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Home » Dinner » The Best Pork Chop Marinade

April 15, 2019 By Sara 98 Comments

The Best Pork Chop Marinade

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This pork chop marinade is a blend of garlic, herbs, olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar and Dijon mustard. It produces perfect marinated pork chops every time, and you can use your pork marinade for baked, broiled, grilled or sauteed pork.

Pork chops are a welcome addition to any dinner menu, and this marinated version is a family favorite. Serve your pork chops with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli for a complete meal that everyone will love.

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Pork chop marinade for grilled pork chops. The pork chops are on a serving plate garnished with parsley.

Pork chops naturally have a mild flavor which makes them the perfect meat to soak up a marinade. This pork chop marinade produces the best pork chops I’ve ever had –  tender, juicy and full of flavor. You can bake, broil or grill your marinated pork chops for restaurant quality results that will earn you rave reviews.

How do you make a pork chop marinade?

This marinade is a combination of savory and sweet flavors and includes ingredients you probably already have in the house. The base of the marinade is olive oil, which is flavored with lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic and Italian seasoning.

Pork chops in a bowl with marinade being poured over them.

How long do you marinate pork chops?

Pork chops should be marinated for at least one hour. I recommend marinating your pork chops for a longer period of time for the best flavor, I try to let my pork marinate for at least 6-8 hours.

Tips for pork chop marinade

  • This marinade can be made up to 3 days before you plan to use it. Simply store the marinade in the fridge until you’re ready to add your pork.
  • You can really use any cut of pork for this marinade such as bone in pork chops, boneless pork chops, pork loin or pork tenderloin.
  • This marinade contains sugar which adds great flavor, but can easily burn on the grill. Make sure your grill is not too hot before you add your meat!

A grilled marinated pork chop served over couscous.

Pork chop marinade variations

While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize it to your tastes.

  • Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
  • Herb Lover’s: Add 1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs such as thyme, green onions, rosemary or parsley. Scrape off the large pieces of herbs before you cook your pork.
  • Asian: Use a blend of olive oil, toasted sesame oil, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic.
  • Mexican: Use a blend of olive oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder and onion powder.

Marinated pork chops on a grill pan.

How do you cook pork chops?

My favorite way to cook marinated pork chops is on the grill. If the weather isn’t nice enough for outdoor grilling, I use an indoor grill pan on the stove. If you prefer, you can bake or saute your pork chops.

Pork chop marinade with grilled pork chops served over couscous with green beans.

WHAT TEMPERATURE SHOULD PORK BE COOKED TO?

Pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. The easiest way to gauge if your pork is done is to insert a thermometer into the thickest part of the pork – be sure that the thermometer is not touching the bone! Once you’ve reached the correct temperature, remove the pork from the heat and let it rest for 3 minutes before you slice it.

Once you try this pork chop marinade, you’ll find yourself using it on a regular basis! My family requests marinated pork chops all the time and I’m always happy to oblige.

More great pork chop recipes

  • Mushroom Pork Chops
  • BBQ Pork Chops
  • Brown Sugar Pork Chops
  • Slow Cooker Pork Chops
  • Stuffed Pork Chops
Pork chop marinade for grilled pork chops. The pork chops are on a serving plate garnished with parsley.
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5 from 52 votes

Pork Chop Marinade

This pork chop marinade is a blend of garlic, herbs, olive oil, soy sauce, brown sugar and Dijon mustard. It produces perfect marinated pork chops every time, and you can use your pork marinade for baked, broiled, grilled or sauteed pork.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword marinated pork chops, pork chop marinade
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Marinating Time 1 hour
Total Time 6 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 128kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients in a large bowl or resealable gallon sized bag.
  • If using a bowl, whisk to combine the ingredients. If using a bag, seal the bag and shake to combine the ingredients.
  • Add 2-3 pounds of pork chops, then marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.
  • Proceed with cooking method of your choice.

Nutrition

Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 696mg | Potassium: 119mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 15IU | Vitamin C: 4.4mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Filed Under: Dinner, Grilling Tagged With: Pork Chops

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Comments

  1. Sunda says

    February 18, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    Love this Marinade. Temperature time for the oven.

    Reply
  2. Keri says

    January 26, 2021 at 6:14 pm

    I absolutely loved this marinade I used it for my pork chops but also for my chicken. My family loved every bite. Best marinade so far. I’m very pleased with the results and all the flavors mesh so good together. I added a little crushed red pepper for a little bit of heat not to much.

    Reply
  3. Patricia Waller says

    January 15, 2021 at 3:45 pm

    5 stars
    My family loved this marinade, pork chops came out really moist, best way to cook is to grill. They were awesome, didn’t change anything in the recipe. Good the way it is.

    Reply
  4. Brian Petersen says

    December 6, 2020 at 12:48 pm

    5 stars
    Really nice marinade. You can exchange the lemon juice for orange juice and the brown sugar with pure maple syrup. I also use this recipe when I grill chicken. Just when I’m about done grilling the chops, I add a light basting of bbq sauce. Be certain not to burn the chops because of the bbq sauce’s sugar content. FLO

    Reply
  5. Jeanie says

    November 9, 2020 at 7:26 pm

    5 stars
    This marinade was SO delicious! We used half the amount of soy sauce & half the amount of balsamic vinegar, each mixed with equal amounts of water (to cut down on the sodium content), and it was still amazing! Thank you for sharing this recipe!

    Reply
  6. Ryan says

    October 30, 2020 at 10:46 am

    I tried this marinade yesterday and it was amazing!

    Reply
    • Dee says

      November 14, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      5 stars
      Really great flavor, keeps meat moist too. I was wondering how long can I keep this marinade in my refrigerator if I make a large batch for the future anyone?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 14, 2020 at 8:58 pm

        It should be good for 5 days!

        Reply
      • Walter Frigole says

        January 1, 2021 at 12:29 pm

        For a large batch, filling up a 2 litre soda bottle. Refrigerate for up to 1 – 1/2 weeks max.

        Reply
  7. Merv says

    October 20, 2020 at 4:58 pm

    5 stars
    Made it for the first time tonight in the oven. Very nice!

    Reply
  8. Maylyne Mamonong says

    October 5, 2020 at 7:13 pm

    5 stars
    I marinated the pork chops for almost a day. The meat can out delicious. I grilled them on charcoal grill. As for the leftover marinade, I simmered it until it has thickened and added some butter. It was the best sauce!

    My family enjoyed their dinner very much.

    Reply
  9. Anoushka says

    August 26, 2020 at 12:44 pm

    5 stars
    This Marinade is liquid gold!! When reduced down it almost reminds me of that beautiful texan barbecue sauce we tried while visiting the US. Thanks so much for posting!

    Reply
  10. Donna Mazzei says

    August 15, 2020 at 7:43 am

    Outstanding marinade! Would give it 5 stars…

    Reply
  11. Shannan says

    August 13, 2020 at 5:44 pm

    5 stars
    This was fantastic!! Just the right amount of tang and acid. Yummy!!

    Reply
  12. Marilynrnmnadcar says

    August 10, 2020 at 2:50 pm

    5 stars
    Loved it, would it work with steak

    Reply
    • Sara says

      August 11, 2020 at 3:17 pm

      Yes that will work!

      Reply
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With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More
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