Smoked Iowa Chops

[Gpa-Rooster]

Meathead We occasionally get smoked Iowa chops at a restaurant, when we have tried these at home we can't quite get the flavor they have. After reading some articles here I believe many of these are cured then smoked. Do you have a recipe for curing these chops. 1-3/4" to 2" thick

[Spinaker]

Great Question!!! Almost nothing better than a cured and smoked Iowa Chop. I'll be curious to hear what this post generates.

[smarkley]

Funny this should come up, I was just thinking about making some of these last night...

for 3-4 lbs Wet brine overnight... 1/2 gal of water, salt(of course), 1/2 gal apple juice, garlic, black peppercorns, yada yada yada... Note wet brine is not too popular around here, so I still wet brine but think of it more as a marinade (hahahaha), since it is overnight.

Then smoke away! Use your fav smoker and what ever wood you like for pork.

[bbqoaf]

I buy a rack of pork, shop it into two bone thick chops, wet brine with salt and a little sugar over night, add whatever rub I feel like (if any), smoke at 225 till 125 IT then sear to 135, carry over will take it to a perfect 140. Finish with a sauce if you want.

[Spinaker]

Meathead or Anybody know if there is a long cure process for chops. Something similar to what we do for Pork Belly in to Bacon? I was wondering if there is a recipe for using Prague powder or something similar?

[Gpa-Rooster]

Spinaker you are on the right track. I have purchased as recommended on this site the Prague powder #1, was just looking for a recipe to cure the chops. Because of the way the articles are written with the warnings I did not want to assume I could take one recipe and convert it over for the chops. They have a nice almost ham flavor when done.

[HorseDoctor]

Yup, same as recipe for Canadian bacon. Just cut to 1 1/2" for an "Iowa chop".

[Breadhead]

Gpa-Rooster ...

I've done pork chops many different ways over the years. One day I was searching around AllRecipes.com and found a recipe for Mongolian grilled pork chops by Chef John. The recipe has 2 different sauces. 1 for marinading and basting and the other as a dipping sauce.

I made it exactly as he wrote it and grilled them on my BGE. It blew me away! It's by far the best pork chop I've ever eaten. I've since used the same marinade for bone in, skin on, chicken thighs. I use the dipping sauce with pork chops but not with the chicken thighs.

Try it, you might enjoy it as much as I do.😋
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/221901/...arch%20results

A pork chop marinaded overnight. Basted with the same marinade while it was on the grill and the dipping sauce.

[Breadhead]

smarkley ...

If I remember right we are both Chef John fans. That guy comes up with some kick ass stuff.👍

Try that marinade on some bone in, skin on, chicken thighs some time. Get the skin crispy but don't burn it, that's a grilling feat. Mmmm.

[smarkley]

Thanks Breadhead ... I will give it a try!

[smarkley]

Breadhead My wife just said something cool... 'Chef John is the best cooking show not on TV' -- truth!