Easy Pork Chop Marinade
- PREP 4hrs
- TOTAL 4hrs
This savory pork marinade is perfect for pork chops, but you can also use it for other cuts like pork tenderloins. Thicker pork chops are the easiest to cook since they don’t overcook and dry out as quickly, but thin pork chops will work nicely, too. Whatever cut you choose, marinate your pork for at least 1 hour and if you can, go for 4+ hours (up to overnight). Keep the pork in the fridge while marinating.
You can cook your chops however you like, but my favorite way is to get a bit of color on the chops in a grill pan first and then slide them into the oven to finish cooking. This makes them beautiful, gets some char, and then guarantees perfectly cooked pork in the middle (it’s also the same method as our baked pork chops recipe).
You Will Need
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 rounded tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 pork chops, 1-inch thick or 1 ½ to 2 pounds, use boneless or bone-in chops
Directions
Marinate the Pork Chops
Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well. This marinade is on the thicker side so that it will stick really well to the pork. If it’s large enough to hold them, add the pork chops to the same bowl or transfer the marinade to a resealable food-safe bag and add the pork chops.
Rub the marinade all over the pork and let marinate in the refrigerator. Even 1 hour will make a difference, but 4 hours or overnight will create the best results. About halfway through the marinating time, move the pork chops around a bit to make sure the marinade is stuck all over them.
Cook Pork Chops
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and set aside a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Lightly oil, and then place the chops into the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until grill marks, but do not cook until cooked in the middle. Watch your heat is not too high during this step as the brown sugar can burn.
Transfer the pork chops to the prepared baking sheet and brush over any remaining marinade from the bowl (even the tiniest bit helps).
Bake until an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chops reads 145°F, about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how thick your chops are. Rest for 5 minutes, slice, and serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Grilled marinated pork chops: To grill marinated pork chops perfectly, begin by preheating your grill: for gas, aim for a high heat of 400°F to 450°F for ten minutes; for charcoal, wait until the coals are ashy white, then create a hot zone by piling most coals on one side. Place the marinated chops directly over the hot zone and grill, with the lid closed, until golden brown with slight char marks, for about 3 minutes. Flip the chops and grill until they reach your desired internal temperature (we cook to 145°F), typically 4 to 6 minutes. If the exterior browns too fast, move the chops to a cooler area of the grill—for gas, turn off a burner. For charcoal, move them to the side with fewer coals.
- Nutrition facts are estimates based on 1 ½ pounds of pork chops (assume 4 chops, about 6 ounces each).