I never thought I’d taste another marinade worthy of the ‘killer’ status that I awarded to my hugely popular chicken thigh marinade, but here it is. It’s so good that I called it ‘killer grilled pork chop marinade’. It deserves it.
There are dozens of very good grilled pork chop marinades but this one really stands out. There is something about it that makes the taste very special. Perhaps it’s the perfect balance of sweet, pungent, savory, salty and tangy notes. Or the Asian-inspired flavors that are bold and big.
Using dark soy sauce is key in this recipe. Dark soy sauce has a deeper color, flavor and more body. It’s less salty and can be used in relatively greater quantities. It’s perfect for grilling. You can get it from most grocery stores or from Amazon.
Pork chops made with this marinade are out of bounds. There is plenty of flavor in every bite. This is the kind of a pork chop you just want to keep eating.
If pressed for time, you can easily get away with 30 minutes of marination time and still get a pretty tasty chop. But if you let the meat marinate at least overnight, you will be rewarded with mind-blowingly intense, deep and complex flavors, and tender and juicy meat. What I do is I marinate pork chops the night before, at my convenience, then grill the next day whenever I am ready. It’s very easy.
If you are not ready to grill the next day and want to keep the pork chops in the fridge a little longer, that’s totally fine. I’ve marinated pork chops with this marinade for as long as 72 hours and did not notice any adverse effect.
Pork chops are best to cook fast over high heat. This way they won’t dry out before they cook through. Since this grilled pork chop marinade is sweet, you want to keep the temperature at about medium-high to prevent burning. As well, make sure to flip the meat frequently while grilling.
Pork chops need to get to at least 145F internal temperature to be safe to eat. Since lean pork loin meat gets dry and chalky pretty quickly, try not to overcook them. If possible, use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. Using a thermometer eliminates any guesswork and lets you have optimum results every time you grill. I rely on my thermometer pretty heavily. The less I have to worry at the grill the better my food comes out.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless loin pork chops thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp honey or brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 1/4 cup minced sweet onion or yellow onion
- 1 stalk green onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp lime juice or lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients for the marinade together in a small container. Using a hand blender, pulse a few times to partially liquefy the marinade. If you don't have a hand blender, simply mince the onion, garlic and green onion as finely as you can.
- Place the pork chops and the marinade in a bowl, or a Ziploc bag and mix well, ensuring even coverage. Refrigerate overnight and up to 24 hours.
- About half an hour prior to grilling, take the pork chops of the fridge and give them a good mix. Let rest at room temperature.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high temperature. Depending on the thickness of the pork chops, grill for about 5-10 minutes, flipping frequently to avoid burning. Grilled pork chops are fully cooked once their internal temperature reaches 145F. Use an instant-read thermometer to get optimal results.
- Once the pork chops are cooked through, removed them from the grill, cover with a foil tent and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow the meat to reabsorb some of the water lost during grilling.
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