How Long You Should Smoke Pork Chops
If you've ever wondered how long you should smoke pork chops for, you're in luck. We asked this question to celebrity chef, Robbie Shoults, a judge on Beat Bobby Flay, the third-generation owner of Bear Creek Smokehouse and owner of Marshall Mercantile and High Horse 1898. His answer was: "Thick-cut pork chops can usually be smoked within 45 minutes to an hour."
By thick cut, we mean pork chops that are anywhere from 1-1½ inches thick. Since there's more meat to cook through, and smokers are slow cookers, it makes sense for it to take about an hour to smoke thick pork chops to perfection. Additionally, meat with bones takes longer to cook, so if your pork chops aren't boneless, it could take over an hour to smoke through.
On the other hand, let's say your butcher or the supermarket only has thin-cut pork chops for sale. How long would you smoke those cuts of meat? Shoults explained, rather comedically, "Some pork chops in the grocery store can be so thin that you can almost read a newspaper through them! Just know that they will get done in way less time than the thick-cut." It's safe to say that it takes significantly less than 45 minutes to smoke paper-thin pork chops, so keep an eye on them.
For the most flavorful smoked pork chops, don't forget to use a dry rub or marinade
Ready to smoke some juicy and delicious pork chops this week? First, as Shoults would agree, try to find thick-cut pork chop, and not the thin ones that you can almost see through without x-ray vision. Then, when you're preparing the meat, be sure to rub some flavor into the pork chops. If you're going with a dry rub, Shoults has a selection of Bear Creek Smokehouse dry rubs and spices that you can try.
You can also marinate the meat first, as marinating pork chops brings out their flavor before they go into the smoker. While smoking meat adds flavor, it's mostly aroma and smokiness; you still need to season your meats before smoking them. Finally, you'll have perfectly smoked pork chops if you go through some of the most helpful tips needed when cooking with a smoker. For example, it's best to know how to keep the pork chops moist and juicy, and keep in mind that, before jumping to serve and enjoy, you should rest them after they're done cooking.