Smoked Pork Chops Recipe – Oma's Kasseler (2024)

FAQs

Are smoked pork chops already fully cooked? ›

The great thing about smoked meats—besides the wonderful flavor—is that they come fully cooked, requiring a simple warm-up on the stove, grill, or oven. For our recipe, you'll need fully cooked smoked pork chops, and just a few minutes in a frying pan, under the broiler, or on the grill.

Around Amana, they are known as Kassler Rippchen. They're fully cooked, so simply heat and serve. Ideal for broiling, pan frying, or grilling.

Kassler (German: [ˈkaslɐ]) or Kasseler in German cuisine is the name given to a cured and slightly smoked cut of pork similar to gammon. It can be either hot or cold smoked. Pork necks and loins are the most often used cuts although ribs, shoulders and bellies can also be used.

Smoking the pork chops at 225°F for 90 minutes – 2 hours means the pork chops will absorb all of the delicious smoky flavors, without drying the pork chops out.

Place the chops on the smoker and cook until the internal temp reads 145 degrees F with a reliable meat thermometer (approximately 60-90 minutes). Tent, rest, and serve. Remove the pork chops from the smoker. Place them on a plate and tent with foil.

It make such a difference! Pat your pork chops dry with a clean paper towel. Season with salt and pepper (or a pork chop seasoning). Place on the smoker and let cook for approximately 50-60 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.

One way to determine your porks' doneness is by the color of the juices that come out of it when you poke a hole in it with a knife or fork. If the juices run clear or are very faintly pink, the pork is done cooking. If they're mostly or entirely pink or red, it's best to continue cooking.

The meat is boneless containing smoked strips of pork. This meat is not ready to eat and needs to be cooked first.

When inserting your thermometer if it goes in with almost no effort, you know you're getting close. We typically smoke our shoulders around 250 degrees for 6-10 hours. We are looking for an internal temperature between 195-205. We know a shoulder is ready to come off when you can easily pull the bone out.

Originating in Germany, Kassler is pork cured with salt, sugar and spices and lightly smoked for a uniquely interesting flavour with a slightly sweet finish. Our take on the German classic uses free range pork and our secret blend of spices together with salt and sugar for the perfect cure.

What is smoked pork chops called? ›

A Kassler Chop is a smoked pork chop which comes from the pork loin. A Kassler chop can either be cut from the rib section or loin section. In beef terms, the rib section houses the bone-in rib eye cuts and the loin section is home to t-bone or porterhouse cuts.

Cold smoked pork chops aren't heat processed, so they aren't cooked. They have the redder color and the more resilient, moister feel of raw meat. You are only apt to run into them in specialty meat markets or at small local butchers. These need to be cooked to 145F to be safe and palatable to eat.

Smoking the Pork Chops

Set the smoker up for cooking at 225-240°F using apple and/or cherry wood for smoke. Once the smoker is up to temperature and ready to smoke, place the pork chops on a Bradley rack, Weber grill pan or a cooling rack or right on the smoker grate for maximum smoke exposure.

You need to brine the meat.

The loin meat (thats the big part of the chop) is wayyyyy leaner than other pork cuts. The loin chop is even more susceptible to drying out, because it doesn't have all those lovely seams of fat to keep it “internally basted” as something like a pork butt does. And so brining is essential.

Is it ok if my pork is slightly pink? The short answer to this common question is yes! Due to the ingredients and natural preservatives found in many pork products, it's entirely possible that your meat may still be slightly pink even when it's fully cooked. In fact, pork can even be enjoyed medium-rare.

Although foods that have been hot smoked are often reheated or further cooked, they are typically safe to eat without further cooking. Hams and ham hocks are fully cooked once they are properly smoked, and they can be eaten as is without any further preparation.

Can pork chops be a little pink? YES! And they should be! USDA has lowered their recommended temp for pork chops (not ground pork) from 160F to 145F, but they are at their most tender and juicy at 140F or so.