The BEST Traeger Smoked Pork Chops
on Feb 03, 2023
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Traeger smoked pork chops are an easy smoked pork recipe for any amateur. With just a few easy smoker recipes under my belt, I’m living proof!
Read on, and I’ll show you how to make these using a pellet smoker. Like many of our pork recipes, this easy one takes just a few minutes to prep.
Table of Contents
About these
We used our new Traeger Silverton 810 smoker from Costco to make this easy meal. It’s economical and perfect for a family meal or having company over like we did this past Saturday night.
One of the benefits of living in farm country like Wisconsin is the ability to know where our food comes from. We like to use a thick pork chop as shown in this post, which we buy at a local butcher shop.
You can use your favorite dry rub or make them with something as easy as olive oil, salt, and fresh black peppercorns. There are many different ways to season pork chops, but just like our smoked brisket flat recipe and smoked pork loin, I find that simple is usually best.
If you’re a somewhat messy cook like I might be, just be sure to have plenty of paper towels on hand to keep your work area nice and clean!
Pro Cooking Tip: Know your source! Like any other recipe, these Traeger smoked pork chops will only be as good as your ingredients.
Ingredients and equipment
We make this easy smoker recipe on a Traeger pellet smoker, but you can use whatever type of smoker you have. Some of the best pork chops I’ve ever tasted were smoked on my old-fashioned offset smoker which gives an awesome smoke flavor using indirect heat.
You’ll need an instant-read meat thermometer like this Thermapen One from Thermoworks. It’s insanely accurate, fast, and comes with an awesome warranty.
Or you can use the temperature probe on your smoker if it has one. (which is likely very inaccurate.) Be sure to calibrate your thermometer or temp probe before using it.
Food Safety Precaution: Never consume undercooked pork! Be sure the minimum temperature is 145° before pulling them off the smoker.
- Thick-Cut Pork Chops. Use bone-in pork chops, 1 to 1 ½-inches thick. Thicker cuts of pork will absorb more smokey flavor. The bone will also add flavor and give you something to hold on to when eating these! For boneless chops, you can also use thick loin chops for these. I like to make these pork chops from Snake River Farms. They are always juicy and flavorful and perfect for this recipe. As an added convenience, they’re delivered right to your door!
- Kosher Salt – The larger salt crystals will flavor the meat nicely without over-salting, which is easy to do with the smaller granules of iodized table salt.
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Dried Thympe – This lends a mellow herb flavor to the smoked pork chops.
- Paprika – Sprinkle some of this on the meat to add some nice reddish color and a touch of warm flavor.
- Barbecue Sauce – This is optional, but a little bit will go a long way when you serve these.
Pro Cooking Tip – Be sure and heat the sauce up a bit before serving. No one wants cold sauce with a hot juicy piece of meat!
Substitutions and variations
Salt and pepper are pretty much a must when making these. Beyond that, you can use whatever you like for seasoning but remember; it doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive.
Take a look in your spice cabinet. Some other flavorful options might include:
- Chili powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Brown sugar
You can also marinate your pork chops in a simple marinade. Use a large bowl to combine some apple juice or apple cider, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Then, place pork chops covered with the marinade in an airtight container in your refrigerator the night before.
How to make these
(Full instructions are in the recipe card below.)
- Make a dry brine using the dry ingredients.
- Evenly sprinkle the uncooked meat with the spice mixture. Be sure and get the sides of the pork chops when adding the seasoning.
- Allow the pork chops to rest, uncovered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before smoking.
- Smoke at 225° F. to a safe internal temperature of at least 145°. This will take 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on the thickness of your chops.
How to reverse sear these
Searing these over hot grates after they are smoked will give you some nice style points. Plus, you’ll get lots of added texture and flavor from the caramelization of the meat.
