In keeping with this week’s theme, I introduce to you….SMOG Chops! I was at the market with the girls this morning and the butcher had some wonderful looking bone-in pork chops. They were the big ones, just over an inch thick I reckon. Anyway, they were too nice to be true and three of them cost me no more than $17.
So how to prepare you may ask? Simple! Get your chops, rinse them with cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel. Now coat both sides of each chop with a bit of vegetable oil and then apply a healthy amount of your favorite rub. I used what was left of my rib rub (click here for the recipe) that hadn’t gone into our SMOG burgers last night.
Pop them back in the fridge until you’re ready to grill.
When ready, fire up your grill and stabilise the temperature at 225F. You’re going to go low and slow for these chops and trust me, you’ll not be disappointed! Use a plate setter or set up your coal for indirect heat and once you’re ready, add a fistful of apple wood chips and let the smoke start up. Place your chops on the grid and make sure your thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of one of your chops. Now set your timer for about 20 minutes. Baste one side of the chops with your favorite bbq sauce and let it sit for the 20 minutes.
For this recipe, I used our homemade KC bbq sauce:
Kansas City BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
2 cups Heinz ketchup
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup molasses
½ cup honey
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup yellow mustard
2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ rub
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Once the timer pings, flip the chops and baste the other side with your sauce and close the dome for another 20 minutes.
After 40 minutes, start to check your internal temperature. I also have a handheld thermometer that give you an accurate reading in about 6-8 seconds and allows you to check all the chops. You should aim for 140F internal temperature. NO MORE THAN THAT or else you’ll dry out the chops. Once you hit 140F, take the chops off and let them rest for about 5 minutes on a plate covered with aluminium foil.
At this point, caramelise some onions in butter, a pinch of Kosher salt and add a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end. You’ll use the onions as a topping for the pork chops.
Along with our smog chops, Heather made old Amsterdam cheesy mash and an orange “chuck-in” salad!
These were by far the BEST chops in terms of juiciness and overall taste. An absolute treat. Let us know what you think!
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Overall Heather Rating: 10/10