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A Great Pork Chop Marinade

By:Nagi 213 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

A great pork chop marinade that will make your pork extra juicy with a terrific savoury flavour and a gorgeous caramelised crust without overpowering the natural flavour of pork. Even 1 hour of marinating makes a remarkable difference!

Overhead photo of Grilled chops on a plate with potato rosti and salad, made using amade using a great Pork Chop Marinade

Just a great pork chop marinade

You know when something hits the pan and it smells so great than even if it’s the first time you’ve made that recipe, you know it’s going to be a winner? This is one of those. 🙂

Plus, the added bonus is that there is a very good chance that all the ingredients are already in your pantry. Checklist:

  • soy sauce
  • brown sugar
  • mustard
  • garlic
  • pepper
  • Worcestershire Sauce (I never spell that right first go! Thank you auto correct).

A great Pork Chop Marinade

Soy sauce is the secret ingredient

“Soy sauce?”, I hear some of you think, dubiously.

YES. Soy sauce. NO it doesn’t make this the least bit Asiany (no matter how I spell it, auto correct does not like that word). It’s a brine that injects the pork with juiciness and it’s better than the basic salt + water brine because it’s got more flavour to it.

If you’ve never tried a soy sauce based brine for a protein before, I think you’re going to be very pleasantly surprised. Watch the video below the recipe – the end when I press down on the pork chop to show how juicy it is. That’s courtesy of the soy sauce!

Grilled chops on a plate, made using a great Pork Chop Marinade

I’m sharing this Pork Chop Marinade because I got all excited that I finally got a new BBQ. Living by the ocean means that anything that resides outdoors has a limited life and my current BBQ looks like an abandoned burnt out car.

While it’s terrific seared on the grill, it is of course great pan fried as well which is how I usually make it.

If you’re BBQ-ing, try it this Lemon Potato Salad and a garden salad with French Dressing, and have a browse for more Grilling Ideas.

If it’s winter where you are, try this One Pan BAKED Vegetables and Rice – you’ll love the seasoned rice! – Nagi xx

More great pork chop marinades & rubs

Try these on the side

Overhead photo of Grilled chops on a plate with potato rosti and salad, made using amade using a great Pork Chop Marinade

My favourite back-pocket marinades

These are the ones I use over and over again, made with pantry staples with lots of sub options!

Watch how to make it

Recipe video for this great Pork Chop Marinade! Don’t miss the end when I show how juicy the chops are…

 

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Overhead photo of Grilled chops on a plate with potato rosti and salad, made using amade using a great Pork Chop Marinade

A Great Pork Chop Marinade

Author: Nagi
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
BBQ, Main
5 from 54 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
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Recipe video above. This marinade will make any pork chops or steak extra juicy as well as infusing it with great savoury flavour and a touch of sweet. Soy sauce is the secret ingredient - it does not taste the least bit "Asiany" or soy saucey. MINIMUM MARINADE TIME: 1 hr+ for thin chops, 3 hrs+ for thick. 

Ingredients

  • 4 bone in pork chops, 2 cm / 4/5" thick about 280g/9 oz each (Note 1)
  • 1 tbsp oil

Marinade:

  • 1/3 cup (85 ml) soy sauce (light or all purpose, not dark)
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • ÂĽ tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Place Marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag. Massage to combine.
  • Add chops. Massage to coat in the Marinade. Marinate for 1 – 24 hours. (Note 2)
  • Take the chops out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking.
  • Brush BBQ grill or drizzle oil in pan, heat on medium high. Add pork and cook for 4 minutes or until the underside is caramelised and the pork releases from the grill, then turn the chops and cook for 3 minutes (Note 2 for thin chops).
  • Baste both sides with residual marinade in ziplock bag, then cook the basted side for 30 seconds before serving. The chops should have a great crust
  • Transfer chops to a plate, cover loosely with foil. Rest for 3 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes:

