Stop serving dry, boring meat and try this easy pork chop marinade that actually works. It’s the perfect balance of salty and sweet to keep your weeknight dinners fast, budget-friendly, and delicious.
What makes this recipe great
We’ve all been there — staring at a pack of pork chops on a Tuesday night, praying they don’t turn into hockey pucks the second they hit the pan. This marinade is my secret weapon; I can throw it together in five minutes, let it sit while I’m doing school pickups, and dinner is a win!
- Foolproof Texture: The acid from the lemon juice and vinegar breaks down the fibers so the meat stays tender even if you get distracted by a phone call and overcook it slightly.
- Minimal Cleanup: If you use the freezer bag method, you just toss the mess when you’re done.
- Batch-Friendly: This is so easy to double for those weeks when you find a “family pack” of meat on sale!
Let’s see how we make this:
Ingredients we’re going to use
This is about swaps and notes – jump to the ingredient list for the measurements etc.
Bone-in Pork Chops: I usually grab these because they’re cheaper and stay way juicier, but if you’ve got boneless in the fridge from a warehouse club run, use those! Just watch them closely as they cook much faster.
The Sweetener: Don’t skip the honey or brown sugar. You won’t really taste “sweet,” but it helps the meat brown perfectly on the grill, giving it that restaurant look without the price tag.
Soy Sauce: I use the regular stuff from Kroger or Target, but if you’re watching salt, the low-sodium version works perfectly fine here too.
Garlic: Fresh is great if you have it, but let’s be real — sometimes I just shake in some garlic powder and call it a day. It still tastes amazing.
Recipe walkthrough
This is about tips and hints, and the process photos if you need a visual guide. Jump to the instructions for the precise steps.
1: The mix.
When you’re mixing this up, just use a glass measuring cup — it makes pouring it into the bag way easier and saves you from washing an extra bowl.
2: The seasoning.
Once the meat is in the bag, give it a good “massage.” My kids actually find this hilarious and love to help with this part. You want to make sure every nook and cranny of that meat is covered.
If you have an hour, great. If you can prep this in the morning before work and let it sit in the fridge all day, even better.
3: The grilling.
When it comes time to cook, make sure your grill or pan is good and hot. You want to hear that sizzle immediately!
If you’re using a grill pan on the stove, turn on your vent fan — the sugar in the marinade can get a little smoky, but that’s where the flavor lives.
4: Serve!
Keep it simple with some 90-second microwave rice and a bag of steamed broccoli, or make some grilled corn on the cob or mixed grilled vegetables on the side!
Tl; dr: All the important stuff at a glance
If you read nothing else in this post, this is what you need to know:
- Massage the bag to ensure the marinade hits every inch of the pork.
- Use bone-in for the juiciest results and better value.
- Don’t overcook! Use a thermometer to hit that
145°
F sweet spot.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting so the juices stay in the meat.
- Quick recipe overview: Mix marinade. Marinate pork chops. Grill!
Pork chop marinade FAQs
I recommend to go for at least 1 hour, ideally 6-8 hours. You can leave pork in marinade in the fridge for around 3 days in a clean, covered container or freezer bag. Source: USDA Knowledge Article
Pork chops are a lean cut, so they are easy to overcook. Overcooking them can lead to dry, tough meat. It’s also important to rest the pork chops for around 5 minutes before slicing into them after cooking. That way, the juices can redistribute, which contributes to a more tender chop.
According to new USDA guidelines, it’s ok if pork is a little bit pink in the middle. To make sure meat is safe to eat, I always recommend using a food thermometer at the thickest part of the chops. The internal temperature should reach at least 145°F with a rest time of 3 minutes after cooking. Source: Safe Minimum Cooking Temperature Charts
Looking for more easy grilling recipes? Try my Grilled Chicken Kabobs, this Perfect Grilled Chicken Breast or the BEST Grilled Pork Tenderloin!
Pork Chop Marinade
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey (OR maple OR brown sugar)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the meat
- 4 bone-in pork chops
Instructions
- Make marinade:Combine ingredients for marinade in a measuring jug. Whisk well.4 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 garlic cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add pork chops:Place pork chops in freezer bag and pour marinade on top. Close bag well, then slightly massage marinade into pork chops.4 bone-in pork chops
- Refrigerate:Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, and up to 24 hours.
- Grill:Remove the pork chops from the bag, discarding marinade and bag. Cook the pork chops on the grill or in a grill pan on the stove.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Pork: I recommend using bone-in chops because they stay juicier on the grill, but if you only have boneless you can use those, too. Just make sure you don’t overcook them.
- Sweetener: A little bit of sugar helps balance the flavor of the marinade, but feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
- Parsley: You can use 1 teaspoon dried parsley in place of the fresh.
- Garlic: You can use ¼ teaspoon dried garlic powder in place of the fresh.
Recipe tips
- You can double the recipe, just make sure to use a large enough freezer bag to hold all the chops and all the marinade.
