Sweet Pork Chop Marinade

This Sweet Pork Chop Marinade brings your cut of pork to the next level! Marinating pork chops makes the meat ultra flavorsome and tenderizes it for a perfect texture. No more dry pork recipes with this easy pork chop marinade!

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If you’ve tried my 4-Ingredient Oven Baked Pork Chops Recipe you might be wondering if you should marinate pork loin chops. You don’t have to. Some cuts are already very juicy such as any bone-in pork chops.

However, some other cuts can be dryer, especially the ones coming from two different parts, like loin chops. That’s why the latter is always better for grilling than stew or slow cooker recipe.

This Pork Chop Marinade goes with any pork cut and matches any cooking style. You can make oven-baked pork chops, grilled pork chops, or pan-fried! Let’s see how to make this simple marinade for pork chops in a few minutes.

Ingredients and Substitutions

All you need to make this easy pork marinade recipe are the following.

• Boneless Pork Chops – It can be any part of pork: cutlets with bone, sirloin, etc.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Or use high-smoke point oils like avocado oil or sesame oil if you plan to bake pork chops at 400°F (200°C) or more.
• Honey or brown sugar or even sugar-free version of these sweeteners to keep the marinade low-carb. This is my secret ingredient to make the meat slightly sweet.
• Soy Sauce – Or Tamari sauce for a gluten-free alternative.
• Apple Cider Vinegar or lemon juice. You can also use balsamic vinegar.
• Dijon Mustard – or English mustard.
• Garlic – Fresh crushed garlic or garlic powder.
• Oregano – Or Italian herbs.
• Black Pepper and Salt – Season to taste.

How To Make Pork Chops Marinade

The marinade will make the pork meat tender and delicious.

1. First, mix all the pork chop marinade ingredients in a bowl: oil, honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, and oregano. Feel free to play with aromatic herbs and use different herbs you love, like dried thyme, rosemary, or dried marjoram. All these Italian-style herbs go well with pork chops.
2. You have two options for the best pork chop marinade. You can lay the pork chops in a dish where the marinade will easily cover the meat. It means a not-too-wide dish. If so, pour marinade on the chops, film the dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.
3. My favorite way to make marinades is to use plastic bags. The meat gets fully covered and squished in the bag absorbing all of the flavors.
4. Place pork chops in the bag with the marinade and seal the bag and leave it in the refrigerator.

Pork Chops Cooking Temperature

Now that the meat has been marinated remove it from the bag, and discard the marinade. The marinade has been in contact with raw meat and can be harmful and carry bacteria so don’t reuse it. The best way to control pork cooking is to use a meat thermometer and check the internal temperature of the meat.

Keep in mind that for pork chops, the best internal temperature is 145°F-150°F (63°-65°C), not more or the meat will be very dry. Also, as a general rule, pork needs to cook for 8 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness. So for a 1-inch pork chop it’s 8 minutes per side.

Thickness	At 400°F (200°C)	At 350°F (180°C)
1/2 inch	8 minutes	12 minutes
1 inch	16 minutes	24 minutes
1.5 inches	24 minutes	36 minutes
2 inches	32 minutes	48 minutes
2.5 inches	40 minutes	60 minutes

Temperature For Other Pork Cuts

This pork chop marinade will marinade ribs or tenderloins very well too. However, their cooking temperature varies. Here are the pork’s internal temperatures based on the level of cooking you want to achieve.

• 145°F – 150°F – extra-juicy medium-rare pork. This is the best temperature for pork chops, pork tenderloin and pork loin.
• 150°F – 155°F – medium rare ribs
• 155°F – 160°F – medium well – ribs, pork cutlets
• 160°F – well – perfect for ground pork

Pork Cooking Methods

You can cook pork chops in many different ways.

• Oven-Baked Pork Chops – I have a lovely oven-roasting pork chop recipe you can try. It’s ready in under 30 minutes for a delicious result.
• Sear-Roasting Pork Chops – This method consists of cooking pork chops in a skillet and then in the oven. In a large non-stick saucepan, heat one tablespoon of olive oil. Add the pork chops and sear the meat for four minutes on both sides. This browns the meat on the outside while the center stays uncooked. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Transfer the pork to a baking dish and bake for 12 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C). Insert the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat.
• Frying Pork Chops – In a large non-stick pan warm one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. Add pork chops and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until brown and no pink juice is released. Also, check the meat’s internal temperature. When it reaches 145°F (63°C), stop frying and serve.
• Grilling – Warm a BBQ over high heat and grease the griddle with olive oil. Add the pork and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes on both sides until brown and the internal temperature matches the rules above.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve these delicious juicy pork chops with may side dishes from vegetables to salads. My favorite roasted vegetable recipes with pork chop recipes are:

• Oven Roasted Potatoes
• Roasted Zucchini
• Whole Roasted Cauliflower
• Roasted Rutabaga Recipe
• Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts

If you’d rather have a salad recipe, try the following:

• Cucumber Yogurt Salad
• Greek Salad Recipe
• Cottage Cheese Salad
• Deviled Egg Salad
• Strawberry Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Or some

• Greek Fries
• Buffalo Cauliflower
• Mashed Cauliflower Recipe
• Broccoli Gratin

Allergy Swaps

If there are some ingredients, you can’t use in this marinade. I listed some options below.

• Apple Cider Vinegar – You can use lemon juice instead or rice vinegar for an Asian pork chop marinade.
• Gluten-Free – Replace the soy sauce with tamari sauce.
• Honey – Any liquid sweetener like maple syrup, agave syrup, or sugar-free syrup will work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the answers to your most common questions about pork marinade.

More Marinade Recipes

I love marinating meat, here’s some more marinade recipe inspiration for you.