James Kenji Lopez-Alt
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The Best Slow-Smoked Pork Chops I've Ever Made
🕑 Added 2025-07-09 13:44:32 +0000 UTCThe other day I picked up a few thick-cut pork chops from Beast and Cleaver, my favorite local butcher shop. With such incredible pork and a few beautiful Seattle summer days ahead of me, I wanted to make sure that I made the most of them. That's when I thought about my smoked porterhouse technique.
Years ago, I wrote an article about smoked porterhouse steaks built around the reverse-sear technique I first developed at Cook’s Illustrated. The principle behind reverse-searing is that by gently bringing meat up to temperature over low, indirect heat, you allow for extremely even internal doneness from edge to center. Then, by finishing it over high heat, you create the flavorful Maillard browning on the exterior without pushing the interior past your target temperature. It’s a technique I’ve used with beef for years, but it turns out it’s equally effective for thick-cut pork chops—which can be even more finicky to cook well.
Pork chops have less intramuscular fat than a good steak, and because they’re often leaner overall, they’re more prone to drying out. That’s where the reverse-sear really shines: the gentle initial heat minimizes moisture loss while giving you a long window for smoke to permeate the surface, and the quick final sear lets you lock in that crust without overcooking the center. On the grill, though, there’s a twist. Because the heat on a grill is always directional — from the coals-up — a pork chop laid flat on it will always cook unevenly, even if it's done over the cool side of a two-level fire
To solve that, I use a trick borrowed from my porterhouse method: I stack two or three chops together and skewer them together with a few skewers, then space them out so they stand upright on the grill, bones up. This vertical orientation limits direct exposure to the fire and ensures both sides cook at the same rate. It also allows smoke to circulate fully around the meat. By keeping the ambient grill temperature low—around 175°F—you can let the chops slowly climb to about 130°F internally, picking up smoke and flavor along the way. Then you hit them with high heat to char the exterior and bring them just a touch higher, if needed.
To make sure I hit that exact right temperature with no guesswork, I use the Combustion, Inc. Predictive Thermometer, which has an array of sensors along its length that tell me exactly what the core temperature of the pork chop is, even if I don't insert it perfectly into the center of the chop. (It also calculates exactly how long my pork will take to cook to a target temperature, down to the second.)
It’s worth noting that modern pork is safe to eat at these lower temperatures. A medium-rare pork chop at 130°F is far juicier and more tender than the dry, overcooked versions many of us grew up with. Trichinosis, the parasitic infection that prompted our parents and grandparents to cook pork to death, has been virtually eradicated in the U.S. commercial pork supply thanks to improved farming practices. As long as you’re sourcing good-quality meat and cooking with care, there’s no reason not to treat a pork chop like a great steak.
I love the way the smoke works with pork fat to create an almost bacon-y sweet smokiness.
Smoke Thick-Cut Pork Chops
Every recipe I publish here is personally tested, tasted, and approved.
What I like about this recipe:
Standing the pork chops vertically on skewers promotes even cooking and good smoke penetration.
Starting over low heat and finishing high gives you an excellend crust and perfect edge-to-edge medium-rare doneness.
Yield: 2-4 pork chops
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
2 to 4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops (1 1/2 inches thick; about 12–16 oz each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
A few chunks of hardwood for smoking
Directions
1. Season and Skewer:
Generously season the pork chops all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stand the chops on their bone edges and thread 3 long metal skewers through them side to side so they support each other upright like books on a shelf. Spread the chops out on the skewers, leaving at least a half inch in between each. This helps them cook evenly on both flat faces without the bottom side overcooking. They should stand upright on their own.
2. Set Up Grill for Smoking:
Light 1/4 chimney of coals in a chimney starter and dump them on one side of the charcoal grate. Place 2 wood chunks on top. Set the cooking grate in place and position the skewered pork chops on the opposite side of the grill, fat cap down. (On a gas grill, set one side to medium and leave the other side off. Place a few wood chunks in a smoker box or a foil pouch over the hotter side and p;ace the chops over the off side.)
Adjust the top and bottom vents to about ¾ closed with the top vent positioned over the meat to draw smoke across. Cover and maintain a grill temperature of 200 to 250°F (95–125°C). Add fresh coals and wood as needed to keep temperature steady. Smoke until the chops register 110–115°F (about 45°C) for medium-rare or up to 130°F (55°C) if you prefer medium. This will take about 30 to 45 minutes depending on thickness.
Remove the chops to a cutting board while you build the searing fire.
Note: Modern pork is safe and juicy when cooked to 130°F with a brief rest. Trichinosis is virtually eradicated in commercial pork in the U.S.
3. Finish Over High Heat:
Add a couple quarts of coal to the fire and allow them to ignite. Once mostly covered in gray ash, spread them over the hot side of the grill. (If using a gas grill, set one side of the grill to high and cover to preheat).
Unskewer the chops and sear them directly over the hot side, turning frequently, until a deep crust forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
Comments
Charlie Bernstein
After seeing I went straight to Beast and Cleaver, picked up some chips, and had them Saturday night. Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe how epic they were. Thank you, Kenji!
IAY
I just made this on my Kamado, and used some hickory wood chunks for smoke. WOW did it turned out amazing and smoky! I knew this recipe would be good, but I am amazed at how incredible it turned out! Some of the best steak and chop experience I've had were not beef (mutton chop from Keens, and pork hanger steak from Iberico pig ins Seville) and this got added to the list! Beef is amazing, but I got the same satisfaction level for 1/4th the price...
Glen
Likely he just didn't bother to; the food still comes out great either way. I always try to dry brine, but sometimes I either forget or just can't be bothered to.
Jim Brown
I don't see any reference to dry-brining, which I've found really helps. Why?
