Sometimes the best dinners happen because you had a really good marinade on hand. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES.
This is my go-to for bone-in pork chops. The mix is sweet, savory, and deeply flavorful with ginger, garlic, and five spice. And I use a little trick: scoring the chops first so the marinade gets INTO every bit of the meat.
You let them soak it up, then sear them in a hot skillet until that exterior is caramelized and gorgeous. The hardest part is the 10-minute rest afterward (I know, I know), but it’s what makes them so juicy. SERIOUSLY JUICY.
It feels a little fancy but takes almost zero effort. That’s the whole point.
How Long to Marinate Pork Chops
- Marinate for a TOTAL of 4 hours: 3 hours scored-side down, then flip for 1 more hour. This two-stage method gets the soy, ginger, and five spice deep into THICK-CUT meat
- Don’t go over 4 hours. The soy sauce will make the chops mushy and overly salty if left too long
- PAT DRY before searing (super important). Wet meat won’t crust properly in the hot skillet
- Score those slits crosshatch style so the marinade actually penetrates instead of just sitting on top
How to Get a Perfect Sear on Pork Chops
Pat those chops BONE DRY with paper towels before they hit the pan. Any surface moisture will steam the meat instead of searing it, and you will be left with sad, gray pork. No thanks!
Heat your cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until the oil SHIMMERS and just begins to ripple. Drop a tiny bit of water in. If it sizzles and dances, you are ready to rock.
Add the neutral oil, then lay the chops in the pan AWAY from you (splatter protection, folks). Do NOT crowd them. Give each chop breathing room or you will regret it.
Now the hardest part. LEAVE THEM ALONE for a full 8 minutes. No peeking, no flipping, no poking. Let that gorgeous Maillard crust do its thing. Press lightly with tongs at the end. If it releases easily, the sear is locked in.
Flip once, cook 8 more minutes, then stand them on the fatty edge for 1-2 minutes. (This renders the fat cap and crisps it up nicely.) Rest 10 minutes before slicing. Boom. Perfect sear achieved!
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Brown Sugar Pork Chop Marinade
- Honey Soy Chicken Marinade
- Irresistible Pork Chop Marinade with Apple Juice
- Quick Balsamic Pork Chop Marinade
- Sweet Apricot Marinade for Pork Chops
- Mouthwatering Honey Soy Sauce Steak Marinade
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 1100-1500
- Protein: 140-190 g
- Fat: 30-45 g
- Carbohydrates: 35-45 g
Ingredients
For the pork chops:
- 6 thick-cut bone-in pork chops
- 3 tablespoons neutral tasting oil (such as grapeseed or canola)
For the marinade:
- 1 cup soy sauce (Kikkoman Less Sodium)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar (packed)
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons five spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Step 1: Prep Meat and Whisk Marinade
- 6 thick-cut bone-in pork chops
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 1/2 teaspoons five spice powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and use a sharp knife to score the surface of each chop with shallow, crosshatch slits—this helps the marinade penetrate the meat and creates more surface area for browning.
While the pork sits, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, five spice powder, black pepper, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a bowl, stirring well until the sugar completely dissolves.
This flavorful base is what will season and tenderize the meat over time.
Step 2: Submerge and Chill Chops
- 6 pork chops from Step 1
- marinade mixture from Step 1
Place the scored pork chops into a shallow dish or large zip-top bag and pour the marinade mixture from Step 1 over them, making sure the chops are submerged or well-coated.
Place them scored-side down and refrigerate for 3 hours to allow the flavors to develop and the meat to become tender.
After 3 hours, flip the chops over so the other side can marinate, then refrigerate for an additional hour.
I find that this two-stage marinating approach ensures even flavor distribution throughout the thick-cut meat.
Step 3: Dry and Pan Sear
- 3 tablespoons neutral tasting oil
- marinated pork chops from Step 2
Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels—this is crucial for achieving a good crust.
Reserve the marinade for basting.
Heat 3 tablespoons of neutral oil in a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Once the oil is hot, carefully place the chops in the pan and sear them undisturbed for 8 minutes on the first side until a golden-brown crust forms.
Flip the chops and cook for another 8 minutes on the second side, then stand them upright on their fatty edges for 1-2 minutes to render the fat and create a flavorful crust.
Step 4: Rest for Juiciness
Transfer the seared pork chops to a serving plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil, allowing them to rest for 10 minutes.
This resting period is essential—it redistributes the juices throughout the meat, keeping it tender and moist when you bite into it.
For extra flavor, I like to brush a little of the reserved marinade on top during the rest if you’d like, though the chops are delicious on their own.
Serve warm alongside rice, roasted vegetables, or noodles.
Mouthwatering Asian Pork Chop Marinade
Ingredients
Method
- Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and use a sharp knife to score the surface of each chop with shallow, crosshatch slits—this helps the marinade penetrate the meat and creates more surface area for browning. While the pork sits, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, five spice powder, black pepper, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a bowl, stirring well until the sugar completely dissolves. This flavorful base is what will season and tenderize the meat over time.
- Place the scored pork chops into a shallow dish or large zip-top bag and pour the marinade mixture from Step 1 over them, making sure the chops are submerged or well-coated. Place them scored-side down and refrigerate for 3 hours to allow the flavors to develop and the meat to become tender. After 3 hours, flip the chops over so the other side can marinate, then refrigerate for an additional hour. I find that this two-stage marinating approach ensures even flavor distribution throughout the thick-cut meat.
- Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels—this is crucial for achieving a good crust. Reserve the marinade for basting. Heat 3 tablespoons of neutral oil in a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the chops in the pan and sear them undisturbed for 8 minutes on the first side until a golden-brown crust forms. Flip the chops and cook for another 8 minutes on the second side, then stand them upright on their fatty edges for 1-2 minutes to render the fat and create a flavorful crust.
- Transfer the seared pork chops to a serving plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil, allowing them to rest for 10 minutes. This resting period is essential—it redistributes the juices throughout the meat, keeping it tender and moist when you bite into it. For extra flavor, I like to brush a little of the reserved marinade on top during the rest if you’d like, though the chops are delicious on their own. Serve warm alongside rice, roasted vegetables, or noodles.