1. Chops: I used thick, bone in pork chops that were just under 2.5cm / 1" thick. On the bone, slightly trimmed but not much, I like keeping some fat on the edges to keep the pork really juicy! This recipe will work with any quick cook cut of pork - chops, steaks, even tenderloin.
2. Minimum marinade time:
* Thin chops: 1.25 cm/ 1/2" thick - 1 hr+
* Thick chops 2 cm / 4/5" thick - 3 hrs+
COOK TIME for just white (juicy, no pink, reduce by 1 min for hint of blush):
* Thin chops - 3 minutes first side, 2 minutes second side, then 30 seconds on each side for basting.
* Thick chops - 4 minutes first side, 3 minutes second side, then 45 seconds on each side.
If your chops are thicker than the Thick Chops, then I'd recommend starting on the stove and finishing in the oven at 180C/350F until the internal temperature is 145F / 63C.
3. Troubleshooting / tips: Once you put the chops on the BBQ, DON'T TOUCH IT! Once it is cooked, it will release naturally from the grills. If it sticks, it's not ready to turn. If your chops are cooking too quickly and start to burn because of the sugar in the marinade, turn the heat down. Remember, these chops are meant to have a gorgeous chargrilled crust!
4. CRISPY POTATO ROSTI recipe (pictured on the side of the chops) - by reader request, here's an abbreviated form of the recipe: 2 large brushed (Sebago) potatoes (US: use russet), peeled and grated using a box grater. Grab handfuls and squeeze out excess liquid or do this using a dish towel (clean!). Place in bowl, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tbsp butter + 1 1/2 tbsp oil (I use olive) in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add dollops of potato, spread into pancake shape about 12 cm / 4.5" wide, 0.75 cm / 1/4" thick. Press down to compact into rosti, cook for 3 minutes or until deep golden brown. Flip and repeat. Drain on paper towels, repeat with remaining potato, should make 8.
Originally posted August 2017, photos replaced in May 2018, some tidying up done in February 2019, no change to recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 216gCalories: 348kcal (17%)Carbohydrates: 7g (2%)Protein: 35g (70%)Fat: 18g (28%)Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)Cholesterol: 117mg (39%)Sodium: 139mg (6%)Potassium: 607mg (17%)Sugar: 6g (7%)Vitamin C: 0.8mg (1%)Calcium: 43mg (4%)Iron: 1.2mg (7%)
Keywords: pork chop marinade
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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213 Comments

  1. mel burns says


    I made this last night and the pork was tender and delicious! I grilled thick chops on my hibachi and fried the crispy smash potatoes in cast iron on stove. Because of acid reflux I left out garlic, but it was still amazing. Places like this remind me how lucky I am to have the internet. Thanks!

    Reply

  3. Andrea (Billy) von Kampen says

    First off, LOVE this marinade!! We usually dry rub all our pork for the BBQ but I wanted to try something different today. Second… Aisiany is a bad thing? Us westerners need to take a little lesson on what Umami is because ‘salty’ just doesn’t cut it for a yummy meat dish, if we have to give credit for such wonder to across the sea, so be it!!! On that note, what COULD be added to make it even more ASIAN-Y next time? Ginger? Citrus juice?

    Reply

  4. Matt says


    I mixed up this marinade for 3 boneless chops yesterday morning and cooked them with my sous vide that evening to 150F for 1.5hrs.

    I finished them in a cast iron pan with 1tbsp butter and 2tbsp canola oil 45 seconds per side on med/high heat and a quick edge sear.

    I’m not a big pork chop eater because they’re usually so dry when I cook them conventionally.

    THESE WERE AMAZING! So juicy and flavorful. Very tasty marinade, not Asiany just as stated in the article.

    Reply

  5. Kathy says

    Can you really cook an inch thick pork steak on the grill for only four minutes on one side and three on the other and it’s done?

    Reply

  8. KI Smith says

    Your marinade is the BOMB!!! These ingredients made my pork sing… like if in opera. I will never make pork chops without this marinade. You are my hero!

    Reply

  9. Barbara says

    Can I sub salt & water in the Great Pork Chop Marinade for the soy sauce, like you suggested in the Great Chicken Marinade? My brother-in-law has a wheat allergy, which soy sauce contains.

    Reply
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