Humans love meat. In the African savanna, where meat consumption helped Archaic Homo sapiens evolve into smarter people with bigger brains and smaller guts who could fully communicate verbally, our desire for calorie-dense foods began. The brain needs a lot of nutrients, and it wasn’t until our earliest ancestors started eating foods that were high in energy that the brain could grow and develop. Once this ancestor that ate meat learned how to cook it, they didn’t need a big jaw or big chompers anymore. This led to the development of smaller jaw muscles that eventually led to the fine motor skills needed for speech. Essentially we acquired a proclivity to what made us smarter and more verbose.
Pork is the most popular meat, and luckily, the USDA says it is much leaner now than it was in the 1950s. Modern slim pork chops are good for health-conscious people, don’t taste too strong, and go well with a lot of different spices, even those that are smoked.
Early people ate meat around their fires, but they soon learned that hanging the meat in their caves to dry out with smoke kept it fresh longer and helped cook their food storage more slowly. They probably liked the taste of it too.
Smoking has a uniquely distinct flavor that no other cooking technique can replicate. When you smoke meat “low and slow,” the subtle flavors come out more and the collagens break down. This makes the meat much more tender and flavorful, and the melting fat combines with the meat to make a truly unique and delicious eating experience. Since we’ve shared so many smoked recipes on The Taste of Montana, you might already know that we love them. Today’s pork chop recipe is also smoked and needs to be marinated overnight. The glaze is one of our best and is made with Cold Smoke Ale from KettleHouse Brewing, but you can use your favorite scotch ale instead. The natural flavors of this meat, along with smoky and fatty undertones, will taste like choirs of umami angels singing for your tongue if it’s cooked right. Serve with bbq grilled zucchini and a pint of Cold Smoke to complement your dinner.
Cold smoking pork chops before cooking is a foolproof way to infuse them with incredibly deep, smokehouse flavor. The key is keeping temperatures low to impart smokiness without actually cooking the meat.
This complete guide will teach you how to properly cold smoke pork chops from start to finish. We’ll cover ideal setups, step-by-step instructions, timing, safety tips, storage, and serving smoked chops
Grab your favorite rub and wood chips and let’s get smoking!
Why Cold Smoke Pork Chops?
Hot smoking cooks the pork while adding smoky flavor. Cold smoking imparts robust smoky taste through longer exposure time without raising the temperature.
Here are the main benefits of cold smoking pork chops:
- Deep penetration of smoke flavor as chops absorb the smoke longer
- Meat stays tender and juicy since it isn’t cooked
- Marinades and dry rubs have more time to permeate the meat
- Chops can be finished later to your ideal doneness after smoking
- Make-ahead convenience – smoke a batch for quick weeknight meals
While cold smoked pork still needs to be fully cooked before eating, the incredible smoky depth it gains makes the extra step so worthwhile.
Step-by-Step Guide to Cold Smoking Chops
Follow these simple steps for failproof cold smoked pork chops
1. Prepare the Pork Chops
Select 1 to 2-inch thick bone-in or boneless chops. Trim off any excess fat or silverskin. Pat the chops completely dry.
2. Apply a Dry Rub
Coat all sides of the chops generously with a dry rub. Allow the rub to penetrate the meat for 15 to 30 minutes.
3. Set Up Smoker for Cold Smoking
Load your smoker with your choice of wood chips, like apple, cherry, or hickory. Maintain temperatures under 100°F, ideally between 55-75°F. Use ice packs if needed.
4. Place Chops in Smoker
Set chops directly on racks so smoke circulates freely around them. No need to preheat like with hot smoking.
5. Cold Smoke for 1 to 3 Hours
Smoke the chops for 1 to 3 hours. 2 hours is usually sufficient for great smoke flavor. Go longer for more intense smokiness, but don’t oversmoke.
6. Remove Smoked Chops
When finished smoking, transfer the chops to a sheet pan or plate. Resist the temptation to eat one before it’s cooked!
