These Smoked Apple Pork Chops With Apple Glaze are juicy, tender, and topped with a homemade apple glaze. These flavorful chops are full of delicious smoky flavors and are always a crowd favorite! This is an easy recipe with no brining required!
I used my Pit Boss pellet grill, but you can use any type of smoker for this recipe, including a Traeger grill or vertical electric smoker.
These apple-glazed thick-cut pork chops go beautifully with Smoked Baked Beans, Red Skin Potato Salad, and Traeger Smoked Corn on the Cob.
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How long to smoke pork chops at 225?
It will take about one hour and 10 minutes to smoke bone-in pork chops at 225 degrees F on a pellet grill.
Ingredients
- Pork chops. I used bone-in chops. I prefer to use a thick pork chop when cooking pork on the grill.
- Pork rub. My homemade pork rub for smoker contains brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, dry mustard powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Feel free to use your favorite rub.
- Apple glaze. This glaze is made with fresh apples, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and cinnamon and thickened with cornstarch.
See the printable recipe card for exact measurements and a complete list of ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Preheat your pellet grill (or any pellet smoker) to 225 degrees F. Use apple wood pellets for the best flavor.
Step 2: Mix up the ingredients for the pork rub in a small bowl.
Step 3: Pat dry the chops with paper towels. Brush olive oil onto the pork chops, covering the top, sides, and bottom. Season pork chops generously with the dry rub, making sure to cover the sides of the pork chops. Let them sit at room temperature while the grill heats up (Images 1 + 2).
Step 4: Add apple juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch to a medium saucepan or cast iron skillet. Whisk until combined. Dice the apples into bite-sized pieces and add them to the saucepan. Stir to combine (Images 3 + 4).
Step 5: Place pork chops directly on the grill grates of your pellet grill. Place the saucepan with the glaze on the grill as well (place it in the coolest spot of your smoker). Close the lid and smoke for 60-90 minutes (flip the chops halfway through the cooking time). Periodically check the internal temperature of the pork chops with an instant-read thermometer and give the glaze a stir (Image 5).
Step 6: Towards the last 10 minutes of cooking, when the internal temperature is about 140-142 degrees F, glaze the pork chops with the delicious apple glaze, including the sides of the pork chops. Cook for 5 minutes, flip, glaze again, and cook for 5 more minutes (Image 6).
Step 7: Once the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F, remove the chops from the grill, let them rest for 5-10 minutes, and serve with extra apple glaze.
Expert tips for best results
- Use apple wood pellets for the best flavor.
- The pork rub makes enough for four pork chops. Double or triple the recipe if cooking more pork chops. Store any leftover rub in an airtight container.
- Use your fingers to push the dry rub into the pork chops instead of sprinkling it on.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the glaze for a spicy kick.
- Use a meat thermometer with a remote monitor so you can keep an eye on the internal temperature without opening the lid frequently.
- When flipping the pork chops, use tongs to avoid piercing the meat and losing precious juices.
- If the glaze gets too thick, thin it with some apple juice.
- Store leftover smoked pork chops in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- The USDA recommends cooking pork chops to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (62.8 °C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source.
Side dishes
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use your favorite kind of wood pellets. Cherry is another fruit wood that would be delicious, along with hickory, pecan, or maple.
Yes, you can use boneless chops, but you will need to reduce the cooking time as they will likely cook much faster than bone-in chops.
Yes, this recipe can be adapted for other cuts of pork. Make sure you use a meat thermometer to ensure it reaches the recommended internal temperature.
More smoked pork recipes
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Smoked Apple Pork Chops With Apple Glaze
Equipment
- Pellet grill or any pellet smoker
- Meat Thermometer
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in pork chops about 1-inch thick
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Pork Rub
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
For The Apple Glaze
- 2 apples diced
- 1 cup apple juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill to 225 degrees F. Use apple wood pellets for the best flavor.
- Combine brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, dry mustard powder, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar.2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- Pat the chops dry using paper towels. Brush olive oil evenly over the pork chops, covering the top, sides, and bottom. Generously season them with the dry rub. Make sure to get the sides as well. Let the chops sit at room temperature while you wait for the grill to reach its target temperature.4 bone-in pork chops, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add apple juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch to a saucepan or cast iron skillet. Whisk until combined. Add the diced apples and stir.1 cup apple juice, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 apples
- Place the prepared pork chops directly onto the grill grates of your pellet grill. Set the saucepan filled with the glaze on the grill (place it in the coolest spot of your smoker). Close the lid and smoke the chops for 60-90 minutes total (flip halfway through the cooking time). Check the internal temperature of the pork periodically with an instant-read thermometer and give the glaze a stir. The pork is fully cooked when it reaches 145°F.
- About 10 minutes before the chops are done (when they reach 140-142°F), brush the apple glaze on them. Cook for 5 more minutes, flip, reglaze, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the chops from the grill, let them rest for 5-10 minutes, and serve with extra apple glaze on the side.
Notes
- The pork rub makes enough for 4 pork chops. Double or triple the recipe if cooking more pork chops. Store any leftover rub in an airtight container.
- Use apple wood pellets for the best flavor.
- Use your fingers to push the dry rub into the pork chops instead of sprinkling it on.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the glaze for a spicy kick.
- Use a meat thermometer with a remote monitor so you can keep an eye on the internal temperature without opening the lid frequently.
- When flipping the pork chops, use tongs to avoid piercing the meat and losing precious juices.
- If the glaze gets too thick, thin it with some apple juice.
- Store leftover smoked pork chops in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- The USDA recommends cooking pork chops to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (62.8 °C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source.
Nutrition
👩🏻🍳 Meet The Author
Meet Jeri, a self-taught home cook with over 40 years of cooking experience who decided to start a second career as a full-time food blogger. She is the recipe creator, writer, photographer, and creator of Winding Creek Ranch. Her mission is to make your life easier by sharing delicious recipes your family will love.
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