Chops Tonight

Gator Bait

I picked these center cut boneless Pork loin chops up yesterday at Sam's on a quick sale. The price was right and they were calling to me.

I dusted them with a fair amount of one of my homemade rubs that I am experimenting with . . .

1 T fine Sea salt
1 C Drk. Brown Sugar
2 T Dry Mustard
1/4 C Cumin
2 T Blk. Pepper
2 T Garlic powder
1 T Onion powder
1 t Cayenne pepper
1 T Nutmeg
1 T Cinnamon
2 T Thyme
1 T Oregano

. . . and let them marinade while I got the BGE fired up.

When the egg got to about 350º I threw in a few chunks of hickory for smoke and added the chops at about 400º. The grid was raised. They filled my medium egg.

I left my timer in the house, the last time I did pork chops I over cooked them. This time I just took my trusty thermometer and cooked them to temperature only. As they reached an internal of 135º to 140º I pulled them and covered with foil.

These chops were 1 3/8" thick and the nine of them weighted 4.89#. They were hefty to say the least. After resting for a few minutes while I shut the egg down and put a few things away they were just about perfect, tender and juicy!

With a little BBQ sauce on the side these are the best chops so far.

Gator

BENTE

they look really good...


the only thing i do to time is searing... everything else i do to temp

Panhandle Smoker

Those look Mighty fine there Gator. I like the sounds of your rub. Are you in in this mini fest in August?

Hoss

Smooth.Like the sounds of the rub.I make a similar one that i really like.The chops look awesome!

Gator Bait

Hi Bente,

It's a slow process but I am learning that temperature pretty much rules, no matter how you slice it. One temperature outside the meat, one temperature inside the meat. Use one to get the other where it belongs in the right amount of time and you have it made. How simple can it be? :laugh:

Gator

*I got that posted out of order . . . again.*

Judy Mayberry

Those are lip smackin' gorgeous, for sure. Did I read that right, 1/4 cup of cumin? Ground, I take it. That's sure a lot of cumin!

Judy
San Diego, CA

Gator Bait

Hi Eddie,

Thanks. Any of my rubs are experimental. This one doesn't have any of the typical red spices except for a little Cayenne pepper. I am thinking of a rub that has a bit more herb background to it. An alternative to a more typical rub, better for lamb and beef but good on most anything. My more typical rub is:

1/2 C paprika
1/4 C fine Sea salt
2 C Drk. Brown Sugar
2 T Dry Mustard
1/4 C Chilli powder
1/4 C Cumin
2 T Blk. Pepper
2 T Garlic powder
1 T Onion powder
1 T Cayenne pepper
1 T Nutmeg
1 T Cinnamon

I have shared this one with family members that have eggs and they like it very much. It was made with pork butts/ribs and chicken in mind. It takes me for ever to create a rub. Research and development is super slow when you cook only for yourself!

I haven't taken a serious look at the details for the mini fest yet. I am going to try and make it to Ocala in the spring, that sounds like a blast!

Gator

Gator Bait

Thanks Hoss,

Thats one of my experimental rubs that is getting interesting. By the time they plant me it should be just right! :laugh:

Gator

Gator Bait

Hi Judy,

Thanks, Yup, you got it right, 1/4 C Ground Cumin. Cumin is one of those base ingredients found in almost any rub. It has a nice smoky flavor that I like. Now that you mention it I may try this rub with a smaller amount. That's the fun of making your own, you can tailor it to what you like. I admit, that much cumin makes for a good bold rub, there's nothing wimpy about it. I think it is like any other spice or herb, a large part depends upon how much you use. If you like to lay your rubs on thick I can see where it would be a bit much. At least it's not Cayenne pepper! LOL. I see some rub recipes with huge amounts of Cayenne pepper and I feel sorry for the unsuspecting person that makes that recipe.

Gator

JLOCKHART29

Looks like you pretty much got the chop thing down!! Nicley done BUT not over done! :laugh: Every one wants to over cook pork.

WADoug

Oh my, those look great! You're cook/images brought me back to my first meal with my wife (girlfriend at the time) some 35 years ago. Like a trout, she hooked me solid with at pork chop dinner. The meal was great, she was great, the food and stars aligned...I was in the net. Now, with your inspiring post, maybe I can cook some chops that will be as good as your post and return her favor. Thanks.

Gator Bait

Thanks JL,

I hate over cooking anything but pork heads the list. :S

Gator

Hoss

I'm on the same trail! :woohoo:

AnnaG

GB... Good looking chops there!!!

Gator Bait

Thanks Doug,

LOL, WOW, the power of the chops! I confess, a girl that could cook a great chop would have been a danger to me also. When I was a kid growing up we had a next door neighbor that cooked the worlds best pork chops. I got invited for dinner often as she knew how much I loved her pork chops. I don't know what she did to them but my mother could never get them as good. I am convinced that the internal temperature is critical to good pork. It can over cook very easily and get dry and tough in a heart beat. An internal temperature of 138º is about perfect, covered with foil they will carry over about another 5º. Theses also had a little fat marbling through them which didn't hurt either. I don't think the rub is terribly important, a little salt and pepper or a little garlic salt and pepper would be good too.

Gator

Gator Bait

Thanks Anna. The last couple times I did chops they were tough. These came out very tender and moist.

Gator

Desert Oasis Woman

:laugh: Lookin good there, Gator Bait!
Like your rub, too.
How long will those chops last??? :evil:
Happy 4th of July

porterhouse64

Great looking pork

The rub looks good.

I love experimenting and trying new rubs.

Another 30 years I will perfect my house rub

The experimentation process is slow when cooking solo.

I hate to throw out and rubs.

I have found even a "bad rub" is pretty good in chili, hamburgers, or jambalaya.

Gator Bait

Thanks Desert Oasis Woman,

The chops will last quite a while, they will get double wrapped and fed to the freezer. I'm on a limited budget so buying from Sam's helps. The downfall is that I am cooking for one. My freezer gets a good workout. I've got to get a Foodsaver one of these days!

Gator

Gator Bait

Hi porterhouse64,

Thanks!

Hahahaha, that sounds just like me talking about making rubs!!! I haven't had to throw any out yet and so far have been able to use all my creations. Your right it is very slow work. I try to buy herbs and spices in bulk but sources here in Fort Myers are scarce. I get the best deals at Sam's but their selection is limited. When my sister and her family are down in the winter I have someone to share them with and I get another opinion.

Gator