That covers the basic process. Now let’s dive into timing, storage, safety, serving and more.
How Long to Cold Smoke Chops
The ideal cold smoking time for pork chops ranges from 1 to 3 hours.
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30 to 60 minutes provides subtle smoke enhancement.
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1 to 2 hours infuses moderate smoky pork flavor.
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Over 2 hours develops very deep smoke penetration.
Don’t cold smoke for more than 3 hours or the pork can become bitter. Thicker chops may need extra time.
Cold Smoking Guidelines for Safety
To safely cold smoke pork, follow these guidelines:
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Use an accurate digital thermometer and maintain temps below 100°F.
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Add ice packs or frozen water bottles if needed to keep temp low.
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If the smoker can’t stay under 100°F, hot smoke fully cooked chops instead.
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Don’t let chops exceed 40°F for over 2 hours before and after smoking.
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Always cook cold smoked pork to 160°F internal temperature before eating.
Proper temperatures are crucial when cold smoking to prevent foodborne illness.
Storing and Freezing Cold Smoked Chops
Since the chops are not fully cooked yet, follow these storage tips:
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Refrigerate in a covered container up to 2 days.
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For longer freezer storage, wrap chops tightly in plastic and foil and freeze for 2 to 3 months.
Proper chilling and freezing allows you to smoke chops in advance for quick weeknight meals.
Finishing and Serving Cold Smoked Pork
Finish cooking your chilled smoked chops by:
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Pan searing over medium-high heat for a nice sear.
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Grilling over medium-high heat until cooked through.
Serve smoked pork chops with classic sides like baked beans, coleslaw, cornbread, and potatoes. They take sauces and glazes beautifully too.
Incredible Recipe Ideas
In addition to traditional preparations, try using cold smoked pork chops in:
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Breakfast hashes and omelets
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Eggs Benedict topping
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Flatbread pizzas
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Quesadillas
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Sandwiches with pickles and slaw
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Salads with greens, fruits, nuts, and cheese
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Tacos with all the fixings
The smoky chops add wonderful flavor to all kinds of dishes beyond just dinner!
Get That Smoker Going!
The savory smoky flavor cold smoking infuses into pork chops is well worth the minimal time and effort. Use this complete guide and you’ll be making smokehouse-worthy chops in your own backyard in no time.
Fire up your smoker, grab some rub and wood chips, and let’s get smoking some crazy delicious cold smoked pork chops today!
Smoked Pork Chops with Cold Smoke-Balsamic Glaze
- For the brined pork chops
- 4 pork chops bone-in
- 2 cups sparkling apple cider
- ½ cup kosher salt
- 1 TBSP Herbes de Provence
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ TBSP garlic powder
- ½ TBSP black pepper
- Lemon zest
- For the Cold Smoke-balsamic glaze
- ½ cup Kettlehouse Cold Smoke Ale
- 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
- 2 TBSP dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- For the brined pork chops
- Get apple juice, brown sugar, kosher salt, Herbes de Provence, black pepper, garlic powder, and lemon zest in a bowl. Mix them together with a whisk.
- Pour brine over the pork chops and refrigerate to overnight.
- Take the pork chops out of the brine the next day, rinse them, and pat them dry.
- Heat the smoker to 180ºF.
- Smoke the pork chops for 30 minutes after putting them in the machine.
- Raise the heat to at least 450ºF and take the pork chops out of the smoker.
- After 10 minutes, baste the chops with the Cold Smoke-balsamic glaze.
- Keep cooking the pork chops until the temperature inside reaches 145oF.
- Let the chops rest for 10 minutes before cutting.
- Now we’re cooking!
- For the Cold Smoke-balsamic glaze
- Combine all ingredients until well-mixed.
- Reduce glaze over medium-low heat until it thickens, 15 minutes.
- Keep warm.
Beginners Introduction to Cold Smoking Meat & Food
FAQ
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