If you regularly read my musings, or you might to prefer to a call them ramblings, you know I have an affinity for fried pork chops (fried anything really). What could be better than a battered and fried pork chop with pan gravy? It’s best to use thin cut pork chops, and I always use bone-in (bone in anything is always best!) It’s a very traditional Southern meal, especially popular for Sunday dinner after church.
I was in Rouses the other day and stopped to admire their selection of thick cut chops. They really did look good, but were too thick for frying, and I am always a little dubious about cooking chops in the oven, so I decided I had to come up with another method of attack.
I have a homemade smoker in my back yard, and I had quite a bit of hickory (left over from a tree that fell in a hurricane some years ago) that I thought would work out just fine. Getting the fire right is very important for smoking anything. The grill needs to be hot enough to get a good sear, and smokey enough to get the job done, but without any leaping flames. It’s a tricky balance but one that has to be be conquered by anyone who wants to be good at smoking.
I seasoned the thick chop with a lot of Tony’s and also found a container of Greek seasoning that I though might go well, and then added a nice drizzle of good quality olive oil. I let the chop sit on the countertop until it was close to room temp, you never want to cook any meat that just came out of the refrigerator, the results are always poor.
I added the chop to the grill and closed it up tight. Some people use an internal thermometer to get the temp they want, but I rely on the finger test. Undercooked meat feels like the skin between your thumb and forefinger. The firmer the meat feels to a poke, the more done it is. To get the chop just past medium rare (there is nothing wrong with pork a little pink in the middle) the meat should give to the finger test, but not be too firm. If you over cook it, all is lost.
I love to serve smoked shops with David Chang’s Momofuku ramen noodles, along with the chili crunch sauce he also sells (it really is spicy, so be careful). Porkc chops can be served with several different sides, such as rice, salad, potatoes, it truly is a versatile, and delicious entree.