor – far superior to pan-fried or grilled. While smoking does require more time and preparation compared to other cooking methods it’s absolutely worth the effort.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to smoke pork chops like a pro pitmaster. We’ll cover
- Estimated cook times and temperatures
- Tips for maximizing smoke flavor
- Choosing the right wood
- Brining vs dry brining
- Resting
- Common mistakes to avoid
Plus I’ll share my top tips for ensuring your smoked chops turn out juicy and delicious every time. After reading, you’ll be ready to fire up your smoker and make the best pork chops ever!
How Long Does it Take to Smoke Pork Chops?
The approximate cook time for smoking pork chops is 60-90 minutes at 225°F. However, cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of the chops and temperature of the smoker.
The most reliable way to test doneness is by using an instant read thermometer. Pork chops are safe to eat and properly smoked when the internal temperature reaches 145°F. At this temp they’ll be juicy and tender with a hint of pink in the center.
If you rely on time alone, the chops may end up overcooked and dry. Always rely on an internal thermometer for accuracy.
Quick Tips for Smoking Pork Chops
Follow these simple tips for foolproof, mouthwatering smoked pork chops every time:
-
Choose bone-in rib chops at least 1 inch thick. The bone adds flavor and keeps them juicy. Thin chops will dry out.
-
Brine for added moisture and flavor (see brining tips below).
-
Use fruit wood like apple, cherry or pecan for mild sweetness.
-
Cook low and slow at 225-250°F indirect heat. Avoid direct heat which can cause burning.
-
Flip once halfway through for even cooking.
-
Don’t peek often which causes temperature swings. Open only briefly to flip and test temperature.
-
Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving for juicier meat.
Choosing the Right Wood for Smoking Pork
Choosing the right wood is key for imbuing your pork chops with delicious smoky flavor. Fruit woods like apple, cherry and pecan are classic pairings with pork.
Some great wood options include:
-
Apple – Sweet, fruity smoke flavor. The most popular wood for smoking pork.
-
Cherry – Slightly sweeter smoke with a hint of tartness.
-
Pecan – Nutty, rich and a little milder than other fruit woods.
-
Maple – Imparts a delicately sweet, woodsy maple flavor.
-
Hickory – Robust, bold smoke flavor. Can overpower pork’s delicate flavor so use sparingly or in a blend.
-
Mesquite – Intense smoky flavor. Also strong for pork so mix with a fruit wood or use minimal amounts.
My personal favorites are apple or a blend of apple and cherry or pecan. Avoid heavy smoke woods like mesquite, oak or hickory which may lead to a bitter, acrid taste.
Brining vs Dry Brining Pork Chops
Brining is a popular technique used to boost moisture and flavor in lean meats like pork chops before smoking. There are two methods:
Wet Brining
-
Involves submerging pork in a saltwater solution for 1-4 hours.
-
Improves moisture retention.
-
Provides a subtle salty flavor.
Dry Brining
-
Coating pork with salt then resting uncovered in the fridge for 8-24 hours.
-
Draws out moisture then reabsorbs it along with the salt.
-
Enhances natural pork flavor.
I recommend dry brining over wet brining when smoking pork chops. The extended dry brine gives the salt more time to penetrate deeply for well-seasoned chops that retain maximum moisture.
It’s simple to dry brine. Just lightly coat the pork chops in salt, place on a wire rack over a pan and refrigerate 8-24 hours uncovered. Rinse off the salt before smoking.
Let Your Smoked Pork Chops Rest
One of the biggest mistakes people make is cutting into pork chops straight off the smoker. As tempting as it is, don’t skip the resting period!
Resting allows time for the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat. Skipping this leads to dryness and less tender meat.
After removing the pork chops from the smoker, let them rest 5-10 minutes on a cutting board before slicing and serving. The temperature will rise about 5°F during this time.
Tenting the meat lightly with foil prevents it from cooling too quickly. Don’t wrap it tightly in foil or the pork will get soggy.
Common Smoking Pork Chop Mistakes to Avoid
Smoking pork chops perfectly takes some finesse. Avoid these common pitfalls for the best results:
-
Choosing the wrong cut – It must be at least 1-inch thick for proper smoking. Thin boneless chops dry out. Stick to bone-in rib or center cuts.
-
Overcooking – Don’t rely on time. Use a thermometer and remove at 145°F for ideal tenderness.
-
Not brining – Brining keeps the lean meat juicy and well-seasoned.
-
Heavy smoke – Too much hickory, oak or mesquite smoke will make the pork bitter. Use milder fruit woods.
-
Saucing too early – Apply bbq sauce only during the last 15-30 minutes or it will burn.
-
Forgetting to rest – Always let the chops rest 5-10 minutes for juicier meat.
Avoid these common mistakes, follow my tips above, and you’ll be amazed how incredible smoked pork chops can be! Now that you know exactly how long to smoke pork chops and have all the best tips, you’re ready to start smoking.
Step-By-Step Smoked Pork Chop Recipe
This simple smoked pork chop recipe outlines the entire process from start to finish including brining, prep, cook time and resting.
Follow it exactly for guaranteed tender, juicy and smoky chops every time.
The estimated smoking time is 60-90 minutes at 225°F until the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Then rest and serve.
Ingredients:
- 4 bone-in, center cut pork chops (1-inch thick)
- 2 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 cup ice
Brine:
- Combine salt, brown sugar and water in a bowl and stir until dissolved.
- Add ice and stir until cooled. Add pork chops and refrigerate 1-2 hours.
- Rinse pork well and pat dry. Allow to air dry for 15 minutes before smoking.
Prepare Smoker & Smoke:
- Set up smoker grill for indirect smoking at 225°F and load with apple wood chunks.
