Marinated Pork Chops are juicy and tender with robust flavors from soy sauce, brown sugar, and bourbon. This is sure to be your new favorite pork chop recipe - the marinade is so stinkin' good! You can actually use it on any protein including chicken, fish, and beef too!
You'll ❤️ These Pork Chops and Marinade
"Whether baking or grilling pork chops, they are easy to dry out. Marinating them adds extra flavor and tenderness. This is my go-to marinade!"
Pork chops lovers - it's time to celebrate. Try this Grilled Pork Steak Recipe, Cast-Iron Pork Chops, or Thick Shake and Bake Pork Chops. If you want SUPER easy - make these frozen pork chops in air fryer! 🙂
Easy Marinade
Marinated pork chops are super easy! Just throw all the ingredients together into a sealable container along with your protein, and let it marinate for 2 to 24 hours. Grill or bake from there.
Healthy
This marinade is gluten-free, low calorie, lower carb, vegetarian, and adjustments can be made to make it vegan. Check out the how-to-serve section below for some meal ideas!
What You'll Need
Here are the ingredients you will need to make Marinated pork chops:
- Olive Oil
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Brown Sugar - use a brown sugar substitute if preferred.
- Soy Sauce - you could also use a gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos.
- Liquid Smoke - this will give your marinade a great smoky flavor. If you don't have it on hand, you can omit it.
- Bourbon - if looking to replace, use additional soy sauce.
- Fresh Chives
- Garlic
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Bone in pork chops - approximately 1 inch thick.
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
How To Make
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making Marinated Pork Chops:
Marinade
Add the first 10 ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together. (Set aside 1 tsp salt and half a teaspoon pepper).
Place your pork chops in a shallow dish or a plastic bag. Pour marinade over the top and seal, then refrigerate. Marinate pork chops for a minimum of 2 hours.
Cook
Grill
Remove your pork chops from the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before cooking them on the grill.
Preheat your bbq to medium-high heat (350 to 400 degrees F).
Sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper onto the pork chops.
Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
Bake
You don't have to grill! Here's how to bake pork chops:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place pork chops on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until chops reach 145 degrees F.
Finish
Remove the pork chops from the grill and cover with foil. Let sit for 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
How To Serve
Here are a few ways to serve marinated pork chops:
- Meal Idea! Serve pork chops with Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce, and side of Herb Marinated BBQ Vegetables, or a fresh side salad.
- Adjust salt and pepper to your taste preferences.
- Pork goes great with a sweeter BBQ sauce such as Blueberry BBQ Sauce and Peach BBQ Sauce.
Variations
Here are a few ways you can vary or make substitutions to this recipe:
- Add any of your favorite fresh herbs or spices to your marinade as you'd like! I recommend thyme and rosemary.
- If you want more seasoning than just salt and pepper, sprinkle with a little Pork Dry Rub before grilling.
- If you want, you could substitute Worcestershire sauce for the soy sauce if preferred.
- Add spice with some red pepper flakes.
- Replace the bourbon with a different spirit, such as whiskey and rum.
- Use this marinade with any protein - chicken, other cuts of pork, steak, and even fish! If you're vegetarian, you could use it with tofu.
Top Tips
- Even marinated pork chops can dry out easily, be sure to check for doneness frequently.
- I recommend marinating for at least 2 hours. In a pinch, 30 minutes will work and up to 24 hours. The longer you marinate, the better flavor and tenderness you'll get.
- Grease your grill grates ahead of time to prevent your pork chops from sticking. There is a higher chance of burning with sugar in the marinade, so be careful!
FAQs
How To Store
Store your leftovers in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
How To Reheat
From the fridge: reheat your pork chops in the microwave until heated through or in your air fryer until your desired temperature is met.
From the freezer: thaw your pork chops from the freezer in your refrigerator overnight before reheating. Reheat in the microwave or air fryer until heated through, and enjoy!
How To Freeze
Freeze in an airtight container in your freezer for up to 3 months. Remember to date your container to keep track of how long it is in the freezer for the best freshness.
Most proteins, including beef, lamb, pork, and chicken can be marinated for up to 24 hours.
Apple cider vinegar and soy sauce are great options to help tenderize pork through the marinating process as the acidity and salt help break down the proteins but add much-needed flavor at the same time.
Can I ask you a favor?
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📖 The recipe.
Marinated Pork Chops (Grilled or Baked)
Ingredients
Pork Chop Marinade
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar (a sugar free substitute may also be used such as brown allulose)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free tamar or coconut aminos may also be used)
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (or, 2 tablespoons soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons chives (minced)
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 2 teaspoons garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt (save 1 teaspoons for grilling)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper (save ½ teaspoon for grilling)
Pork Chops
- 4 bone-in pork chops 1" thick (approx 2 to 2.25 pounds)
Instructions
Marinade
- Add marinade ingredients (set aside 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper) to a small bowl and whisk together.
- Place pork chops in a shallow dish or a plastic bag. Pour marinade over the top, seal, then refrigerate.
- Remove pork chops from the refrigerator about 20 to 30 minutes prior to cooking.
How To Grill Pork Chops
- Grease grill grates. Preheat grill to medium-high (350 to 400° F).
- Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.
- Place chop on the grill (grease the grates if needed) and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until their internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
- Remove pork chops from the grill, cover with foil, and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes.
How To Bake Pork Chops
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
- Place pork chops on the baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. F.
Kori's Tips
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- TOP TIPS: Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours. Use an instant-read thermometer to determine doneness.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Delicious served with Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce, Peach BBQ Sauce, or topped with Mango Peach Salsa.
Nutrition
© 2025 Seeking Good Eats™
More Pork Recipes
Pork lovers unite! Here are some more delicious pork dishes to try:
- The Best Baby Back Ribs Recipe - perfect fall-off-the-bone ribs.
- Pork Tenderloin on the Grill
- Pork Dry Rub - use this to season any cut of pork! It's also great sprinkled on the baby back ribs above or the slow cooker pulled pork below.
- Ground Pork Stir Fry
- Pork Rind Nachos. The BEST Keto Nachos
- Cordon Bleu Stuffed Pork Loin
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork - you can also make this in your Instant Pot!
- All Purpose Easy Marinade for Steak
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