Pork Marinades + Tips

Why Marinate Pork?

The principal reason for marinating pork chops and other pork cuts is to flavor the surface of the meat. This is of course achieved by way of taste infusion from the marinade ingredients. 

Contrary to what many people believe, a marinade does not tenderize the meat (with a handful of exceptions related to specific enzymes) nor does it prevent it from drying out during most cooking methods. 

With leaner cuts of pork it is necessary to brine before you marinate in order for the cooked meat to be juicy. For more on this topic read When to Brine, When to Marinate and Can You Do Both?

Pork Marinade Tips

Balanced flavors. A good pork marinade strikes a balance between its ingredients - fat, acidity, savory and spicy flavors, aromatics and sweetness. A bit of salt is fine, but do not go overboard as salt dries out meat. Instead, season the already marinated pork with salt right before cooking. When composing your own recipe be sure to cover the bases first (fat and acid) then emphasize the ingredient you want to come through the most. Go easy on the sweet element because sugar burns quickly.

Ingredients ratio. As a rule of thumb use a ratio of 3 parts fat : 1 part acid : all other ingredients to taste.

In some instances when a mild acid such as beer or hard apple cider is used you can increase the acidic ingredient a bit.

Excess acidity. If making your own mix refrain from adding too much of a richly acidic ingredient (ex. vinegar or citrus juice). A prolonged exposure to high acidity can make the meat tough. (Our recipes below are carefully calibrated to avoid this issue.)

Marinade texture. While sometimes it is easier to blend all the ingredients, you definitely do not need to. Given time thinly sliced garlic or onions and picked rosemary or thyme leaves will impart plenty of flavor. A smooth mixture is not necessarily going to perform better.

Marinade to Pork Ratio

Use just enough marinade to generously cover the meat's surface. Contrary to popular belief you do not need to consider the total weight of the pork when you consider how much marinade you need.

What really matters is the total surface area of the pork since the marinade only flavors the surface and does not penetrate deep into the meat.

As a quick illustration - a three pound pork collar has a lot less surface area than the same three pound pork collar that has been cut into Coppa steaks. Therefore you will need less marinade for the whole collar and using twice the amount will not translate to better tasting meat.

Other Pork Meat Marinade Dos & Don'ts

Non-reactive bowl or container. Because most pork marinades include an acidic ingredient such as vinegar, citrus juice, wine or beer be sure to use glass, plastic or other non-reactive container (stainless steel is fine, but not aluminum). 

Refrigerate. Always marinate refrigerated.

Turning/massaging. If you can, it is always a good idea to engage with the pork as it is marinating and occasionally take it out of the fridge to turn it over and ensure that the marinade covers all of its surface areas adequately. If using a freezer bag then you can also gently move around the pork with your hands and 'massage' it. 

Freezing a marinade. Whenever you end up with an excess marinade quantity you can easily freeze it in a zip-close bag for later use.

Do not rinse off marinade. Gently scrape off the marinade from the pork and leave a thin coating (never rub the marinade completely off).

Safety first. Do not re-purpose a used marinade as a dipping sauce, salad dressing, basting liquid or glaze to brush over the already cooked pork. Bacteria from the meat's surface can easily contaminate the marinade and cause sickness because it was not brought up to the necessary temperature to kill the bacteria during the types of uses listed above. Always discard a used marinade OR only use it to soak the same protein, on the same day and either freeze it or refrigerate it. If you want to use a marinade you mixed as a glaze, sauce etc. reserve a small amount of it from the beginning and set it aside until you need it.

How Long to Marinate Pork For?

Smaller pieces (ex. skewered country style ribs) need less time than bigger ones (ex. roast sized loin). In general, you can marinate pork for thirty minutes and up to twenty four hours. Ideally from 4 hours to overnight.

There are are two notable exceptions to the ideal time frame because the marinades double as natural tenderizer:

• enzymes/yogurt (lactic acid) - if your marinade includes juice from fresh pineapple, papaya, melon or figs a fast acting, protein breaking enzymes contained in these fruits can easily over-tenderize the pork (for example the al pastor marinade recipe below). A marinade that contains yogurt can do the same on account of lactic acid. Keep your pork for less time in enzyme or lactic acid rich marinades.
• highly acidic ingredient - if a marinade is heavily skewed toward a bold acid such as a strong vinegar or citrus juice the meat can easily become tough, therefore you should limit the marinating time. Strong acid denatures meat proteins and the pork can become tough. 

TIP: Always bring refrigerated marinated pork to room temperature before you begin cooking. Always thaw frozen marinated pork in the fridge. Once completely thawed treat it as if it were recently refrigerated.

