Delicious And Easy Pork Chops on a Traeger Grill

Pork chops are one of the staples of American cuisine. They are as standard for family dinners as fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. Many people find themselves frying pork chops in a skillet, but they truly shine when braised with a specialty sauce or dressed with a savory rub on the grill.

Do you want to know an easy way to create delicious grilled pork chops? Does the idea of cooking these potentially delectable little steaks secretly fill you with trepidation? You are not alone as pork can be temperamental to cook, often becoming dry and tough. A Traeger Grill could be your answer. All you need for delicious and easy pork chops on a Traeger grill are a few simple steps and a no-fail recipe.

What ingredients will you need?

• Traeger Grill
• Standard Electrical Outlet
• Grill Grates
• 4 to 8 thick-cut pork chops
• Your favorite Barbecue Rub
• Flavored Wood Pellets
• Grill Tool – Flipper
• Instant-read Meat Thermometer

What is a Traeger Grill?

A Traeger is a type of pellet grill. You can smoke meat in it with wood pellets that come in maple, oak, or apple flavors to namme a few. It runs on electricity, combining the simplicity of cooking on a propane gas grill with the rich flavor of a wood smoker.

Traeger grills operate based on one digital start up button. They require no lighter fluid and are accurate to within 10 degrees Farenheit of the temperature you program. They are just as versatile as other grills but do not require the maintenance nor the investment.

What flavor of wood pellets should you use?

When it comes to wood smoke, pork is versatile. You can make it mild or bold according to your preference, and the meat will neither overwhelm subtlety nor be overwhelmed by strong flavors. You can also combine different types of wood pellets to obtain a more exotic flavor.

• Apple is one of the most popular flavors used for poultry as well as pork. The smoke is mild and has a hint of fruit that highlights mild food.
• Cherry is a fruit-accented wood similar to apple but more flavorful while remaining mild.
• Alder enhances delicate-flavored meat and can even be used for baked treats.
• Hickory is one of the strong hardwood flavors that enhance pork and most other meats. It is also one you can mix with oak or apple to temper its boldness.
• Mesquite provides a hearty flavor and is commonly used in barbecued meats much like hickory.
• Oak is an excellent middle-ground wood and mixes well with milder or stronger wood to provide a more balanced smoke. It is stronger than apple.
• Pecan is another good blending wood or is great alone for pork, poultry, or beef with its medium smoke.

Pro Tip:

Oak and mesquite typically do not complement pork as well as the other flavors. Often you will get best results if you mix them with pellet flavors like pecan or apple or both.

Pro Tip:

A Traeger Grill burns about one to three pounds of wood pellets every hour.

Traeger Pork Chops Step-By-Step Recipe

Grilling is an art, so these basic instructions will get you started. Eventually, you will find variations that work better and will create your own rhythm and style.

Step 1: Preheat your grill

Preheat your grill to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Set to your desired temperature setting, close the lid, and let heat up for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2: Rub

Wash and pat your pork chops dry. Allow them to reach room temperature, which should only take 20 to 30 minutes. Apply the dry rub to your pork chops. Apply generously to all sides of the chop and massage into the meat.

Pro-tip:

Note that you can also use a marinade for your pork chops or a brine. Both of these methods require you to soak the meat for at least a couple of hours. Dry rubs work quite well for grilled pork chops. You will see yummy pre-made rubs at the grocery store if you do not want to make your own.

Pro-tip:

You can use a light coating of olive oil to make the rub coat the chops better. You can also coat with Worchestershire sauce before applying the rub for additional flavoring.

Homemade Sweet Barbecue Rub

• 4 Tblspns brown sugar
• 4 Tspns Kosher salt
• 2 Tspn paprika
• 2 Tspn ground black pepper
• 1 Tspn ground mustard
• 1 Tspn cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside until you are ready to use. A dry rub does not need to sit on the meat for any length of time before cooking them.

Homemade Seasoning Rub

• 2 Tblspn paprika
• 1 Tspn white pepper
• 1 Tspn black pepper
• 2 Tspns garlic salt
• 2 Tspns onion powder
• ½ Tspn cayenne pepper

Blend ingredients.

Pro Tip:

Pork chops using sugar-based rubs can be cooked at temperatures as low as 275 degrees Farenheidt to prevent the seasoning from burning. You can braise sweet sauces on when there are only five minutes of cooking left.

Step 3: Grill The Traeger Pork Chops

Set your rubbed pork chops on the grill racks. Cook for about 20 minutes with the lid closed, flipping at the halfway mark. Keep in mind cooking times can vary greatly depending on the thickness of the chops and whether they are boneless or not. Thinner pork chops may only require six minutes per side while thick-cut bone-in chops could take 30 minutes or more of total grilling. A more accurate assessment is the internal temperature of the pork, which should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 4: Rest The Pork Chops

Remove the Traeger pork chops from the grill to a platter and allow to rest for five to ten minutes. Resting redistributes the juices in the meat and stops the cooking process.

Pro Tip:

Do not pierce or cut into the chops during cooking except as necessary for your meat thermometer. It releases the juices of the meat and can dry your Traeger pork chops out.

If you do not have a Traeger Grill, you can accomplish the same results in a smoker or with a charcoal grill and wood chips using the indirect grilling method.