by TANNER JOHNSON

While I don’t often indulge in pork chops, I saw some beautiful bone-in/porterhouse chops at the store and decided to give them a go. Anytime you can choose between boneless and bone-in, I have to go with the bone-in for that extra flavor. The combo of the flavorful marinade and the tangy sauce really complements each other well, and it’s definitely something I’ll be making again!

Ingredients:

• 2 porterhouse/bone-in pork chops
• Cackalacky pepper powder seasoning
• 1/2 cup yellow mustard
• 3 T white vinegar
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 T minced garlic
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. chopped cilantro

Sauce (to top with after cooking) ingredients:

• ¾ cup yellow mustard
• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 T ketchup
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• Few dashes of Texas Pete (or any kind) hot sauce

Instructions:

• Season the pork chops generously with Cackalacky pepper powder or any kind of BBQ seasoning.
• In a bowl, mix yellow mustard, white vinegar, lemon juice, minced garlic, cayenne pepper and chopped cilantro.
• Coat the pork chops evenly with the marinade mixture, and let them rest in the fridge for a few hours, allowing the flavors to infuse.

Cooking Process:

• Preheat your smoker or oven to 250°F.
• Smoke the pork chops for approximately 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 135°F.
• While the chops are smoking, prepare the searing station by firing up a charcoal or regular grill or a hot cast iron pan until it reaches a temperature in the 650-700° range.
• Once the chops are done cooking in the first part, transfer them to the hot grill for a quick sear, about 2 minutes per side, until they develop a beautiful crust and reach an internal temperature of 145-150°F.
• Lastly, you’ll let them rest for 5-7 minutes while you prepare the sauce to put on top after you slice them up!

Sauce:

• In a saucepan, combine yellow mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt and a dash (or 2-3) of hot sauce.
• Simmer the sauce over low heat until it thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.