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Home » Recipes » Pork Recipes

Best Marinated Pork Chops

Published: Jun 30, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

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The Best Marinated Pork Chops are easy to make and the pork chop marinade is made from pantry staples. Olive oil, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, onion, lemon zest, Italian parsley, salt, and black pepper are all you need to create the perfect marinade for pork, chicken or beef.

grilled pork chop sliced with slices fanned on a white plate


 

It’s easy to make perfect pork chops with my easy marinade recipe. Marinated pork chops can be cooked on the grill, air fryer, oven-baked, or pan-fried for restaurant-quality results every time.

2 grilled marinated pork chops on a white plate

I happened to have Tomahawk Pork Chops on hand, but you can make this recipe regular bone-in or boneless pork chops. I do prefer a thicker cut chop and definitely use a meat thermometer so you don’t overcook them.

If you love pork my Grilled Baby Back Ribs and Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops are two of my favorite pork recipes!

Table of Contents:
  • What ingredients do I need to make Marinated Pork Chops?
  • How do I make a marinade for pork chops?
  • How to grill marinated pork chops.
  • Recipe FAQ’s:
  • More Grill Recipes You’ll Love!
  • Marinated Pork Chops – Tomahawk Style

What ingredients do I need to make Marinated Pork Chops?

ingredients to make marinated pork chops

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Marinated Pork Chops. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

How do I make a marinade for pork chops?

marinade in a glass bowl

In a small or medium mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, lemon zest, salt, pepper, onion, and garlic.

This is the best pork chop marinade I’ve used, and it also makes a good marinade for chicken.

two pork chops in a zip lock bag with marinade

Place the pork chops in a ziplock bag (or baking dish) and pour the marinade over the pork chops, making sure to coat the chops. Let the pork chops marinate for at least 1 hour up to 12 hours.

When you’re ready to cook the pork chops, let them sit at room temperature in the marinade for 30 minutes before cooking.

How to grill marinated pork chops.

2 grilled marinated pork chops cooking on a gas grill
  • Preheat an outdoor grill to 350 degrees. You can use a grill pan instead of a gas grill.
  • Place the pork chops on the hot grill.
  • Cook the chops for 6-8 minutes per side or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop registers an internal temperature of 140 degrees F.

*Rotating the chops halfway through the cooking process on each side will give you crosshatch marks.

*If you prefer a more well-done pork chop, let the temperature reach an internal temperature of 150 degrees F. Meat temperatures will continue to rise 7-10 degrees after removing from the heat.

2 grilled marinated pork chops on a white plate

Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before slicing to allow the juices to flow back into the chop.

Serve with mashed potatoes and your favorite green vegetable and enjoy!

Recipe FAQ’s:

Can I marinate boneless pork chops?

You can marinate bone-in or boneless pork chops. I like bone-in chops, as the bone adds flavor to the meat, but either option works well. This marinade will also work well on pork tenderloins.

How long can pork be marinated?

I would not advise marinating pork any longer than 24 hours. The shortest time would be 1 hour, and the optimal time for marinating is around 8 hours.
Marinating meat longer than 24 hours will begin to break down the fibers of the meat and result in a mushy texture.

Can I cook marinated pork chops in the oven?

Marinated pork chops can be grilled, oven-roasted, cooked in an air fryer, or pan-fried. All cooking methods will work with these delicious marinated pork chops. Just make sure not to overcook them.

More Grill Recipes You’ll Love!

  • 3 half racks of grilled baby back ribs on a white platter
    Grilled Baby Back Ribs w/ Dry Rub Step by Step
  • grilled ribeye with crosshatch marks on a white plate with mushrooms
    How to Grill Ribeye Steak
  • sliced and unsliced grilled leg of lamb on a white plate with chimichurri sauce.
    Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb with Chimichurri Sauce
  • grilled lamb chops with a mint pesto on a white plate with grilled vegetables
    Marinated Grilled Lamb Chops with a Mint Pesto

2 grilled pork chops on a white plate

Marinated Pork Chops – Tomahawk Style

Chef Dennis Littley
The Best Marinated Pork Chops can be grilled, oven roasted, pan fried or cooked in an air fryer. The marinade is made from pantry staples.
5 from 40 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 16 minutes mins
Marinating 8 hours hrs
Total Time 8 hours hrs 26 minutes mins
Course Entree
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 649 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 10-12 oz pork chops bone in or boneless (I used Tomahawk but regular chops work the same)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper if using table black pepper reduce to ½ teaspoon
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon onion fine dice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoons Italian parsley for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Place the pork chops in a baking dish or resealable ziplock bag.
  • In a small or medium mixing bowl whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, lemon zest, salt, pepper, onion and garlic.
  • Pour the marinade over the pork chops, making sure to coat the chops. Let the pork chops marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours.
  • Preheat an outdoor grill to 350 degrees.
    You can use a grill pan instead of a gas grill.
  • Place the pork chops on the hot grill.
  • Cook the chops for 6-8 minutes per side or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chop registers 140 degrees.
    If you prefer a more well done pork chop, let the temperature reach 150 degrees.
    Meat temperatures will continue to rise 7-10 degrees after removing from the heat.
  • Let the pork chops rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to flow back into the chop.
  • Garnish with Italian parsley to add a touch of color to the plate.

Nutrition

Calories: 649kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 47gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 1789mgPotassium: 831mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 35IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askchefdennis or tag #askchefdennis!

Comments

    5 from 40 votes (38 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Charlotte Valitzski says

    March 24, 2025 at 7:02 pm

    5 stars
    Marinade was delicious and chops were tender and juicy. Cooked them on the blackstone at a high heat.

    Reply
    • Chef Dennis Littley says

      March 25, 2025 at 10:35 am

      I love using my Blackstone grill! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed the chops!

      Reply
  2. Dennis and Jilly says

    July 12, 2022 at 10:41 am

    5 stars
    Sounds delish. Easy directions and I’ll try recipe tomorrow night.

    Reply


My name is Chef Dennis Littley, creator and owner of Ask Chef Dennis Productions. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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