3 Flavor Bursting Ways to Cook Delicious Marinated Pork Chops

The best ways to cook marinated pork chops are oven baking, grilling, and slow cooking in a crock pot. The marinades can be made in a variety of combinations of spices, sauces, condiments, etc. These ingredients make the flavor of the chops burst out.

Pork chops are portions of meat, prepared by cutting perpendicularly to the spine. Hence, the result is meat slices that contain part of the vertebra and associated ribs. If cooked properly, these cut pieces make delectable dishes. You will come across many ways of cooking these cuts. However, the thumb rule to decide the preparation is the thickness of the cut meat. For instance, the thicker cuts are best cooked after brining for at least 2 hours; whereas thinner chops are marinated first to make the meat tender and flavorful.

Marination Procedure

Marinating pork chops is very simple. While deciding the cooking time for pork recipes, consider the thickness of the meat. Hence, the thicker your meat pieces are, the longer time they will take to cook properly and vice versa. Discussed below are common cooking methods of marinated pork chops:

Cooking Pork Chops in the Oven

Ingredients

• Pork chops, 6 (cut to 1 – 1½-inch thick pieces)
• Orange juice, ½ cup
• Soy sauce, ¼ cup
• Water, ¼ cup
• Honey, 2 tablespoons
• Ginger, ½ teaspoon (fresh, ground)

Directions for Preparation

1. In a mixing bowl, combine together the marinade ingredients – soy sauce, orange juice, honey, ground ginger, and water. Blend the mixture well, then pour it in a zip lock plastic bag.
2. To this bag, add the cleaned pork chops. Close the zipper and shake many times, so that the meat slices are coated evenly with the flavoring mixture.
3. Before baking, marinate the meat at room temperature for 2 hours. If time permits, marinade overnight in the refrigerator.
4. Once you are done with the marination, remove the meat about 1 hour prior to baking in the oven.
5. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
6. Place the chops in the oven and depending upon the thickness, bake for approximately 40 – 60 minutes. Turn the chops after 20 minutes or after the sides are cooked well. Bake the other sides for the same time.
7. Serve these oven-baked pork chops with mashed potatoes, noodles, and fried vegetables.

Cooking Pork Chops in a Crock Pot

Ingredients

• Pork chops, 6
• Pineapple chunks, 1 can (20-ounces, with juice)
• Brown sugar, ¼ cup (packed)
• Soy sauce, 2 teaspoons

Directions for Preparation

1. In a bowl, mix the ingredients well – pineapple chunks, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Put clean pork chops in a zipper bag. Pour the flavoring mixture in the bag.
2. If you have time, allow the meat to marinade overnight in the refrigerator to impart more flavor. Or else, you can cook directly after marinating for 45 minutes.
3. Transfer the meat and marinade in the crock pot and cook in a low temperature setting for about 6 – 8 hours.

Cooking Pork Chops on the Grill

Ingredients

• Pork chops, 4 (1-inch thick)
• Molasses, 2 teaspoons
• Garlic paste, 2 teaspoons
• Pepper, 2 teaspoons (coarsely ground)
• Salt, 2 teaspoons

Directions for Preparation

1. Take a shallow dish and combine the marinade ingredients – molasses, garlic paste, ground pepper, and salt.
2. Rub the pork chops with this marinade mixture, making sure you cover the sides, top, and bottom.
3. Keep the meat in the shallow dish, cover it with a lid and marinade overnight. If possible, turn the pork chops after every couple of hours.
4. Before grilling, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to settle at room temperature for 20 minutes.
5. Start the grill, close the lid, (for charcoal and propane grill) and leave it for 30 minutes.
6. Arrange the pork chops on the grill surface and cook for 3 – 4 minutes per side at a high temperature setting.
7. Check whether the meat is done or not. If not, reduce the temperature and grill for another 2 minutes per side.
8. Remove the grilled chops and allow them to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
9. To make this more tasty, brush with marinade sauce in between while grilling.

Use your culinary skills to make the best flavorful marinades. You can add oregano, basil, and other strong herbs of your preferred choice in the recipe. Or else, if you have less time in hand, take the ready-made option. Cook for the appropriate time and your dishes will taste delicious.

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