Home raised pork chops - I'm failing at cooking them

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

trikefreak

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Nov 21, 2013
139
14
We raised some hogs last year, and butchered them just a few months ago. I've got LOTS of pork chops, but I've not had good luck at cooking them. If I fry them, they are tough. I've baked them, better results, but not my fav way to cook meats. I've tried smoking them, and also come out tough. I've only had one successful method, that that was indirect heat on the Weber BBQ, and then toss them over the coals to crisp them up. That ended up with them being like T-bone steaks, but would really like to finger out how to smoke them and get them to come out tender.

Any words of advice? These are not much like what you buy at the grocery store, it's a red meat and not white like grocery store. They have some fat around the edges, but can't really say if the meat is marbled heavy or lite. I've got probably 30# of chops, and would sure like to find the perfect cooking method!
 
I would take from the freezer and place in a salt water brine until they thaw completely.  Take from the brine and pat dry.  Season with a little salt, pepper, onion and garlic.  Let them come to room temp and put in the smoker at a low temp, say 175-200 and cook to an IT of 140 and remove.  Place on the gas grill to get the last minute char.  Rest for 10 min.  and serve.  I would use hickory.

Low and slow is your friend with dark pork..  When I get pork from the butcher I look for the dark ones.  The darker the better the taste.

I would think that they would be like cooking wild boar, maybe the wild boar guys can chime in here.

Mel
 
I like my chops brined w/salt water for a day.... grilled at about 225-250 ish with Montreal pork seasoning... to an IT of about 160.... Takes about 20 minutes on the grill... I don't worry about the crisp stuff..... dries them out... If you want smoke flavor, cold smoke them for 30 minutes or so in the smoker... then on the grill... or get the AMNTS and place it in the grill...
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the suggestions! Grilled, I'm good, they come out great. I'm trying the salt and water suggestions, to see how that works. Negative wind chill today, might have to wait one more day.........
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky