Pork chops are such a great option for busy weeknights because you can let them marinate all day and then quickly cook them in the evening for dinner. The different flavor profiles of these FOUR different marinades ensure that your dinner is never boring! Plus, pork chops tend to dry out fairly easily and nobody likes that. So, marinades to the rescue! No matter which flavor profile you pick or how you cook your pork chops, they are going to be SO juicy and tender!
Looking for More Ways to Bring Flavor to Pork Chops?
Then you definitely need to try our simple Pork Chop Seasoning!
Honey Garlic Pork Chop Marinade
Smokey Maple Pork Chop Marinade
Balsamic Apricot Pork Chop Marinade
All-Purpose Pork Chop Marinade
How to Cook Pork Chops after Marinating
- Smoked: we love smoking our pork chops at 225 degrees F. for approximately an hour and then right before they are fully cooked – sear on both sides (on a grill or cast iron skillet) – find our smoked pork chops!
- Grilled: grilling pork chops on high heat for 10-13 minutes – check out our tutorial on how to grill pork chops!
- Baked: place on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees F. for approximately 15 minutes – check out our oven baked pork chops!
- Pan-Fried: sear in a cast iron skillet and then keep cooking (at a lower heat) for about 13 minutes – check out our cast iron pork chops for this easy weeknight option!
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- How long should you marinate pork chops? At a minimum they should sit in a marinade for at least 30 minutes. Ideal timing is about 2-4 hours. And they shouldn’t marinate for any longer than 24 hours, unless frozen.
- Can you marinate pork chops too long? Yes, any acid in the marinade will start to breakdown the protein in your meat which tenderizes the pork chops. It is recommended to not let meat marinate for longer than 24 hours.
- Freezing pork chops in a marinade – This is a great way to store pork chops before cooking! Simply place raw pork chops in a freezer-safe bag, pour in the marinade of your choice, and then keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking. The marinating will happen while they defrost before cooking!
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Pork Chop Marinade Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 marinade 1x
- Category: Marinade
- Method: Counter Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
We have FOUR easy and delicious pork chop marinade recipes you are going to result in the most juicy pork chops you have ever tasted!
Ingredients
Scale
Smokey Maple Marinade:
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, minced
- pinch of kosher salt
All-Purpose Pork Chop Marinade:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Balsamic Apricot Marinade:
- 1/4 cup apricot preserve
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, minced
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Honey Garlic Marinade:
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1–2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, minced
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (or coconut aminos or tamari)
Instructions
- Make Marinade: Choose one of the marinade options. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl; whisk stir to combine.
- Marinate Pork Chops: Place about 4 pork chops in a glass container or silicone storage bag. Pour marinade over top. Ensure pork chops are fully coated and let sit in marinade for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook Pork Chops: Make the best grilled pork chops, cast iron pork chops, smoked pork chops, or oven baked pork chops!
Notes
- 4 Pork Chops: each marinade is perfect for about (4) 1 inch thick pork chops.
- Sauce: option to make a double batch of the marinade and use the extra to make a sauce for dipping after they are cooked. Pour half the double batch of marinade over the pork chops and put the rest in a small saucepan, let simmer over medium heat on the stove top for 5-10 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Remove and let cool (it will thicken more as it cools). Note: this probably isn’t necessary for the Balsamic Apricot marinade, since it is already pretty thick – simply warm that one up before using as a sauce!
- Paleo: smokey maple + honey garlic are paleo (use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce). The all-purpose and balsamic apricot are not paleo compliant.
- Gluten-Free: use coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce.
Brittany nosbush says
The Smokey maple is amazing! We have used these marinades over and over again!
Erin says
So happy to hear that, Brittany!
James says
Just made the smoky maple marinade for my pork chops, and it was seriously one of the best pork marinades I’ve ever made! I ended up adding in smoked paprika and a little cayenne to give it some mild heat and seasoned my chops with black pepper and applewood smoked salt. I also turned the marinade into a glaze which wasn’t overly sweet and complemented the pork perfectly. Definitely a recipe I’ll use again!
Erin says
So glad you enjoyed that one, James! And thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review – I appreciate it!
Becca Riley says
My 19 year old son tried the Honey Garlic marinade. We all liked it, but next time I think he will make extra to make a sauce. That’s probably because we tend to like BIG flavors. We will try all of the other marinades too. Thank you!
Erin says
So glad you all enjoyed it! I love making extra for the sauce too!!