- Place pork chops directly on the racks over the drip pan.
- Smoke for 60-90 minutes until internal temp reaches 145°F, flipping once halfway through.
- Remove chops when fully cooked and tent with foil. Let rest 5-10 minutes.
Serve:
Slice into juicy smoked pork chops and serve as is, or with bbq sauce, applesauce or other sides. Enjoy your perfectly smoked pork masterpiece!
With this simple step-by-step tutorial, you can skip the guesswork and smoke pork chops like an expert pitmaster. Brining, low and slow smoking, and resting are key for mouthwatering results.
The next time you fire up your smoker, give these incredibly flavorful, tender and juicy smoked pork chops a try. You won’t believe how awesome they turn out using my tips and recipe until you taste them!
How to reverse sear the pork chops
In a reverse sear, the pork chops are first cooked slowly, then the smoker temperature is raised, and the chops are seared to give them a nice crust. To do this, follow the steps above, but stop when the temperature inside reaches 130°F. Then, do the rest of the steps below.
- Remove the pork chops from the smoker when they reach 130°F on the inside. Place them on a cutting board and cover them with a piece of foil.
- Turn the heat on the smoker up to 450°F. Note: Instead of waiting for the smoker to heat up, you could also heat up a grill over high heat.
- Put the pork chops back on the smoker when it reaches 450°F. Cook for three to four minutes on each side, or until the meat reaches 140°F on the inside.
- When the pork chops reach 138°F on an instant-read thermometer, you can glaze them with pepper jelly or barbecue sauce. Brush about 1/2 tablespoon of pepper jelly, also known as barbecue sauce, on each pork chop. Then, let it cook for another minute or two, or until the internal temperature reaches 140°F.
- Always let the pork chops rest for at least 10 minutes so that the juices can get back into the meat. During this time, the meat will also heat up by about 5 degrees, bringing the total temperature inside to 145°F.
- Cook to temperature, not time! There are many things that can change how long smoked pork chops take to cook. Because of this, I always say to use temperature, not time, to decide when to take the pork chops out of the smoker. So, pork chops that are less than 2 inches thick will take between 60 and 90 minutes. And pork chops that are at least 2 inches thick will take about 2 hours. I suggest that you start checking the pork chops with an instant-read meat thermometer after 60 minutes. Check them again in 15 to 20 minutes, or more often if you want to, depending on how hot they are the first time.
- Use an electric knife to thinly slice the pork chops. It seems like everyone loves these thin slices of juicy, tender pork chops. Before I serve the pork chops, I always cut them up with an electric knife.
- Pork chops that have been left over can be kept in the fridge for up to 7 days. I’ve made sandwiches, wraps, tacos, burritos, and egg scrambles with these smoked pork chops that I had left over. They taste great diced up and used in a variety of ways, whether they’re served cold or hot. You can also cut the meat into thin slices, add BBQ sauce, and make a great BBQ pork sandwich.
- I personally don’t think the pork chops should have the fat cut off, but that’s just my opinion. I like the flavor and juiciness that the fat provides. If you’d rather smoke the pork chops without the fat, though, you should cut it off before you season them.
- There’s no need to brine if you don’t have time. Even if you don’t brine the meat overnight, the flavorful rub and low, slow smoke will still make the meat tasty and tender.
- The pork chops shouldn’t be brined for more than 16 hours. It can make the pork chops taste and feel bad because they are too salty.
What to serve with it
If you want to serve smoked pork chops with a side dish, think about mac and cheese, potato salad, pasta salad, or corn. These are some of my favorite sides that I often serve with smoked meats.
- Kitchen scale
- Medium pot
- Large bowl or large zipper bag
- The Traeger Pro Series Pellet Grill I have at home is what I used for this recipe.
- Pellets or wood—I like Traeger Apple Pellets for this recipe. If you want to, you can also use pellets or wood chips with mild to medium flavors.
- Water pan: Put this pan in the smoker to keep the pork chops moist while they’re cooking.
- I use the temperature probes that come with the Traeger as a thermometer. This thermometer is what you should use if you don’t have a smoker with a meat probe.
- Large cutting board
- For cutting the pork chops, you’ll need an electric knife or a big, sharp knife.
Smoked Pork Chops Recipe | How To Smoke Pork Chops Malcom Reed HowToBBQRight
FAQ
How long does it take to smoke pork chops at 225 degrees?
How long does it take to smoke a pork but at 225 degrees?
Do you flip pork chops when smoking?
How long to cook pork chops on a pellet smoker?
How long do you cook pork chops in a smoker?
Place the chops on the smoker, close the lid, and cook until the internal temperature of the chops reads 145 degrees F. This process can take anywhere from 60-90 minutes, depending on how thick your pork chops are. Remove the chops from the smoker. Place on a plate and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
How to make smoked pork chops?
In summary, to make smoked pork chops, you start by brining the meat for several hours. Prepare pork dry rub by combining brown sugar, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Season pork chops with this spice rub. Set smoker at 250F and cook for about 1.5 hours or until meat reaches 145F.
How do you smoke pork chops in a crock pot?
Season the chops. Drizzle olive oil on all sides of the pork chops and evenly season with my Signature Sweet Rub. Smoke those pork chops! Place the chops on the smoker and cook until the internal temp reads 145 degrees F with a reliable meat thermometer (approximately 60-90 minutes). Tent, rest, and serve. Remove the pork chops from the smoker.
How do you cook pork chops in a pellet smoker?
Preheat an outdoor pellet smoker to 250 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Rub pork chops with olive oil on all sides. Season with spice mixture and rub on all sides. Heat a skillet or grill to high heat. Sear the pork chops briefly on each side, just enough to form a slight crust.