Most pellet smokers won’t get hot enough to sear, but there are a couple of ways to get around this. Any of the following works as a good reverse sear method for making the best smoked pork chops:
- Use GrillGrates that you can set in your smoker. These grill grates are made of stainless steel and will heat to 100 to 150° hotter than what the grates on your smoker will reach. This is the best way to sear pork chops on a Traeger.
- Use a charcoal or gas grill to sear these over high heat the end.
- A kitchen sear pan will also work.
To reverse sear with your pellet smoker follow these steps
- When your meat has reached an internal temp of 145°, remove it from the smoker and tent it loosely with foil.
- Increase the smoker temp to its maximum level. Once this is achieved, place the meat back on the smoker, using GrillGrates if you have them.
- Sear for about a minute on both sides, making criss-cross patterns if desired.
- Allow the meat to rest, loosely tented with foil, for at least 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the meat fibers to reabsorb the juices making each bite juicier and more flavorful.
Pro Cooking Tip: Before reverse searing these, smear a little barbecue sauce over the surface. This will give the hot grates something to bite into, leaving you with beautiful grill marks.
My Top Tips for the Best Smoked Pork Chops
- Don’t overcook them! It’s okay if they are a little pink in the center, and you can safely eat them when they reach 145° F.
- Use tongs to flip instead of prongs. You don’t want to lose any more internal juice than necessary.
- Do not slice or cut the meat while it is on the grill to check for doneness. This will dry it out.
- No peaking while smoking! This will reduce the smoker’s temperature and allow precious smoke to escape.
- Allow the meat to rest, tented with foil, for at least 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow the meat fibers to reabsorb the juices.
Food Safety Tip: Pork should have an internal temperature of 145° F before consuming. I love using this instant-read thermometer, and it is the one I always recommend using.
Common questions
You can use either bone-in or boneless cuts of meat for this recipe. I prefer bone-in, but either works well. Either way, I suggest a thickness of at least 1 inch for maximal flavor and juiciness.
If you maintain a smoking temperature of no higher than 225°, you do not need to spritz these nor do you need a water pan to keep them from drying out.
This is a matter of personal preference. Many suggest fruit wood, like apple wood pellets or cherry wood. These are classic flavor combinations. However, the smokey flavor is mellow and nothing more than a subtle compliment to the pork’s natural flavor.
I like to use a smoke tube for added smoke. Also, certain models, such as Traeger’s Silverton 810, have a “super smoker” option. This works for temperatures up to 225°.
I like to serve these with our mandarin orange salad, twice-baked potatoes or potato salad, and a side of instant pot beans.
If you liked this recipe, you should read about the best way to smoke beef from Platter Talk.
Take a look at our favorite grilling and smoker accessories. We use these products all the time!
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Traeger Smoked Pork Chops
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 Pork pork chops, About 10 oz. each, at least 1-inch thick.
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsps Paprika
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
- Fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Combine the seasoning mix and evenly distribute over the meat. Then, place the meat in the refrigerator, uncovered for 4 to 6 hours.
- Preheat your smoker to 225° F. Place the seasoned meat on the the smoker and allow to smoke to an internal temperature of 145°. About 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops.
- (Optional) Slather a bit of the BBQ sauce on each porch chop and reverse sear at the end. To reverse sear, remove the meat from the smoker and tent it with foil. Increase your smoker temperature as high as it goes. To achieve, superior searing results on your smoker, use a set of GrillGrates (which will increase the surface temp up to 100° higher than your grill can reach.) Once you are at maximum temp, place the meat back on the grates and sear for about a minute, making criss-cross patterns for extra style points.
- Tent the meat loosely with foil and allow to rest at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve with optional barbecue sauce.
Notes
- Be sure to smoke these to a minimum temperature of 145° F.
- Be sure your thermometer is calibrated!
- Handle with a set of tongs to avoid piercing the meat.
- Reverse sear at the end for best results.
- Allow the meat to rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes before eating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Updated from the original post of February 27, 2022.
I made these last night for my family, and our neighbors came over. There were no leftovers! Thanks for this incredible recipe, we love Clatterbuck.