Been asked to do pork chops

[Sorce]

Tonight I got a call from my mother, apparently my dad visited some family and had some grilled frozen smoke chops they bought somewhere (what a disgrace...). Well he really liked them so I've been tasked with smoking some chops for them this week. (My wife and I were planning on cooking chops this week anyway, weird right?) Anyway I hadn't planned on smoking the ones we were going to make, I've done pretty well just on the grill in the past. So here is my problem, I've never done chops before and really don't want to screw something up that I could have done on the grill just fine.

So I'm looking for advice. What should I use marinade/brine wise, I don't want to cure them. Also from what I've seen general consensus seems to be to an it of 150-160, is that right. Any help here would be much appreciated.

[hal4uk]

Man, I dunno.... 
Every time I ask a pork chop how it wants to leave this world...
It just grins and says, "Breaded and fried in a skillet".

[Tiny Tim]

From my experience, the purchased smoked chops are cured then smoked to a "done" IT, similar to a ham. 

I've been wanting to put some chops in a brine for up to overnight, then smoke them to almost done, then a nice sear on a grill or in a pan, but haven't gotten around to it.

Wish I could be more help.

[Habanero Smoker]

If the smoked pork chops had a ham like flavor, then as TT stated they were cured. I also find that commercially smoked pork chops are cured and fully cooked, so that may be the flavor he is looking for.

If you don't want to use a cure, any marinade you use for pork will work, depending on what flavor you want; Tex-Mex, Asian, Jerk etc. Since pork chops are on the thin side and lean, I would just place them in the smoker and apply about 40 minutes - 1 hour of smoke (preferably cold smoke) and finish with a high temperature on a grill, or skillet.

I like to take my pork chops to about 140°F - 145°F, higher they tend to dry out. You could brine them so they retain some moisture; or if you decide to cure them that will help retain moisture. Today's marinades recipes often have enough salt to have a brining effect, especially the Asian type of marinades.

[Pachanga]

This is my favorite method for Pork Chops.  You could use Hab's method of smoking and grilling combo if you are looking for that kiss of smoke.  

I also agree with Hab's final IT temperature.  I will note that the government recommends 160 degree IT (and you should trust its knowledge on all subjects - right).  It is true that 160 will kill trichinosis and so will 300 degrees.  It is also widely reported that 140 degrees will eradicate the little buggers.  Today's pork raising safety standards (voluntary and governmental) has lowered the risk associated with undercooked pork dramatically.  An Internal temperature immediately off the grill at 140 degrees, when wrapped and rested will increase by 5 to 7 degrees.  It is also reported that freezing pork less than 6 inches thick for 20 days at 5 °F (−15 °C) or three days at −4 °F (−20 °C) kills larval worms.  Use your own discretion in this area. (USDA Title 9 section 318.10 says 140 for 1 minute and validates the freezing claim)

Pachanga's Stuffed Grilled Pork Chops

Brining the Pork chops is an extra step in this recipe, but well worth the time.  Today's lean pork needs to have additional water and flavoring infused for tenderness and juiciness.  This stuffing goes together quickly and really makes a difference. If you do not have all the ingredients, substitute or leave some out. I like to moisten the dressing with both chicken stock and buttermilk but one or the other may be used if that's all you have in the fridge.

4  1/14 to 1/1/2 inch thick bone in pork chops.
½ cup Kosher Salt
½ Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
1 Tablespoon Mustard Powder
2 Cups Cider Vinegar brought to boil
4 cups Iced Water

½ Finely Diced Sweet Onion
1 Green Apple, Cored, Seeded, Peeled and Chopped
4 Leaves Fresh Sage Chopped
1 Stalk Celery chopped fine
2 Tablespoons Raisins plumped in water, rum or liqueur
2 Patties Medium Sausage Fried and Crumbled
1 Recipe Sweet Cornbread (Jiffy Brand)
Two fingers French Bread
Two slices seven grain Bread
2 Tablespoons Dried Cherries
¼ Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts
¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
1/8 cup Buttermilk
1/8 Cup Low Salt Chicken Broth

Add the Salt, Sugar, Pepper corns and Mustard Powder to the hot Cider and let sit for 10 minutes to mix the flavors.  Add the Iced Water and stir to dissolve the Salt.  Add the pork chops and let them sit covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.  Remove the chops and cut a horizontal pocket in each by inserting a filet knife on the side away from the bone.  Leaving only a small hole on the outside, run the tip of the blade down the length of the bone to create the pocket.

