Meet Smoke Griddling: A New Way to Cook Pork Chops

By Daniel Hale

Pork loin has a lot going for it. It’s affordable, readily available, and easy to slice into thick boneless chops. But because it’s so lean, it can also be unforgiving on the grill. Cook it a little too long over direct heat and it can get dry very fast.

That’s one reason why I wanted to give smoke griddling a try. Pioneered by Steven Raichlen in his book Project Griddle, smoke griddling combines the flavor of wood smoke with the browning power of a hot griddle. This technique can make pork chops that are crusty, juicy, and remarkably smoky.

I fired up my Ranch Pro Griddle from Wildfire Outdoor Living to put the method to work on thick-cut pork loin chops.

What Is Smoke Griddling?

People think of smoking and griddling as two completely different cooking methods. Smoking is associated with low-and-slow barbecue, while griddling is known for high heat and direct contact on a hot cooking surface. Smoke griddling combines the best of both worlds.

To smoke-griddle food, you place a small pile of wood chips directly on the hot griddle surface. Once the wood begins to smolder, position the food nearby and cover it with a metal dome. The dome traps the smoke around the food while the hot griddle cooks from below, creating a unique combination of smoke flavor, surface browning, and even cooking. It’s a revolutionary technique.

Preparing the Pork Chops

I started with thick-cut boneless pork loin chops cut from a pork loin.

Following Steven Raichlen’s Barbecue-Flavored Pork Chops recipe from Project Griddle (with a few adjustments), I generously coated the chops with his Kansas City Smoke Rub. The blend adds a balance of sweetness, savory spices, and smoky flavors that pair beautifully with pork.

After seasoning the chops, I placed them in the refrigerator for about an hour. This gave the rub time to adhere to the meat and allowed the flavors to begin working their way into the surface of the pork. By the time the chops hit the griddle, they had already taken on a deep color from the rub.

Smoke Griddling the Pork Chops

With the pork chops seasoned and rested, it was time to fire up the Wildfire Ranch Pro Griddle. One of the things I appreciate about a flat-top griddle is the large cooking surface, which gave me plenty of room for both the pork chops and the wood chips needed for smoke griddling.

Once the griddle was hot, I placed a small pile of apple wood chips directly on the cooking surface. Within a few minutes, the chips began to smolder, releasing a steady stream of sweet smoke. At that point, I added a light coating of vegetable oil to the griddle next to the wood chips and placed the pork chops on the hot surface.

I positioned the chops close to the smoking wood chips and covered them with a metal dome. This is where smoke griddling shines. The hot steel griddle delivers direct heat to the meat while the dome traps smoke around the chops, creating a unique combination of smoke flavor and surface browning. The spacious cooking surface of the Ranch Pro made it easy to maintain separate zones for the smoking wood and the pork, giving me plenty of control over the cook.

I started the chops on one side and cooked them until they developed a nice crust. When I lifted the dome to flip them, a cloud of fragrant apple wood smoke escaped, giving me my first real indication of how much flavor the chops were picking up. After turning the chops, I continued cooking until they were nicely browned on both sides and the internal temperature reached 145°F.

Just before removing the chops from the griddle, I brushed them with Steven’s Spicy Apple Barbecue Sauce and let them cook for about 45 seconds per side. The brief time on the hot griddle caramelized the sauce without burning it, creating a glossy finish that paired beautifully with the smoke and seasoning.

The Results

After one bite, it was easy to see why smoke griddling is such an effective technique. The pork chops were juicy and tender, with a beautifully browned exterior and a subtle kiss of apple wood smoke. The rub formed a flavorful crust on the surface of the meat, while the apple wood added a gentle sweetness that complemented the pork without overwhelming it. The finishing glaze of the barbecue sauce tied everything together, adding a touch of sweetness, a hint of heat, and an attractive sheen to the chops.

What impressed me most was how well the smoke griddling method delivered both smoke flavor and a well-developed crust. Traditional smoking can sometimes leave you wishing for a better crust, while direct grilling can sacrifice moisture for color. Smoke griddling delivered both, producing a pork chop that was smoky, juicy, and packed with flavor from the first bite to the last.

Wildfire Outdoor Living is an Arizona-based company specializing in high-performance gas grills and premium outdoor kitchen solutions. Wildfire brings a commitment to cutting-edge technology and industry-leading innovation. Their 304 stainless steel design and illuminated LED knobs, cast stainless steel burners, and laser-cut stainless steel cooking grates create products that will provide peak performance. They also allow you to customize your outdoor kitchen with designer finish knobs and handles to meet the growing demand for designer outdoor kitchens.