Grilled Iowa Chops and Baked Potatoes

Grilled Iowa Chops and Baked Potatoes

Grilled Iowa Chops and Baked Potatoes

The notorious “Iowa Chop” is the seriously thick* and succulent pork chop, cut from the lower back of the hog, just behind the rib. Recently dubbed the “Porterhouse Chop”, they have a characteristic T-bone shape, with a substantial amount of loin meat on one side of the bone and a portion of tenderloin on the other side.  The thickness (1.25-1.5 inches) of this chop led it to be coined “The Iowa Chop”, in the 1980’s by the Iowa Pork Producers Association. The Iowa Chop is still in high demand and is used widely still today throughout the Midwest and beyond. The above defination of an Iowa Chop taken from the Web Site http://foodandswine.com/

Iowa Chops are one of my favorite things to grill on the Traeger.  They always come at tender and Juicy.  It really is the most perfect meat.  I often grill them with sweet potatoes and pineapple, but for this cook I changed it up a little and cooked baked Potatoes with them.  I did have pineapple left over from yesterday Ham Steak and Pineapple cook.  I didn't brine or marinate this time.  I used Trader Joe's Coffee and Garlic rub.  You can use your favorite rub or just salt and pepper.

Ingredients:

6 Iowa Pork Chops about 1 inch Thick and 1 LB each (T-Bones)

Your favorite Dry rub for Pork

4 Large Baked Potatoes 

Preperation

Wash Baked Potatoes

Cut in 1/2

Wrap in foil

I used a smal half to clean and season grill

Rub Pork chops with your favorite rub.

I used Trader Joes Garlic and coffee rub

Grill Setup

Start Traeger on smoke for 10 minutes with lid open'

Preheat lid closed to temperature 375

The Cook

I placed the Potatoes on the grill for about 50 Minutes 

After 50 Minutes I placed Pork Chops on grill

After about 7 minutes I flipped the Pork Chops

I Continue to cook the Pork chops  till an Internal Temperature of 140 degrees

The Wrap and Rest

Once desired temperature reached remove from grill tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 to 30 minutes

Grilled Iowa Pork Chops aka Iowa Chops - Traeger Recipe

Grilled Iowa Chops - Traeger Recipe

Iowa Chops on the Traeger

My wife is from Iowa and whenever she visits home she brings back a batch of Iowa chops.  I used to like pork chops and I still do but these Iowa chops have me spoiled.  They cut them thick with the bone in of course,  I can never seem to get enough of them.  Often I cook the chops with pineapple and Sweet Potato on the Traeger.

Iowa Chops Traeger Recipe

follow normal Traeger startup procedure

then heat Traeger Lid closed to 375

Dry Rub with your favorite pork rub

lately I have been using Trader Joe's Garlic and Coffee Rub

sometimes we marinade in Italian dressing 

I cook my Iowa pork chops to an Internal Temperature of 145

I then rest tenting with foil for about 5 to 10 minutes (this is the hardest part you will want to dig in right away)

Trader Joe's Coffee Rub

For My BBQ Smoked Pineapple Ideas click Here

My Sweet Potato recipe can be found by clicking here then scroll to bottom

please note:

Any recipe I make is just a guideline.  I am not a big fan of gooey sauces so almost everything is I cook would be a dry rub.  You of course should experiment and see what works best for you.  I don't often recommend a rub because it is a matter of personnel taste.  These recipe would also work well on most other pellet grills or charcoal and gas grill using indirect heat for the low temperature recipes.