- If you want to go plastic-free, you may use a glass or stainless steel container with a lid. Or even a ceramic baking dish works, if you can cover it well. Make sure the marinade entirely covers the pork chops. You may need to make more marinade to cover them. Then put on the lid and place in the fridge as directed in the recipe.
Veronica Romaine says
Marinade was fantastic, chops were so tender! Will be my go to. Topped it off with some BBQ sauce in oven for 5 min to brown further.
Wendy says
This marinade is awesome. They came out tender, juicy and flavorful. Thanks for the recipe 😘
Amy says
Made this tonight for dinner.. exactly as written. Absolutely delicious! My son ate two of them. This will definitely go in the rotation.
Kristen Hyatt says
Greaaaaat!
JRod says
This an excellent marinade for pork chops and is now my go to every time!
Patti says
Have used this many times
Very easy and tasty on chops
Sandra says
AMAZING!! I made this recipe about 6 months ago & the entire family loved it. Just now my husband said, would you mind making that delicious Pork Chop dinner again? He said he remembered it because it was that good! I came back to find the recipe again! Thank you! Best pork chop marinade on the internet!
Patti S says
Love the marinade . Have used this multiple times
Patti Swoboda says
Very tasty and all ingredients that you probably already have !
Marlene says
Awesome Awesome…we Really liked this marinade…now my go to recipe for chops. Thanks
Motty Franks says
I love this marinade! Thank you for sharing! For added flavor… Right before grilling I heavily added: salt/pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder and maple garlic seasoning! It added lots of great flavor! I threw some hickory wood on the charcoal for a smoked flavor! Best pork chops I’ve ever made!!
Nora says
Thanks for sharing your spice suggestions! Love it, and glad you enjoyed the recipe.
angie says
This was so good. Porkchops were flavorful and very tender. Will be using this recipe again
Nora says
I’m so glad, Angie!
Leann says
Made this tonight and WOW it was so good. I didn’t change anything about this recipe, I always make new recipes the way they were intended the first time and this one doesn’t need anything changed at all. My husband is not a fan of pork, but he devoured these chops. Anything that can get my husband to eat pork chops is a huge plus in my book, I will be making these again.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Leann! Thanks for your great review, I appreciate it.
Eve says
Easy and delicious. Halved quantities for 2 chops & this worked well. Used dark maple sugar for the sweetener (and as promised just added flavour depth without being in any way syrupy) and added summer savoury. Marinated 5 hours. Chops were succulent & had great flavour – I will definitely make again!. Thanks!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Eve!
Don McTizic says
Delicious, delicious, delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe
Nora says
I’m so glad, Don!
Tina says
Made grilled pork chops tonight. They were delicious. I used honey mustard instead and used 3 cloves of garlic
Nora says
That sounds delicious, Tina!
Sandra says
I also used lemon juice from real lemons! I forgot to add that part! ?
Sandra says
This marinade was delicious & a hit with the whole family! It made the chops (bone in) super tender. I used organic honey & 1/2 tsp. of sugar along with the rest of the ingredients for 8 chops (x2), but I made 5 chops instead of 8. It was the perfect amount! I let them sit in the fridge for 20 hours! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Sandra!
Tracy lichacz says
Iam making this tonight for supper and going to bake them in the oven .
Nora says
I hope the chops turned out well for you, Tracy!
Mary Meyer says
The marinade did it for me. Turned plain old pork chops into a delicious meal. Thank you so much. I will be trying this on chicken too!
Nora says
I’m so glad, Mary!
Lauren says
Absolutely delicious, even my seven year old son loved it! Will definitely make this again. I also used fresh squeezed orange juice and a little orange zest instead of lemon juice. It was perfection ☺️ the fiance also loved it
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Nora says
That sounds so good with the orange, Lauren!
Deanna says
Best ever is absolutely correct. I have done this recipe many times and the pork chop come out tender and juicy every time. This is now the only recipe we use when making pork chops.
I use cast iron, brown them first to nice and brown on medium heat and then I reduce the heat and cook about three minutes on each side on medium/low and I let them rest while i finish rice and veg.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Deanna!
Nancy says
When you cook these on the stove, what is the cooking time? Could they be cooked in the oven..cooking time the usual?
Nora says
Nancy, the cooking time will depend on your specific pork chop you’re using (bone-in or boneless, how thick they are, which cut you’re using…). I do cook neck chops in the oven and they come out amazing (I brown them in a cast iron skillet first, then cook in the oven for around 15 minutes right in the skillet).
Ally says
The best little marinade for chops I’ve ever used. Thanks for sharing.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Ally!
Linda says
It was really good. I didn’t have the lemon juice so I substituted for orange juice. The pork chops turned out really tender and juicy
Nora says
I’m so glad, Linda! And the orange juice sounds like such a great substitute.
Lyne says
Wow, just had our pork, my 22 years old son said that might be the best pork shops he ever had. It was delicious and so easy! Thank you.
Nora says
I’m so glad, Lyne!