Uncured, smoked Pork Chops

[dreys50]

I recently visited a farmers market and a pork farm had Uncured Smoked Pork Chops. I got a package and they were absolutely delightful, flavor of ham/bacon with the texture of a steak, and incredibly tender.

The chops were uncooked but had the pinkish color a ham would. The fat also had a little browning. I grilled them up, and they actually ended up cooking pretty white like normal pork would.

I was wondering if anyone knows how to prepare chops like this? I am guessing a a bisquette or 2 in the OBS with the heating element off would do the trick, but I was hoping that someone here might be able to provide more experienced insight.

[classicrockgriller]

If they were uncured and you had to finish cooking them, then

it sounds like they were cold smoked.

You could put them in the freezer for a short vist and probably

smoke them for up to a hr and then grill them or vak pak and freeze them,

and cook (grill) them at a latter date.

I have smoked pork chops in the Bradley and they are pretty good.

A short time on the grill would probably have made them great.

[Habanero Smoker]

If they have a ham/bacon like flavor, such as the ham/bacon that is cured using sodium nitrite; them I would have to question whether or not they were cured. It is the sodium nitrite that give cured hams and bacon it's distinct flavor. It is possible that sodium phosphate was used, but I'm not sure if that will create a reddish color in the meat.

BHSL; recently posted if nitrates from plants are used, instead of the synthetic sodium nitrite the USDA allow them to make a claim that it is uncured. One of such plants that has a high nitrate level is celery, and often nitrates from that plan are used instead of sodium nitrites.

[dreys50]

If they have a ham/bacon like flavor, such as the ham/bacon that is cured using sodium nitrite; them I would have to question whether or not they were cured. It is the sodium nitrite that give cured hams and bacon it's distinct flavor. It is possible that sodium phosphate was used, but I'm not sure if that will create a reddish color in the meat.

BHSL; recently posted if nitrates from plants are used, instead of the synthetic sodium nitrite the USDA allow them to make a claim that it is uncured. One of such plants that has a high nitrate level is celery, and often nitrates from that plan are used instead of sodium nitrites.

The package reads:
"No nitrates or nitrites added other than naturally occurring.
Ingredients: Sea Salt, Turbinado Sugar, Vegetable Dry Powder, Water"

I would take a guess then that somewhere in that vegetable dry powder are such vegetables that have the high nitrate levels.

Heres a pic I grabbed this morning out of the freezer

[ArnieM]

Habs, I'm more like BHSL  ;D  You're thinking of BLSH.

Yeah, that was good info from Eric.  I've been buying uncured hot dogs (no nitrite or nitrate) that had a fairly far off out sell-by date.  When I checked the ingredients - yep - celery powder.  It's a naturally occurring nitrite.  So, if one doesn't actually add sodium nitrite, they can be labeled as "no nitrite and uncured".

[Habanero Smoker]

Thanks for the list. The vegetable powder is probably made mostly if not entirely from the celery plant.

Arnie,
Maybe that is why my 457 is not performing well. :)