Pork Chops with Rhubarb

October 2022. Fall in Memphis, and I am 63, walking the neighborhood in my light jacket, watching the leaves turn on the oaks and maples that line Deadrick Avenue. The smoker is happy in fall — the cooler air holds the smoke lower, keeps it closer to the meat, and the results are always a shade better in October than in July, as if the season itself is a seasoning.

Tyrone came over for dominoes, bringing his competitive spirit and his inability to play without cheating, and the evening was full of the brotherly banter that is our love language.

I smoked a pork shoulder this week — the king, the classic, fourteen hours over hickory. The bark was dark and the smoke ring deep and the meat fell apart in my hands with the familiar magic of something that has been loved patiently. I served it on white bread with coleslaw and vinegar sauce, the way Uncle Clyde taught me, the way I teach everyone who stands next to my smoker, because the serving is the tradition and the tradition is the point.

The week ended on the porch with Rosetta, the evening settling over Orange Mound, the smoker cooling in the backyard. The fire was banked but not out — it's never out, just resting between cooks, holding the heat the way I hold the tradition: carefully, permanently, with the understanding that what Uncle Clyde gave me is not mine to keep but mine to pass, and the passing is the purpose.

Not every night calls for fourteen hours over hickory — some nights the smoker is cooling in the yard and you’re standing at the stove, still thinking about the bark and the smoke ring and the way Uncle Clyde’s tradition lives in your hands. These pork chops with rhubarb sauce are what I reach for on those evenings: the pork keeps me close to what I love, and the rhubarb brings a tart, seasonal brightness that feels exactly right when the October air is settling over Orange Mound. It’s a different kind of patience than the smoker demands, but patience all the same.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 bone-in pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick, 6–8 oz each)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Instructions

Season the chops. Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Season both sides evenly with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Let rest at room temperature for 5 minutes while you prepare the sauce ingredients.
Sear the pork. Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet (cast iron works best) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pork chops and sear without moving them for 4–5 minutes per side, until deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 145°F. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
Build the rhubarb sauce. Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add rhubarb, brown sugar, chicken broth, and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the rhubarb has completely softened and the sauce has thickened to a glossy, jammy consistency.
Finish with butter and thyme. Stir in the thyme and butter until the butter is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt if needed.
Plate and serve. Return the pork chops to the skillet, spoon the rhubarb sauce generously over each chop, and serve immediately. Goes well with mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, or braised greens.

Nutrition (per serving)

Pork Chops with Rhubarb — When the Smoker Rests, the Kitchen Carries On