The best pork chop marinade recipe makes your pork chops extra juicy and flavorful. Mine is a mix of olive oil, soy sauce, spicy brown mustard and more, with a touch of hot sauce for a bit of zing. Perfect for grilling, baking, broiling, however you want to cook your pork chops! And just look at that awesome crust.
Easy Pork Chop Marinade Recipe
Do you like pork chops? I do. I enjoy mine grilled or seared on the outside with a nice and juicy inside, and a good level of seasoning.
I'll cook them up in different ways - on the grill, in the broiler, baked in the oven, seared in a pan - and no matter how they are cooked, the best way to get that awesome flavor AND that wonderful juicy tenderness is with a good marinade.
The best pork chop marinade makes your chops extra juicy and flavorful. That's exactly what I have here for you, my friends. I've been experimenting with different marinades for different cuts of meat, and today I'm bringing you my favorite pork chop marinade.
The Best Pork Chop Marinade Recipe
My pork chop marinade is better than the rest, made with a mixture of soy sauce, spicy brown mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, along with brown sugar, seasonings, lots of fresh garlic, and, an extra awesome ingredient - HOT SAUCE!
It adds just a touch of zing, so much better than anything from the grocery store.
This is the best pork chop marinade for grilling, baking, broiling, air frying, no matter how you want to cook your pork chops. Notice the wonderful crust on the chops when you're done, absolutely amazing.
Let's discuss how to make pork chop marinade and why using a marinade is a good thing for your chops.
Why Should I Marinate Pork Chops?
Marinating is an important flavor building component. A good marinade, like this zingy marinade, helps to add moisture to lean cuts of meat as well as tenderize the meat.
Aside from flavor and moisture, marinades can help with digestion and help to reduce carcinogens produced when cooking meats at high temperatures.
How Long Should I Marinate Pork Chops?
Marinate pork chops for at least 1 hour. However, you'll get the best flavor penetration if you marinade your pork chops for 24 hours.
You can marinate them overnight or whip up the marinade in the morning and marinate the chops throughout the day until you're ready to cook later that evening.
Even if you only have a single hour to marinate, it is worth doing it.
Pork Chop Marinade Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Soy Sauce - Key ingredients, my friends! Big flavor combination.
- Minced Garlic
- Light Brown Sugar
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Hot Sauce - Use a good Louisiana style, like Crystal or Tabasco, or use your favorite
- Spicy Brown Mustard - Dijon mustard is a good tangy substitute.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Chili Flakes
- Black Pepper
This marinade is good for four 8-ounce Pork Chops, bone-in chops or boneless chops. You can use other ingredients and seasonings, like onion powder and lemon juice, but these are my preferred ingredients.
How to Marinate Pork Chops - the Recipe Steps
Whisk the Marinade Ingredients. First, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, garlic cloves, light brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, spicy brown mustard, apple cider vinegar, chili flakes and black pepper together in a small bowl. You can also use a large sealable baggie or plastic bag.
Marinate the Pork Chops. Add your chops to the bowl or bag and submerge in the marinade. Marinate for 1 hour minimum, or up to 24 hours for the best flavor penetration.
Discard Marinade and Cook the Pork Chops. When ready to cook, remove the pork and pour the marinade out. Cook the chops however you’d like!
You have different options for cooking up your chops. Here are instructions for cooking them.
Make the Pork Chop Marinade Ahead
One question I always get is - Can I make my pork chop marinade ahead of time? Absolutely, yes. You can make the marinade the day before and refrigerate it until ready to use.
Can I Freeze This Marinade?
You can also freeze your marinade for several months until ready to use. Another trick you can use is to marinate your pork chops in freezer friendly bags, then freeze them with the marinade. They will last a few months this way.
When you're ready to cook, simply thaw, discard the marinade, and cook them up. This makes a wonderful freezer meal.
Internal Temperature for Cooking Pork Chops
No matter how you cook your pork chops, you want to cook them to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium or 160 degrees F for well done.
I like to use my ThermoPop meat thermometer from ThermoWorks (I'm an affiliate). Works great! Almost there!
How to Cook Pork Chops
Oven-Baked Pork Chops
Here are some of my favorite ways to cook marinated pork chops.
For Bone-In Pork Chops / 1-inch thick:
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
- Set the chops in a roasting dish and roast about 25 minutes, turning once half way through, until the pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium or 160 degrees F for well done.
- Remove the chops and let rest a few minutes before serving.
For Boneless Pork Chops / 3/4-inch thick:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Set the chops in a baking dish and bake them about 25 minutes, turning once half way through, until the pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium or 160 degrees F for well done.
- Remove the chops and let rest a few minutes before serving.
Grilled Pork Chops
For pork chops 3/4 inch thick marinated in grilled pork chop marinade:
- Heat your grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.
- Add the chops to the grill and cover. Grill for 3-4 minutes.
- Flip the chops and grill another 1-2 minutes. Get those nice grill marks!
- Reduce the heat to medium-low (or, if using charcoal, move the chops to less direct heat) and continue to grill another couple minutes, until the minimum internal temperature of the pork reaches 145 degrees F for medium or 160 degrees F for well done.
- Remove the chops and let rest a few minutes before serving.
Pan-Seared/Sautéed Pork Chops
For pork chops 3/4 inch thick marinated in pork chop marinade:
- Heat a bit of oil in a pan to medium-high heat.
