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Grilled Pork Chop Marinade is a simple and easy way to add a ton of flavor to pork chops. This sweet and savory blend combines with the smoky grill flavor for a great meal.
If you are tired of chicken, give this tasty pork recipe a try. Each bite is so tender and anything but bland. The marinade is amazing and the meat is perfectly cooked.
The sweetness from the brown sugar and the tanginess from the Worcestershire sauce and seasonings combine for the best meal. Check out these other delicious marinade recipes – Buttermilk Chicken Marinade, Balsamic Chicken Marinade, and Red Wine Steak Marinade.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
Making Homemade Marinades allows you to control the pantry staples ingredients. The combination of the ingredients gives the juicy pork chops the best flavor.
The grill gives the pork chops amazing charred marks while keeping the pork chops juicy and tender.
Ingredients
- Soy Sauce – If you are out of soy sauce, check out these The Best Soy Sauce Substitutes.
- Brown Sugar – We like making Homemade Brown Sugar to control the ingredients.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Try making your own with this Homemade Worcestershire Sauce Recipe.
- Minced Garlic – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves if you are using fresh garlic.
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas
- Boneless Pork Chops. You can opt to use boneless pork chops, pork tenderloin, pork loin chops in this recipe. Cooking time will vary based on the type of pork chops you use.
- Marinade ingredients. Try other ingredients such as balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, lime juice, maple syrup or orange juice. We have even changed the spices to fresh herbs such as oregano. Add in kosher salt and red pepper flakes for amazing taste.
- Change Meat. Try this marinade on chicken or steak for another great meal idea. We have even used it to marinate vegetables.
How to Marinate Pork Chops
Step 1 – Get out a large ziplock bag. Pour the marinade except for the pork chops in a large zip lock bag. Seal the bag and shake to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Make sure it is all over the pork chops.
Step 2 – Place the pork chops in the bag. Marinade for at least 30 minutes but you can marinate over night as well
- Step 3 – Remove from the fridge. Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator 20 minutes prior to cooking them.
How To Grill Pork Chops
- Step 1 – Heat up the grill. Use medium high heat to at least 400 degrees F to cook pork chops. Make sure to rub the grill gates with oil so that the pork chops do not stick while grilling.
- Step 2 – Place the pork chops on the grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side. This will vary based on the thickness of the pork chops. They need to reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. Check out our post more for tips on How to Grill Pork Chops.
- Step 3 – Move the pork chops to a plate. Let them rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Choose Pork Chops – Start by choosing pork chops to grill that are about 1 inch thick. Thinner pork chops cook too fast and can often dry out. Using a thicker cut of meat will help them to hold up to the high heat.
- Rest Pork Chops – The meat needs to rest before serving. This will lock in all of the moisture and keep the pork from drying out.
- Prepare Grill – Make sure your grill is at the proper temperature. You do not want to use too high heat. The sugar in the marinade can easily burn on the grill if the heat is too high.
- Marinating Pork Chops – Place the pork chops in marinade at least 30 minutes before grilling. Overnight will give them even more flavor.
- Room Temperature Pork Chops – Allow the meat to come to room temperature before placing on the grill. This will help the meat to cook evenly on the inside and outside.
- Make in Advance – The marinade can be made up to 3 days in advance. Keep in the fridge until you are ready to use.
- Grilling Pork Chops – The pork will release naturally from the grill gates when it’s ready to flip. If the pork is browning too quickly because of the sugar in the marinade, reduce the temperature on the grill.
Serving Suggestions
These delicious pork chops can easily be served with your favorite side dish recipes including a side salad and instant pot white rice. These are some of our favorite.
- Foil Pack Grilled Red Potatoes
- Parmesan Roasted Zucchini
- Grilled Garlic Bread
- 30 Best Pork Chop Sides
How to Know When Pork Chops are done?
You will need to use a meat thermometer. It should read 145 degrees when pork chops are full cooked.
We used an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the pork to know when it’s done cooking. Each pork chop will cook differently based on the thickness of the pork.
Make sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest portion of the meat for the most accurate reading.
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerator – Put the pork chops inside a container with a tight fitting lid. You can also use a ziplock bag. Refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Reheat – When ready to reheat, use the microwave or oven until heated through. They are great for a quick lunch or dinner the next day. We usually fight over who gets the leftovers. We absolutely love this delicious marinade on pork chops.
- Freezer – You can also freeze leftover pork chops. Place inside a freezer container or bag. They can be frozen up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is. I like to make extra just to freeze. Pour the excess marinade inside a plastic bag and add pork chops. Freeze up to 6 months. When ready to cook, allow to thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove from the marinade and allow it to come to room temperature.
Grill as normal.
They are most flavorful when you marinate them overnight. However, a minimum of 30 minutes will still be amazing. This allows you to get dinner on the table even during crazy weeknights.
It takes about 10 minutes to grill pork chops. They grill 4 to 5 minutes per side.
Keep in mind this will vary based on the size of the pork chops and the thickness of the meat. They do not take long at all. You definitely want to keep a close eye on them while cooking.
Yes, these pork chops can easily be made in a large pan over medium-high heat. Serve fried pork chops with white rice and topped with feta cheese and green onions for a complete meal idea.
More Pork Chop Recipes
- Easy Crock Pot Pork Chops
- Teriyaki Pork Chops
- Oven Baked Pork Chops
- Grilled Bone-In Pork Chop Recipe
- Grilled BBQ Pork Chops
We love to hear from you. If you make this best pork chop marinade recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Grilled Pork Chop Marinade
Ingredients
- 4 Bone-in Pork Chops
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tsp Minced Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients except for the pork chops in a large zip lock bag. Seal the bag and shake or massage the bag to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
- Then place the pork chops in the bag and marinade for at least 30 minutes but you can marinate over night as well.
- Take the pork chops out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking them.
- Heat the grill over medium high heat to at least 400 degrees F and rub the grill gates with oil so that the pork chops do not stick while grilling.
- Place the pork chops on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side (based on the thickness of the pork chops) until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. The pork will release naturally from the grill gates when it’s ready to flip. If the pork is browning too quickly because of the sugar in the marinade, reduce the temperature on the grill.
- Move the pork chops to a plate and let them rest for 3-5 minutes before serving
I used this marinade on 1 1/2″ thick boneless pork loin chops and then cooked on the smoker. I marinated the chops for only 90 minutes. They turned out great. Juicy and perfectly seasoned.
This one is a keeper! I doubled recipe, not sure if I needed too but I’m sure you will know after you mix up the X1 recipe. Delicious!