Pork Chops

It may be difficult to get a concensus here... we all have differing views on cooking pork. Many will say to brine them first. I dont brine anything (yet) so I cant speak of that. If I were doing them, I would lightly rub with some olive oil and my rub of choice just before smoking them. Use apple wood or another equally light smoke wood. Maybe 200* until one of them hits 145* internal. Sorry I cant be more specific.

bob

Me again. I know some of you are thinking if I knew anything about smoking I would use a better cut than pork chops. Well, I would. Trouble is, my boss is getting these chops from a butcher friend and wants me to cook them for the office Christmas party on Thursday evening.
I would much rather do a dozen other entree's that I know they all love but it's my boss.

If thats the case... run dont walk to the nearest store and get a pack of these to practice once or twice with... NEVER practice on the bosses lunch!!

bob

Brine it. For the office party, it will be a hit.

Chops that thick need a little help (in the middle) and every chop house I know brines them (they don't say so, but I've been in a few kitchens, that's where I learned about brining in the 80's).

Tender is a definition of the hog. I wouldn't cook them more than 150, but I'm with Cadillac I pull mine at 145. 160 is the FSIS preference, but 150 is fine.

You can smoke them around 180 and it might take as much as 2 hours. If it's not done by then, just bump the temp to hot and they will be done soon after that.

And when they start complaining about them being "pink" you'll have to explain that's what pork looks like from smoking.

Wow, that low. I thought it would be much higher to get it tender enough to cut with a fork. As for brine, I have not done that with chops before. How long would you recommend to leave them and what brine do you suggest? I was planning on using a little mustard or olive oil coating and then using a favored rub.
I assumed these would cook similar to ribs in order to get them to that tenderness stage just a little shy of falling off the bone.

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
Brine it.
160 is the FSIS preference, but 150 is fine.
And when they start complaining about them being "pink" you'll have to explain that's what pork looks like from smoking.

A while ago I read (somewhere, probably here) That certain chefs were adding something to the brine that caused the pork to not look pink when cooked to 150.
This is exacly what I need for my wife. She loves the flavor but can't get past the pink color . Any ideas what this was??

quote:

Originally posted by muleman1:
How long would you recommend to leave them and what brine do you suggest?

24 hours, depending on thickness (1" or over), smaller can go for less (like the butterfly chops they sell that are actually pork loins).

Check out brines at:
Brining 101

quote:

Originally posted by Axel Walters:
A while ago I read (somewhere, probably here) That certain chefs were adding something to the brine that caused the pork to not look pink when cooked to 150.
This is exacly what I need for my wife. She loves the flavor but can't get past the pink color . Any ideas what this was??

Don't remember that one, probably because I wouldn't. Why can't she get past the pink? She think it's undercooked? How about a Med Rare steak?

You need to explain to her that the "pink" is a process of smoking, that's why you get a smoke ring. It actually comes from the smoke which helps "cure" the meat (via nitrates if you must know). In NO way is it an issue of Food Safety. Zero...Zilch...Nadda

If someone knows the additive, they can speak up. I know people add Tenderquick, but that will make it pinker

The pat answer is grill them,brined ,or not.

Smokin'knows more about brining, then anybody in the business and I agree about ALL decent restaurants.

145º is the max I would cook to,as I have trained my diners to pulling at 140º.

Whole loins,I pull about 137º,hold and slice into chops.

The "smoked chops" from the grocery are pink from all the cure in them