- Add the chops to the sauté for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Continue to sauté another couple minutes, until the pork reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium or 160 degrees F for well done.
- Remove the chops and let rest a few minutes before serving.
Try my air fryer pork chops recipe. Awesome!
NOTE: This pork marinade works for any cut of pork, not just pork chops. Use it as a pork loin marinade, pork shoulder marinade, or any of your favorite cuts of pork.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your pork chops! Let me know how you wind up making them!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy spicy cooking, I hope you'll check out my cookbook! 75 easy recipes with big, bold flavor.
- The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)
Recommended Product
Snake River Farms Kurobuta pork chops are exceptionally juicy and full of savory pork flavor. All our pork chops are 100% Berkshire, a heritage breed recognized for abundant marbling and striking pink color.
Buy Kurobuta Pork from Snake River Farms (affiliate link, my friends!)
Try your chops with any of these awesome bbq sauces!
BBQ Sauces for Pork
Try Some of My Popular Pork Chop Recipes
Try Some of My Other Great Marinade Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Perfect Pork Chop Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 4-5 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce Use a good Louisiana style, like Crystal or Tabasco, or use your favorite
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- FOR COOKING: 4 eight ounce Pork Chops bone-in or boneless
Instructions
- Whisk all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. You can also use a large sealable baggie or plastic bag.
- Add your pork chops to the bowl or bag and submerge in the marinade.
- Marinate for 1 hour minimum, or up to 24 hours for the best flavor penetration.
- When ready to cook, remove the pork chops and discard the marinade. Cook the chops however you’d like!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 6/26/2023 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 7/24/2019.
Ellen says
I have been searching for the perfect pork chops marinade for years... maybe decades. I finally landed on yours. The sugar seemed like far too much and I read a comment where someone used honey instead. I followed the directions, but used just one TB of honey. OMG, I could drink this stuff. The pork chops are in the oven now, and I'm so excited!
Mike H. says
I am excited for you, Ellen. Enjoy!
Sandy says
This marinade is the absolute best. I had farm fresh butchered pork chops. I've been waiting all week to try this recipe. it was so worth it! Thank you!
Mike H. says
I am glad that you like it, Sandy - enjoy!
Charles Pascual says
Easy-to-make, ingredients are all kitchen staples. Marinated boneless chops 4 hours, used some of the marinade to baste them on the grill, and cooked down the rest to make a serving sauce for the table. Spouse, who is heat-averse, declared the chops good and the marinade a keeper - she picked up the sweetness from the brown sugar. Thanks, Mike
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear, Charles! Glad she enjoyed it!!
MERILES says
Can you leave out the mustard?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, you can, no problem.
Melissa Howell says
Can you leave out the surgar?
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, Melissa. No problem.
Vicky says
Hi Mike! I have the chops marinating in the fridge right now -- they smell incredible -- can't wait to grill them tonight! My question is, could I boil the marinade and use it as a sauce or baste? Seems a shame to waste it.......
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Vicky. Yes, you can boil/cook the marinade and use it as a sauce. You might thicken it a bit with something like corn starch as well if you wanted. It can be used as a baste part way through. Enjoy!
GRAMY T says
Not a big fan of hot spicy but the recipe looked like it cud be delicious so I made a few changes...I substituted olive oil for equal avocado oil, hot sauce for one teaspoon of smoked paprika and the spicy brown mustard for equal Dijon mustard....these were the best pork chops I've ever had!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds great!
Cindy says
Made these last night. What an ordeal. Prepared marinade the day before and placed chops in zipper bag. husband called and there was a change of plans for dinner that night. I was so thankful because I wanted to marinate at least 24 hours. I was ready to grill the chops when I remembered my husband saying several weeks ago we needed more charcoal. Sent him to the store (a process that could last up to an hour or more (he's a talker).) He returned after following my directions and he actually went where I told him to go. He was back within 20 minutes. Chops placed on grill and a few minutes later, we were in heaven. Thanks for the recipe and so many others.
Mike Hultquist says
Haha, glad it worked out, Cindy! Glad you enjoyed the pork chops!
Lori says
Best pork chops I've grilled in my life! Seriously! I used Siracha instead of hot sauce but all else the same. Marinated for 5 hours and absolutely perfect. Not salty, not vinegary, not sweet, not hot... a perfect balance and the chops were nice and tender! Thank you so much for putting this recipe out there.
Mike Hultquist says
Great to hear, Lori! Very nice, and very happy you enjoyed it. This is definitely my GO TO recipe for pork chops.
Angela says
This was delicious!! I marinated for 24 hours and they were amazing on the grill! Definitely keeping this recipe, YUM!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Angela!
Bill in Oregon says
Very good marinade Mike. I let the 1" thick cut chops sit in the juice for about 6 hours, rotating the baggie a few times, dusted with some spice rub, seared both sides in the cast iron skillet along with some onions & then finished in the oven. Pulled the chops at 130 IT and rested for about 15-20 minutes while doing the sides. Tasty dinner indeed......thanks for posting
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Bill. Glad you enjoyed it.
Jérémie says
Yummy vid, Mike: I want porks chops, NOW!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Jérémie. This marinade ROCKS! I use it all the time. YUM.
Amber says
This is so absolutely delicious and perfect that pork chops on the grill have become a new favorite in my house! Thank you! I’ve used this recipe again and again!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it, Amber! Definitely a GO TO recipe here for us! I love it.