Best Pork Chop Marinade

This pork chop marinade recipe ensures perfectly tender, juicy, and flavorful pork chops every time. 

How to Marinate Pork Chops

You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics:

Pork Chop Marinade Ingredients

Make this simple pork chop marinade recipe with olive oil, garlic, dark brown sugar, lemon juice, spicy brown mustard, dried thyme, onion powder, Worcestershire sauce, white wine vinegar, mesquite-flavored seasoning, dried parsley flakes, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. 

Tip: Increase the amount of marinade if cooking a larger portion.

How Long to Marinate Pork Chops

Marinate the pork chops in the refrigerator for about six to eight hours before grilling. This will result in perfectly flavorful, tender meat every time. 

How to Grill Marinated Pork Chops

To grill the pork chops: 

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. 
2. Grill chops until nicely browned on each side and slightly pink in the center, about 8 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chop should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

What to Do With Leftover Marinade

You may be tempted to reuse the marinade straight from the bag, but don't. A used marinade is not safe to use as-is. The bacteria from the raw meat could make you (and your dinner guests) very sick.

All that flavorful marinade doesn't have to go to waste, though: You can make it safe-to-eat by boiling the liquid for several minutes. This process will also reduce the liquid, resulting in a thick sauce that'll work well with your freshly cooked pork chops.

Learn more: How to Safely Reuse a Meat Marinade

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

“This was great,” according to LaurieC. “I used a pork tenderloin and then boiled the marinade for a sauce. Will definitely be doing this again!”

"This marinade is fantastic,” raves Elaine. “So many flavors at one time. Definitely my favorite. The only change I made was to substitute Cajun seasoning for the mesquite seasoning.”

“Delicious,” says Victoriaren. “Made this for a large dinner party and got rave reviews. I used thick-cut pork chops, bone-in, and grilled them over charcoal. The flavor from this marinade is fantastic. Not too obvious, but unique.”

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams