Pork Chop Marinades

Pork chop marinades are easy to make, healthy, and use simple ingredients. Sweet and sour, honey mustard, barbecue and basil balsamic marinades will make your pork chops taste great without overpowering the pork.

If you’re bored with eating plain old pork chops, it’s easy to zest them up with these four healthy pork chop marinades.

Pork Chop Marinades

These pork chop marinades are great because they’re made with fresh ingredients that are healthy. Instead of buying the store bought sauces that are high in refined sugar, salt, and added preservatives, you can make these instead.

As a mom I’m always looking for budget-friendly ways to make dinners at home fast and full of flavor. That’s why I love using homemade marinades because I know exactly what ingredients are in them and they are cheap to make.

It’s easy to grab a pack of pork chops on sale and add them to one of these marinades as soon as you get home. You can even do this before you freeze the pork chops.

When you’re ready to cook them, just thaw overnight in the fridge and make for dinner using whatever cooking method you’d like. I’ll go over how to cook pork chops in detail below.

Pork Chop Marinades Tips and Tricks:

• PREPPING MARINADES: These marinade recipes will work for 1-2 pork chops. If you want to do more, just double the recipe. Grab a large freezer bag, add the marinade and the pork chops. Store it in the fridge or place directly into the freezer to use later.
• MARINATING TIME: I recommend marinating your pork chops overnight to get the most flavor. But if you’re short on time, then you can marinate for one hour in the fridge before use. Also, because the marinade has been in contact with raw pork, it’s not safe to reuse it, so don’t save it for next time.
• STORAGE TIPS: I use Ziploc freezer bags to freeze my marinating pork chops. I know that they won’t leak and spill with this brand. When adding the ingredients to freezer bags, I like to use these handy clips that will help the bag stand up and avoid spilling. You can also place the pork in a glass container and seal it with a lid. This can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
• DEFROSTING TIPS: Take the pork chops out of the freezer the night before you plan to cook them. Place in a bowl of shallow water inside the fridge. This will speed up the defrost process. Make sure the bag is sealed completely and at the top – not sitting inside the water. This will prevent water from getting inside the bag.
• COOKING TIPS: These marinated pork chops can be cooked in a variety of ways including frying, baked, grilling, and air fryer. I’ll go over details on how to use each cooking method below.

Is It Safe To Marinate Pork Chops Overnight?

Yes! It is safe to marinate the pork chops in the fridge overnight. You can keep raw pork in the fridge for 2-3 days before it needs to be tossed. Any longer and it should be frozen instead.

How To Cook Pork Chops

Serve cooked pork chops with roasted vegetables, quinoa or rice. You can add slices to a pasta dish, grill it on the barbecue or even air fry it. Here are the instructions for each way to cook the pork chops.

Cooking Pork Chops On A Frying Pan

1. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat with cooking oil. Once the pan is hot, add the pork chops and sear on one side for 3-5 minutes then flip over and cook an additional 3-5 minutes, or until browned. Keep in mind that this time will vary on the size and thickness of pork chop you have.
2. At this point, depending on how thick the pork chop is, the juices will run clear when you poke a hole in it. Remove from heat and let sit 2-3 minutes before cutting into it or serving.

Baking Pork Chops In The Oven

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place pork chops on the baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Grilling Pork Chops On The Barbecue

• Heat barbecue to medium-high heat (400°F), place pork chops on the hottest part of the grill, and sear 2-3 minutes for each side. Move off the hottest part of the grill and continue to cook until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F. Remove from the barbecue and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing into or serving.

Air Frying Pork Chops

• Lightly coat the inside of the air fryer tray or basket with olive oil or cooking spray. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 2 minutes. Add the pork chops and cook for a total of 12 minutes, flipping them half way through.

A NOTE ABOUT AIR FRYERS: If you don’t have an air fryer yet, you can find a variety of popular ones from the Power Air Fryer to the Ninja Foodi Deluxe. I have the Ninja Foodi Deluxe – it’s an all-in-one appliance that will air fry, pressure cook, bake, sear and steam. It’s big enough that I can cook an entire meal in it all at once, which saves me time on busy weeknights.

Basically I’m in love with it and can recommend it enough. If you’re curious about the Ninja Foodi Deluxe you can learn more here.

How Do You Know When Pork Chops Are Cooked?

According to the USDA recommended cooking temperatures, the safest internal temperature for cooking all types of pork is 145°F. This is the interior temperature that the pork will read at before removing from the heat source. You can use a food thermometer, which will be poked into the thickest part of the pork to read the temperature. They also specify that after cooking, the pork should rest for 3 minutes on a plate without cutting into it.

More Marinade Recipes To Try:

• If you like these recipes, then you’ll have to try my six healthy chicken marinade recipes or my six easy salmon marinades. They’re delicious and the perfect way to add flavor to your chicken or fish.

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