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.

Our German Smoked Pork Chops come from the center cut loin and are cured and smoked for exceptional flavor. Around Amana, they are known as Kassler Rippchen. They're fully cooked, so simply heat and serve.

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.

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.

Overcooking is the simple reason why your pork chops turned out tough, but here's the best way to make sure it never happens again.

Normally Kasseler is fully cooked and ok to eat without further cooking.

The kassler is supplied in unsliced portions and has already been cooked ready slice up and eat straight out of the pack, just like you would with any other ham (only this will be better).

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.

The already cured and smoked meat only needs to be briefly roasted, boiled, or baked in the oven. Our recipe shows you a classic version of Kassler from the oven with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. If you still have some Kassler left afterwards, you can also serve it cold or fry it like you would ham."

Where do Kassler chops come from? ›

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.

The main difference between ham and pork comes from the fact that all ham is pork, but not all pork is ham. Ham is a specific cut of the pork meat from the pig's thighs.

After you bring your pork chops home, time to brine! Brining pork chops is one of the best ways way to guarantee a juicy cooked pork chop. Even a quick 30-minute brine (or up to four hours) makes a big difference.

The actual cooking part is going to be a two step process.

BUT, if you want to really take things to the next level, you might want to consider searing your pork chop after the smoke stage. Contrary to popular belief, searing meat does not lock in any juices.

Cooked muscle meats can be pink even when the meat has reached a safe internal temperature. Cook all raw pork steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (62.8 °C) as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source.

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.

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.

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.