Best Pork Chop Marinades & Other Pork Cuts Recipes

1. Dijon, ACV & Aromatics

Especially good for pork steaks, all types of pork chops and pork loin roast. Apple cider vinegar is very mild so the addition of Dijon mustard does not tip the acid-fat balance but adds flavor and acts as an emulsifier. To whisk this one consult the full list of ingredients and instructions in the Recipe Card below.

2. Cuban Mojo

Typically prepared for pork roasts, this is one of the most famous pork marinades in the world. Traditionally made with bitter orange juice, but fresh squeezed lime juice works well too. Lots of garlic and oregano, truly a flavorful mixture. It works great for pork shoulder chops in oven or grilled and pan-seared pork neck chops. Go to the Recipe Card.

3. Souvlaki (Greek Marinade for Pork)

This is an authentic recipe for the marinade in which the famous Greek Souvlaki skewers are soaked before hitting the grill. The grated onion in the mixture not only infuses the meat with aromas but its natural sugars also help it get a nice caramelization while cooking. The oregano (the most Greek herb of all) adds an unparalleled savory dimension and the lemon juice brightens up the flavor base. Go to the Recipe Card.

4. Hard Apple Cider & Sage 

Perfect marinade for pork loin and other whole pork roasts, pork tenderloin or boneless pork chops. If you want to add heat to it - one of our favorite ways is to use black pepper. Go to the Recipe Card.

5. Curry Ginger (Southeast Asian Pork Marinade)

Packed with South Asian flavors and great as a pork tenderloin marinade. It is also most suitable for thin pork chops from the center loin, ham, pork belly, pork shoulder, and ham. Go to the Recipe Card.

6. Vietnamese (Marinade for Pork Chops)

Mostly known in conjunction with Vietnamese pork chops, but try it with pork skewers or grilled whole pork neck fillet. If you can get your hands on fresh lemon grass - by all means use it as opposed to dried (which you need to soak before you can use it) or lemon grass paste. Go to the Recipe Card.

7. Char Siu  

Char siu (叉烧), also known as Chinese barbecue sauce, is finger licking good so be sure to reserve some of the marinade to slather all over the pork once its cooked. All cuts of pork get excited about their prospects when this soy sauce flavored marinade is in their future. Go to the Recipe Card.

8. Al Pastor 

The classic marinade for tacos al pastor is made with fresh pineapple chunks and tenderizes the meat in addition to flavoring it. An excellent pork chop marinade, but do not go overboard with the time you let the meat spend in it. (see How Long to Marinade Pork For above). Al pastor is also a perfect pork butt marinade. Or try it on country style ribs and pork shoulder roast. It must be made in a blender. Go to the Recipe Card.

9. Garlic, Cumin & Fresh Herbs

This one is a favorite for pan-seared or grilled pork chops. Fresh flavors from rosemary, thyme and garlic with a savory depth from cumin - one of the most pork compatible spice. We add mild acidity by way of a flavorful, low bitterness beer. Go to the Recipe Card.

10. Pilsner & Paprika 

A great, quick pork steak marinade, perfect for bone-in pork chops too. The pilsner should be more along the lines of the Czech style - maltier. Go to the Recipe Card.

11. Peachy Pork Chop Marinade

Everyone loves a juicy pork chop with grilled peach slices or a tenderloin topped with peach salsa. This pork chops marinade recipe uses fresh grated peach flesh (we used white peach for the picture), fruity olive oil and lots of thyme and makes a particularly great choice for summer grilling. If you are feeling adventurous, add a tablespoon of bourbon to the recipe below or some honey. Go to the Recipe Card.

Free Style Pork Chop Marinade

A few final tips you might find useful when making your own tasty marinades for pork - besides keeping in mind the loose guideline proportion of 3 parts fat : 1 part acid : all other ingredients to taste.

Use Premade Sauces and Condiments

Store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce, balsamic vinegar. sweet chili sauce, beer mustard or other mustard you fancy, sriracha sauce, teriyaki sauce, various chutneys, Worcestershire sauce, even buttermilk in combination with a bit of neutral oil make for a great pork marinade. 

Use Pork Marinades with Beer when Grilling

Marinades in which the acidic ingredient is beer have an important property when it comes to charcoal grilling. 

Beer has been found to inhibit the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) - carcinogenic substances found on the surface of charcoal-grilled meats. Marinating chops destined for the charcoal grill with beer has shown to stop the harmful PAHs from reaching significant levels. Darker beers are thought to have a stronger effect.

How to Make a Keto Pork Chop Marinade

Remember - marinating simply adds flavor to the meat surface. Therefore the presence of a sweetener as a balancing agent to the rest of the ingredients will most certainly not throw off a keto diet because the mixture is not being consumed.

To be absolutely sure use a lower glycemic index sweetener or skip the sweetener altogether and design the marinade to highlight an herb or a spice. 

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