After running the bread through a food possessor until crumbed, crumble the 2/3 of the corn bread in and add all other ingredients except raisins and cherries.  Pulse until just blended.  Fold in raisins and cherries. Fold in more crumbled corn bread to taste.  Stuff the chops until full and tight using your thumb to push the stuffing into each chop.  Grill the chops on high heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side being careful to not overcook.

These also cook well in a cast iron grill pan on top of the stove until good grill marks are established on both sides and finished in a 400 degree oven.

Good luck and slow smoking,

Pachanga

[BuyLowSellHigh]

If your Dad had grilled frozen smoked pork chops, my wild-a$$ guess would be they were the standard grocery store variety.  The standard commercial varieties I've seen (e.g., Smithfiled) are, like HabS said, fully cured including sodium nitrite, and are fully cooked and require only heating through.  Grilling is a common heating through method.  This is not uncommon in German-style American restaurants.

You can either cure some chops, or a loin and then cut into chops, smoke, and then finish as you desire, or as HabS suggested marinate or brine, then hot smoke and finish as you desire on a grill.  Pachanga has put up what appears to be a great recipe that includes brining, so even if you don't stuff them there's a good starting for brining chops.

One thing I would suggest - if you are going to cure, brine or marinade get chops or a loin that is not enhanced.  Enhanced pork has been injected with a solution that is typically a mild brine and includes other "stuff" to help preserve and retain moisture.  Brining enhanced pork can lead to a very salty end result (been there, done that - by mistake). Enhanced pork often has a name that give you a clue -- "Moist and Tender", "Always Moist", etc.  If it is in a cryopac or a name-brand meat packers packaging, read the label.  If it's store packed, ask.  By Federal law the label must show any added ingredients, but many stores are repackaging and the store labels usually don't show the full story.

[Sorce]

Thanks guys, that definitely gives me a start, I'm pretty sure the chops they want me to cook came from the butcher at Sams Club. I'll get some more clarification on what exactly he had that he liked so much and go from there.

[Sorce]

So I found some more information, they were cured. Brined them using morton's tender quick, gave them about an hour of smoke and finished them on the grill. Everyone loved them. Thanks everyone for the advice. It's kind of funny that since I got the smoker I now get asked all the time to smoke meat that other people buy.

[GusRobin]

It's kind of funny that since I got the smoker I now get asked all the time to smoke meat that other people buy.

You need to remind them that for you to properly smoke the meat they need to provide not only the meat but also the appropriate amount of adult beverage.

[Tenpoint5]

I'm a little late to the party here since you already did the smoke. I would suggest doing the MTQ brine on a PORK LOIN then smoking until an it of 140º. cooling the loin then cut into 3/4 inch pieces and vac seal and freeze for future use on the grill. Pre-made smoked boneless pork chops.

[Sorce]

I'm a little late to the party here since you already did the smoke. I would suggest doing the MTQ brine on a PORK LOIN then smoking until an it of 140º. cooling the loin then cut into 3/4 inch pieces and vac seal and freeze for future use on the grill. Pre-made smoked boneless pork chops.

Similar to that, my parents brought over 24 pork chops, I smoked them and cooked them to about 135-140 and then finished the ones we had on the grill and froze the rest.

[Habanero Smoker]

Cold smoking individual chops also works very well. With the individual chops there is a lot of surface for the smoke to penetrate and deposit, and you get a nice smoke flavor in every bite.

[Oysterhog]

I just cold smoke them for about 20 minutes, then fry them in butter in a cast iron skillet. MMMMMMMM! It has to be cast iron, just brown them on both sides until done. No mess, no fuss, just good.