Brown Sugar Pork Chop Marinade

Name: Brown Sugar Pork Chop Marinade
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ⅓ cup, packed (70 g) light or dark brown sugar, packed; ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar; ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce, regular, not low-sodium; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced or grated; 1½ teaspoons (3 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tablespoon (15 g) Dijon mustard; 4 chops (about 8 oz each) (900 g) bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick, patted dry; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil such as canola or avocado

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A sweet, tangy, garlicky marinade that seasons pork chops to the bone and helps them brown beautifully. Four hours is plenty, and the chops cook in about 10 minutes in a skillet or on the grill.

Prep: 18 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 4 hr 15 min
Total: 4 hr 45 min
Makes: 4 bone-in pork chops plus about 1 cup (240 ml) marinade

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Steps

Before you start

Plan for at least 2 hours of marinating and no more than 8 hours. The vinegar and salt can make the pork mushy if it sits longer.
Choose chops about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Thinner chops overcook quickly, and thicker ones need a longer cook.
Discard the used marinade. It has touched raw pork and must not be used as a sauce unless you boil it first.
Have an instant-read thermometer ready. Pork chops are done at 145°F (63°C), followed by a 3-minute rest.

1
Mix the marinade
- In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, black pepper and Dijon mustard.
- Whisk for about 1 minute.
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Ready when: The sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture looks glossy with no gritty sugar at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Whisk before pouring so the oil blends into the liquid.
2
Prep the chops
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels.
- If the edge has a thick band of fat, make 2 or 3 shallow snips through the fat and silver skin, spaced about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
- This stops the chops from curling as they cook.
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Ready when: Chops are dry on the surface and the fat edge is lightly scored.
Tip: Cut only through the fat, not into the meat.
3
Bag the pork
- Put the chops in a 1-gallon zip-top bag, or in a single layer in a shallow dish.
- Pour in the marinade and turn the chops to coat both sides.
- In a bag, press out the air and seal.
- Lay the bag flat on a rimmed plate.
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Ready when: Every chop is fully coated and the marinade touches all surfaces.
Tip: Set the bag on a plate in case it leaks.
4
Marinate in the fridge
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours (4 hours is ideal).
- Flip the bag once halfway through so both sides soak evenly.
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Ready when: The chops look slightly darker and smell of garlic and vinegar.
Tip: Do not go over 8 hours or the surface of the meat turns soft and mealy.
5
Rest and dry
- Take the chops out of the bag and discard the marinade.
- Shake off the excess and pat the chops fairly dry with paper towels.
- Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface feels tacky but not wet.
Tip: A dry surface sears. A wet one steams and turns gray.
6
Heat the skillet
- Heat the neutral oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The oil shimmers and a thin wisp of smoke appears.
Tip: Turn on the vent fan. The sugar in the marinade browns fast.
7
Sear the chops
- Lay the chops in the pan with space between them.
- Cook without moving them for 4 to 5 minutes, until a deep mahogany crust forms.
- Flip and cook 4 to 5 minutes more.
- If the pan smokes heavily or the crust darkens too fast, reduce the heat to medium.
- Check the temperature in the thickest part, not touching bone.
- If it is under 145°F (63°C), keep cooking and check again every minute.
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Ready when: Both sides are deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part, not touching bone, reads 145°F (63°C).
Tip: Do not pull the chops below 145°F (63°C). Pork is safe at 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest.
8
Rest before serving
- Move the chops to a plate and rest them for at least 3 minutes, up to 5.
- The juices will settle back into the meat.
- Serve whole or sliced off the bone.
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Ready when: Thermometer still reads at least 145°F (63°C) and the meat is faintly blush pink and juicy in the center.
Tip: Cutting too soon lets the juices run onto the plate.

Good to know

Tips

Boneless chops work too. Marinate them 2 to 4 hours and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, until a thermometer reads 145°F (63°C).
On a grill, use medium-high direct heat and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until 145°F (63°C). Move chops to a cooler zone if flare-ups happen.
Don't skip drying the chops. Sugar burns quickly, and wet meat won't brown properly.
For a glaze, simmer 1/4 cup (60 ml) of fresh, unused marinade for 3 minutes and brush it on the chops after cooking. Never use marinade that has touched raw meat.

Make ahead

Whisk the marinade up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Shake or whisk it well before using. You can also freeze the raw chops in the marinade for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, and count the thawing time as marinating time.

Storage & reheating

Cooked chops: keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently, covered, in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes or in a skillet over low heat with a splash of water, until hot throughout (165°F/74°C). Freeze cooked chops for up to 3 months. Do not keep used marinade. Discard it. Unused, never-touched marinade keeps in the fridge for 3 days.

Substitutions

apple cider vinegar → rice vinegar or white wine vinegar. Use the same amount. The flavor is slightly milder.
soy sauce → tamari or coconut aminos. Tamari keeps the recipe gluten-free. Coconut aminos is sweeter, so cut the brown sugar to 3 tablespoons.
light or dark brown sugar → maple syrup. Use 1/4 cup (60 ml). The chops will brown a little faster.
Dijon mustard → yellow mustard. Use the same amount. The taste is milder and tangier.