smoked pork chops

[jimguy]

I read 2 recipes for smoked pork chops and decided to try, however I can not follow one particular recipe without adding my own ideas.

I followed the instructions for brining with Morton TenderQuick for the size cuts I had, 12 to 14 hours, the brine adjusted to the weight of meat I had. After 12 hours of brining I rinsed them and soaked for 2 hours, changing water 3 times.

After smoking for 1 hour 40 minutes at 200F with maple pucks, they had reached 136F so I left them in the smoker for another hour when the thickest reached 155 F.

I am not impressed. They are a little salty though very tender and not dry. I am also not impressed with the cuts I got as some were 3/4 inch think on one side, 1/2 half on the other, but that is another issue.

Wife asked why I brined them at all, why not just hit them with a cool smoke then finish in the oven.

Any ideas?

[asa]

Brining with TenderQuick is a curing process. It sounds as if you were interested in "flavor-brining" rather than "cure-brining." (I don't recall the exact terminology used, but check out the difference - as I recall there is a good discussion on our forum recipe site hosted by "Oldman.") Along the same lines, somewhere I learned that "smoked boneless pork chops" can be cut from a loin that has been cured and smoked to produce "Canadian bacon." Then from that product, you just cut 1"-2" thick chops and do something with them like searing and serving with an aromatic (possibly fruity) or succulent sauce like a gravy. If you started with bone-in chops or something pre-cut, then a brief smoking and then a finish in a hot pan or on the grill seems like a good plan. If you want to brine them overnight, I wouldn't use TQ, but just some salt and brown sugar in the fridge. And I'm interested in what others might think about flavor-brining pork chops. I know there are some guidelines about what to brine and what not to brine, but I don't recall where pork chops fall into that spectrum.

[iceman]

asa has the right idea jimguy. A simple flavor brine sort of like the basic poultry brine works on chops. The smoked chops you sometimes see at the market are done like that. They are brined then cold smoked and are still a raw product that must be cooked before eating. No need for the cure. Just brine, smoke, then toss in the oven or crank the grill up. The brine will keep them moist and add some flavor. Pork nowdays is so lean it needs help to stay moist during cooking. :)

[Habanero Smoker]

If you wanted a flavor similar to ham, you can do a dry brine by sprinkling on a small amount of Tender Quick on both sides of the chops and refrigerate for 2-4 hours, then lightly rinse. This method was probably one of the recipes you had already found on the forum.

Also, what I have been seeing in supper markets lately are cuts of pork; usually chops that are already injected with a brine. I forgot the terminology they were using on the package that indicated they were wet brined or injected. If you had purchase pork that already had been brined, and then you wet brined it in Tender Quick that could account for it being salty. Just another possibility.

[jimguy]

Thanks for the suggestions.

One recipe that I had read was in fact the one basically doing the canadian bacon process but cutting thick pieces. The other is called German style cured pork chops and called for Morton Tenderquick in a brine then vacuum sealed for several hours. I compromised.

I like the idea of the flavor brine then lightly smoking. Next time I will try that.

The chops I used were fresh, not injected.

[asa]

One recipe that I had read was in fact the one basically doing the canadian bacon process but cutting thick pieces.

I think that is what you get from the market when they sell "boneless smoked pork chops." I've done it and it seems to work well.

The other is called German style cured pork chops and called for Morton Tenderquick in a brine then vacuum sealed for several hours. I compromised.

That's what HabeneroSmoker suggested - where did that idea come from and what is the purpose/idea behind that technique??? I'm interested in the reasoning behind it.

I like the idea of the flavor brine then lightly smoking. Next time I will try that.

Seems to work with a lot of meats including poultry, shrimp, and evidently pork. With beef, on the other hand, there is something to be said for going the other way (see dry-aging entries here and elsewhere). Don't know about "high-speed beef" and other game but would be interested in any experience/expertise others have.

[Habanero Smoker]

Asa;
Here is one of the post of dry flavor curing pork chops. There is another one but I can't locate it.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=144.msg1474#msg1474

[asa]

Hab -
Thanks for the link. I went back to Whitetailfan's original post and read 'em all from the beginning. Interesting evolution of thought and experimentation regarding cutting smoked pork chops from a cured and smoked loin (aka Canadian bacon) as we've discussed above, or curing and then cutting into chops before smoking. Finally, SmokinDoc came up with a suggestion at the end that may have been the answer to WTF's original question - loved the thread. Sounds like a quick and easy way to get the final product if you haven't planned 3 weeks ahead to cure a whole loin like we've discussed elsewhere. With all the pieces I've given away from that last whole smoked loin, it's time for me to try another soon. I really like what I got by combining your recipe with MallardWacker's 3 week cure. What seems to be coming through in all of these curing recipes and experiments I read is that it really doesn't take very long for a cure to penetrate and work its curing magic. But I guess I'll have to experiment to get the answer to my question which was: what is the difference between a pork chop that is flavor-brined then smoked and one that has been cured for 12-24 hours in MTQ and then smoked. I'm guessing the latter tastes more ham-like and has a pink color. Would there be a difference in tenderness also?

Thanks again for pointing out this thread.

     Art

[Habanero Smoker]

Asa;

I would imagine that the wet brine would make the meat juicier, but I believe the nitrites and/or nitrates will give it more of a bacon/ham flavor. If you do the experiment, keep us posted.

[asa]

I certainly will. And perhaps WTF will let us know if he tried any of this and how it turned out.

[coyote]

Hey Folks, I consistantly log onto the forum for the last time everyday just before
turning in.......................I blame all of you for my late night sandwiches ;D

                                        I'm having one now. Good night,
                                                               Coyote