These epic Smoked Pork Chops are a summer staple in our house! So easy to make and reverse seared so they are absolutely delicious, tender and juicy!
If we aren’t making grilled pork chops, we are most definitely smoking them! Such an easy recipe and they are juicy and delicious! We tested these on a Traeger Pellet Grill, but this will work on any pellet smoker. Option to make a meal out of it by serving these with some Smoked Corn on the Cob, Smoked Broccoli and Smoked Potatoes (yes, please)!
Key Ingredients
Table of Contents
- pork chops: I prefer bone-in pork chops myself, but boneless pork chops will work here too – the cook time may just be a bit shorter for the boneless chops. I recommend rib chops or loin chops. Also, you can certainly use thick cut pork chops, just know the cook time will need to be extended.
- kosher salt and ground black pepper: if you want to keep your seasoning simple, salt and pepper work wonderfully here. Alternatively, we have a pork chop seasoning which is a great spice blend.
How to Prep Pork Chops before Smoking
Pat pork chops dry with a clean paper towel to remove excess moisture.
Season your pork chops with either a simple kosher salt + ground black pepper mix or you can use a pork chop seasoning.
Pork Chop Brine
If you want to use a quick pork chop brine before seasoning, simply combine 4 cups water, 1/4 cup kosher salt and 1/2 cup apple juice. You can also add in other aromatics like, onions, peppercorns, garlic, etc. Combine brine in a food safe container. Add pork chops and ensure they are fully submerged and that the salt has dissolved. Let brine a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for the duration of the brine process. Remove from brine, pat dry and cook as directed below.
How To Smoke Pork Chops
Place on your smoker until they reach an internal temp of 140 degrees F. Then sear on the smoker, grill or cast iron skillet!
Let rest before serving.
Pro Tips
- Let your internal meat thermometer be your guide! How long you need to smoke your pork chops will depend upon a variety of factors like heat, humidity, hot spots, thickness of your pork chops, etc. Let our recommendations be your guide, but let your meat thermometer tell you when it’s time to pull those chops!
- For this reverse sear method you want to *just* undercook those pork chops before pulling them from the smoker – then they will finish cooking during the quick sear (that is how you get the outside charred and crispy – but leave the inside tender and juicy) and during their rest period.
Best Ways To Serve Smoked Pork Chops (make it a meal)
There are a variety of different ways to serve this classic pork chop recipe! Since we already have the smoker fired up, we love using it to cook the whole meal with some Smoked Asparagus, Smoked Potatoes in Foil, and Smoked Baked Beans.
Or if you prefer side dish recipes that aren’t made on the smoker, try our Lemon Pasta, Deviled Egg Potato Salad, or Spicy Purple Cabbage Coleslaw.
Storage
Leftover pork chops can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4-5 days.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- How long does it take to smoke pork chops at 225? It takes approximately an hour to smoke a 1-inch pork chop at 225 degrees F (or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F).
- Are smoked pork chops fully cooked? Hot-smoked pork chops (like this recipe) are fully cooked once they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- Are smoked pork chops pink? It is okay if pork chops are a little pink in the middle, as long as they reach that internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
- How do you tell if smoked pork chops are done? They are done cooking when they reach 145 degrees F at their thickest part – use an internal meat thermometer or a probe (if your smoker has one) to keep track of the temperature; that is best way to track if how your meat is progressing on the smoker.
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Smoked Pork Chops Recipe (reverse seared)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 pork chops 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Smoker
- Cuisine: American
Description
A simple, tried-and-true Smoked Pork Chops recipe that teaches you how to use your smoker to make a delicious dinner!
Ingredients
- 4 (1-inch) pork chops (preferably bone-in)
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat smoker to 225 degrees F. and ensure grill grates are clean.
- Season Pork Chops: Pat pork chops dry with a clean paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
- Smoke Pork Chops: Place pork chops on the smoker and let cook for 50-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer!
- Sear: Remove pork chops from smoker and then turn smoker all the way up and return pork chops to grill grates sear on both sides 30-60 seconds. Alternatively, as the pork chops are reaching 140 degrees F. you can turn your grill up to high heat and then move the pork chops directly to the hot grill and sear both sides 30-60 seconds. Additionally, you could achieve this in a hot cast iron skillet on the stove top. My preferred method is the grill!
- Rest: Remove pork chops from smoker (or grill or cast iron skillet) and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve: Enjoy right away with your favorite side dishes!
Notes
- Seasoning: feel free to use this pork chop seasoning, if you want!
- Brine: we also have a quick pork chop brine, if desired.
- Marinades: we do have some amazing pork chop marinades on the blog, but when you are smoking I wouldn’t recommend going heavy on a seasoning OR marinating – it covers up a lot of that smokey flavor. If you want to use a marinade, then I would recommend making grilled pork chops.
- Internal Temperature: there are so many variables that go into how long it takes to smoke something (wind, humidity, temperature, hot spots, etc.) – the best way to track when something is done on the smoker is to use an internal meat thermometer or a probe.
- Wood Chips/Pellets: recommend using apple wood chips here (apple + pork are a staple bbq combo).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pork chop
- Calories: 152
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 226.5 mg
- Fat: 4.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 25.5 g
- Cholesterol: 71.4 mg
Angie says
So my chops, were 1/2” – we did 225 for 45 min – they came out perfect!
Erin says
So awesome to hear!! Thanks for the feedback, Angie!