This teriyaki pork chop marinade is easy to mix up and adds so much flavour to pork chops. Marinate and then grill, pan fry, or bake, or freeze for later!
Recipes like this teriyaki pork chop marinade has made my meal planning so simple. Whenever I don’t know what to make for dinner, I’m happy that I have frozen, marinated pork chops ready.
All I need to do is add a side dish or two and dinner is ready.
I love to serve these teriyaki pork chops with rice or roasted potatoes, and a salad. This Asian stir fried broccoli also goes very well with the teriyaki flavour. We love teriyaki anything, so this teriyaki pork chop marinade is being made a lot around here!
How do you make a simple marinade for pork chops?
I have 9 pork chop marinades for you, and they’re all simple and delicious. So easy to make, they each only take minutes to mix up and add so much flavour to your meat.
Freezer pork chop marinades are where it’s at as far as I’m concerned. These 9 pork chop marinades are all quick and easy for you to make. You can also freeze them for future meals.
I also have 7 chicken marinades (some overlap, but they’re not all the same). So you can easily have many different freezer meals ready to go with these marinades!
How long do you have to marinate pork chops?
Marinate the pork chops for at least 30 minutes, and I find 2-4 hours gives the best flavour. You can technically marinate pork chops for up to two days in the fridge. But I don’t find the flavour changes much as you increase the marinating time from 4 hours.
You can either marinate your pork chops and then cook them immediately, or you can freeze them in this teriyaki pork chop marinade, and let them marinate while they’re defrosting.
Usually I defrost the pork chops by submerging the bag with the frozen meat in cold water. I find this method only takes a couple of hours. You can also defrost them in the refrigerator overnight if you prefer.
What is a good marinade for pork chops?
I have found that any marinade that is good on chicken is good on pork chops as well. So if you have a favourite chicken marinade, it’s likely good on pork chops as well.
This simple teriyaki pork chop marinade is easy to mix up and adds so much flavour to the pork chops. These pork chops are fantastic served with rice or these twice baked potatoes with cheddar and broccoli, and a salad.
What is the best way to marinate pork chops?
I like to marinate my pork chops as soon as I bring them home from the grocery store and then freeze them in the marinade. This way I have meals prepped and waiting in the freezer. Meal times are so simple then. The pork chops marinate while they defrost, and I don’t have to think about how I’m going to cook them.
You can also use this teriyaki pork chop marinade the same day if you like – marinate the pork chops for 2-4 hours in the fridge before cooking. If I’m cooking them the same day I like to marinate them in a shallow baking dish, turning the meat to coat it in the marinade before refrigerating it.
What is the best way to cook pork chops?
There are several options for cooking pork chops.
You can grill them for 4-8 minutes per side, depending on how thick they are – for 3/4 inch pork chops I grill at about 400F for 4 minutes per side. You can also pan fry them over medium heat for 4-8 minutes per side (add 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil or butter to the pan while it’s heating). Or you can bake them at 400F for 20-30 minutes, turning them once.
The exact cook time will really depend on the thickness of your pork chops, so use a meat thermometer to judge when they’re done. Pork chops are done when their internal temperature is 145 degrees F. After you remove them from the heat, let them rest for 5 minutes under some foil before serving them.
The most important thing is to not over cook your pork chops, or they will be dry. You can use a meat thermometer if you’re not sure how to tell when the pork chops are done. More importantly, trust the thermometer! Resist the urge to slice into them to check, because they continue to cook after you remove them from the heat. You don’t want to cook pork chops until they look done inside. If you do this, they will be over-done by the time you sit down to eat.
How to make this Teriyaki Pork Chop Marinade:
- I almost always use boneless pork chops. I like to buy the huge pork loin from Costco when they’re on sale and then slice it into a whole bunch of pork chops. Then I marinate them and freeze them for later. Usually I slice them about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. That’s only because I like them to cook quickly. You can definitely use bone-in pork chops instead, but keep in mind the cook time will likely be a few minutes longer.
- Once you place your pork chops and the marinade into a freezer bag (this tool is awesome for holding the bag while you add your pork chops and marinade), squeeze out the air, seal the bag, and then move the meat around in the bag to coat it with the marinade. Lay the bag flat to freeze it as it will defrost easier this way.
- A great way to keep fresh ginger on hand is to cut it into one inch pieces and store it in a ziplock bag in the freezer. You can grate or mince it when it’s frozen and use it immediately. You don’t even need to peel it.
- If you’re looking for more great pork chop marinades, check out these 9 pork chop marinades. You can use them immediately, or freeze them for later!
Here are some more great teriyaki recipes for you:
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken Marinade
- Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki Pork Chop Marinade
This teriyaki pork chop marinade is easy to mix up and adds so much flavour to pork chops. Marinate and then grill, pan fry, or bake, or freeze for later!
Ingredients
- 4-6 pork chops
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
Instructions
- Place the pork chops in a large ziplock bag. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and sesame oil.
- Pour the marinade over the pork chops and seal the bag, squeezing out all the air.
- Move the pork chops around in the marinade until they are all evenly coated.
- Refrigerate and let them marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours (see note).
- You can freeze the pork chops in the marinade immediately and let them marinate as they defrost, or marinate and cook them immediately.
- Either grill the pork chops for 4-8 minutes per side over medium heat (about 400F), pan fry for 4-8 minutes per side over medium heat, or bake at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 145 degrees F has been reached.
- Let the pork chops rest, tented with foil, for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Marinate the pork chops for at least 30 minutes, and I find at least 2 hours gives the best flavour. You can technically marinate pork chops for up to two days in the fridge, but I don't find the flavour changes much as you increase the marinating time from 2 hours. My recommendation is to cook it the same day you're marinating, or to freeze it and let it marinate as it defrosts overnight in the fridge or for a couple hours in cold water.
You can easily increase this recipe to marinate more pork chops if you're serving more people.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 419Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 1255mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 42g
Nutrition Information is estimated based on ingredients used and may not be exact.
Michael
Sunday 11th of April 2021
This post has lots of good info. But for me, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil was way too much, I couldn't use the sauce at all. Today I omitted the sesame oil and it was much better.
Stacey
Wednesday 14th of April 2021
Sorry you didn't like it with the sesame oil. I do like the sesame oil in this marinade, but I don't use it as a sauce, just a marinade. You could use olive oil instead if you prefer the flavour of that. Or omit it as you said. When making it into a sauce (instead of just a marinade) I decrease the sesame oil to just 1 tablespoon - like this recipe which has a teriyaki sauce: Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken.