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Pork Chop Best Practices

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Z_Eggineer
Z_Eggineer Posts: 576
in EggHead Forum

I know how controversial "consensus" can be in these parts, so simply seeking to learn from recent endeavors.

I have been inspred by all the great pork chop posts lately, as I have always loved them.

I am going to categorize the steps as to make it easier:

  • Selection: Cut / Producer / Thickness / Bone
  • Treatment: Wet Brine / Dry Brine / Rub / Marinade / other technique
  • Cooking: Indirect / Smoking / Sous Vide / Braise / Time / Temps
  • Searing: Height / grate / time / temp / before / after
  • Serving: Sliced / size / sauces / sides

Any help is appreciated.  Thinking of buying 1" thick Niman ranch and sous vide + grill grate sear.  NO idea on sauce, sides, etc.  TIA

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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    go at least 1 1/2" to start
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,772
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    with the thin ones i salt and freeze the solid, then onto a searing hot grill flipping with salt. ill even add butter while searing to get flareups to char them even quicker

    image
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,846
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    For me, thicker is better.  I've always LIKED pork chops, but I didn't LOVE pork chops until a did one that was 2 ribs thick.  At that thickness, it may be better than any beef I have ever had.

    And at that thickness, it is probably best to cook them relatively slowly (probably no more than 350, and I prefer indirect) in order to have as much of the thickness as possible be near the target temp and remain soft and juicy. At 300-350 I find with a platesetter and no drip pan, I find that the pork fat dripping on the platesetter is not excessive and actually give a nice smokey sear to the outside of the chop, so I have chosen not to do a reverse sear - even when that was my intention at the start of the cook.

    I haven't previously brined but I will likely do that this weekend to see if I appreciate a difference.

    I like Dizzy Pig Jamaican Firewalk as a rub.  I've found that you need to put on more rub that you would think.

    Target temp is 145 internal.  Pull them off at 140 internal.

    I hope that helps.

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    I like to slow cook with some smoke and then sear. Kind of over piled my small so I seared in batches. These boneless loin cuts are bigger than they look. Almost a pound each. Turned out real good. 
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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