Sweet and tangy, pork marinade that brings about the richest, flavorsome grilled pork chops that are tender! Yes, every time I serve this to my guests, they are always an entertaining hit. Trust me, and you will be in love when you get a chance to taste this marinade creating magic with your pork.
There is a reason everyone loves to fry in fat, spice rub, or smoke pork: pork isn’t full of flavor on its own. It also can go to the dry side very quickly, and well, it needs a bit of love, as they say. This pork marinade recipe is the answer. It is straightforward to prepare, and the best part is it comes together with just 6 ingredients you already have around the house. No one has time to run to the store for that one “special” ingredient!
My personal favorite is pork chops on the bone. The bone, especially when grilled, adds a dimension of flavor. Pork chops on the bone, however, unless on sale are not always the cheapest option. The bone increases the weight per pound so the amount of meat is less.
To help feed our big extended family, I traditionally take what I think is a more economical approach for a more tender cut of meat for our Super Supper Sunday meals. I purchase a pork tenderloin and cut center-cut chops about an inch thick. An 8-pound tenderloin from Costco will usually yield about 18-20 chops, depending on the shape. I typically watch the sales and score a large pork tenderloin for about $2 a pound, making it super affordable.
Use this pork marinade recipe with any pork you choose. You can learn all about the different types of chops from the Complete Guide to Pork Chops from The Kitchnn.
Soy Sauce Is THE Secret Ingredient
Soy sauce? That is what some of you think. YES! Soy sauce is saline that injects the pork with enough juiciness, and it is more effective than the usual salt+ salt-water because it adds more flavor to it. If you have never tried soy sauce-based for protein, then I think you will be pleasantly surprised to try it on your pork.
I am not going to lie though, the brown sugar definitely brings fun to the party too!!
Ingredients you will need:
- Fresh garlic
- Virgin olive oil
- Soy sauce
- Worchester sauce
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Brown sugar or sugar substitute if Keto or Whole30
- Pork Tenderloin
*Note: You will need Ziplock bags.
How to make pork marinade
This fresh, from scratch-made pork chop marinade, comes together really fast and easy. Let’s dive in!
Begin by taking a Ziplock bag and propping it up to stand with the top open. If you are making a lot of pork chops, then line up multiple Ziplocks, and make one marinade recipe above for each bag.
To the Ziplock back, add all ingredients(Fresh garlic, Virgin olive oil, Soy sauce, Worchester sauce, Salt, Black pepper, Brown sugar) to each. Take a Ziplock bag and mix well by massaging the bag’s ingredients with your hands. Set Aside.
How to prepare the chops
Cut the pork tenderloin into 1 inch thick chops; this just under 4 -pound pork tenderloin yielded 9 chops. This does depend on the shape of the tenderloin. I ended up with two smaller pieces to use for something else later.
Place the 1-inch thick pork chops into the Ziplock bag and be sure that they are each coated with the marinade. Put the Ziplock bags in the refrigerator lying on its side to get the most surface area of the pork chops coated with the marinade. Marinate for 6 hours. Flipping the Ziplock bags to their other side halfway through the six hours
Take the chops out of each bag. Discard the used marinade-grill to your liking.
What is the right temperature to grill pork chops?
Questioning at what temperature should you grill your pork chops to achieve the ultimate juicy and tender taste? People usually overcook pork to the point of it becoming so dry. As a rule, with pork, use a meat thermometer when grilling. When the internal temperature attains 145 degrees, remove the pork from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes for all the flavors to absorb thoroughly. The secret to tender, juicy and delicious pork is not to overcook it. A little pink at the center is delicate.
How to store leftover grilled pork chops
Let’s say you made some extra pork chops, or there were some leftovers after dinner, and you are wondering how you will store them. In our house, however, they never make it through the night! So, keep the pieces or the extras in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
TIPS AND TRICKS
- Depending on the size of the group you are feeding, I traditionally use a bowl and prop up two Ziplock bags with the tops open. Now, take each ingredient, measure it, and add it to a Ziplock bag to speed up the process in an assembly line fashion.
- You can even marinate the pork overnight. There is no acid component in this marinade, so you do not worry that the protein will break down. For this recipe, longer is better.
- Creative use of leftovers makes me happy! Remember that you can always use the leftover pork diced in fried rice. Check out this Fried Rice recipe!
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