Healthy Pork Marinades – take your pork chops to another level with these fun and flavorful marinade recipes! Clean ingredients, easy to make, and great for grilling or freezing!

pork chops in marinade side by side with flavor labels

Best Marinades for Pork Chops

Ever feel like pork chops just need a little something in the flavor department? I have you covered with these Healthy Pork Marinades! They’re super simple to make using real, basic ingredients and add SO much flavor to all your favorite cuts of pork. I especially love to use these marinade recipes on thick pork loin chops and pork tenderloin, but they are also wonderful as a bone-in pork chop or pork steak marinade.

Pork is such a great inexpensive choice for family friendly meals. I love my pork chops grilled, but they can be cooked any way you like with these tasty marinades – Air Fryer, stovetop, oven, etc. There are plenty of ideas here to keep family dinners interesting!

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Pork Marinade

Lemon Garlic Pork Marinade

  • Avocado Oil
  • Lemon Juice
  • Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper

Asian Pork Marinade

  • Coconut Aminos/Soy Sauce
  • Sesame Oil
  • Avocado Oil
  • Honey
  • Garlic
  • Lime Juice

Cuban Pork Marinade

  • Orange Juice
  • Lime Juice
  • Avocado Oil
  • Garlic
  • Cumin
  • Salt & Pepper

Smoky Dry Rub Pork Marinade

Hawaiian Pork Marinade

  • Pineapple Juice
  • Avocado Oil
  • Honey
  • Coconut Aminos/Soy Sauce
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper

Greek Pork Marinade

Molasses Pork Marinade

  • Molasses
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Honey
  • Garlic
  • Ginger

Honey Mustard Pork Marinade

  • Dijon Mustard
  • Honey
  • Avocado Oil
  • Lemon Juice
  • Garlic
  • Rosemary
  • Sea Salt

How to Make Good Pork Marinade

You’ll need just a few basic ingredients to make homemade healthy marinades for pork. A good marinade includes a healthy fat/oil (such as avocado oil or olive oil), an acid component (like citrus juice or vinegar), and seasoning in the form of fresh/dried herbs and spices. To mix the marinades, whisk the ingredients together or add to a small mason jar and shake vigorously until combined.

How Much Marinade is Needed for 1 lb of Pork?

About 1/2 cup of marinade is ideal for marinating 1-1.5 lbs of meat. Each of these Healthy Pork Marinade Recipes yields approximately 1/2 cup or more, perfect for marinating 1 lb of pork. For larger quantities of meat, simply double or triple the marinade recipe accordingly.

Best Cuts of Pork to Marinate

Boneless pork loin chops, pork steaks, and pork tenderloin are the best cuts for marinating. You can also use these marinade recipes for bone-in pork chops and pork steak. Keep in mind that thicker cuts of meat will require longer time to marinate.

How Long to Marinate Pork

Plan for 30-60 minutes minimum marinating time for pork. I like to increase the time for thicker cuts like loin chops and tenderloin. The longer the pork marinates, the more intense the flavor is!

Freezing Marinated Pork

For simple make ahead meals, make a big batch of marinade and place desired portions of pork with the marinade in freezer safe plastic bags. Remove all excess air from the bags, label, and lay flat in the freezer until frozen solid. Frozen marinated pork will keep for up to 6 months in the freezer. When ready to cook, thaw in the refrigerator and cook as desired!

How to Cook Marinated Pork Loin Chops

Grill Instructions

Grill marinated pork loin chops over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes per side (for 1/2 inch chops.) Increase the cooking time for thicker chops. Pork is cooked and ready to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 145-160 degrees.

Air Fryer Instructions

Cook marinated pork loin chops in the Air Fryer at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes (flipping them halfway through cook time) or until desired doneness/internal temperature reaches 145-160 degrees.

More Grilled Meat Recipes

Healthy Chicken Marinades

Healthy Steak Marinades

Grilled Steak Kabobs with Veggies

Bruschetta Grilled Chicken

Grilled Flank Steak

 

pork chops in marinade side by side with flavor labels

Healthy Pork Marinades

Servings: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Author: Nikki
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Asian, cuban, greek, hawaiian
Keyword: asian pork marinade, cuban pork marinade, greek pork marinade
Healthy Pork Marinades - take your pork chops to another level with these fun and flavorful marinade recipes! Clean ingredients, easy to make, and great for grilling or freezing!
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Ingredients 

Lemon Garlic Pork Marinade

Asian Pork Marinade

  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos, or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 teaspon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

Cuban Pork Marinade

Smoky Dry Rub Pork Marinade

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon Homemade Smoky Dry Rub, see recipe below

Hawaiian Pork Marinade

Greek Pork Marinade

  • 1/4 cup olive oil, or avocado oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Homemade Greek Seasoning, see recipe below

Molasses Pork Marinade

  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Honey Mustard Pork Marinade

  • 1/4 cup avocado oil
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • For each marinade recipe, combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Or add to a small mason jar and shake vigorously until combined.
  • Add pork and marinade to a glass dish or large plastic bag. Marinate for at least 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove from marinade and cook as desired.

Notes

*Note: nutritional info is for one recipe of Asian Pork Marinade only
  • Note: each marinade recipe is enough to marinate 1-1.5 lbs of meat
Click here for Smoky Dry Rub Recipe
Click here for Greek Seasoning Recipe

Nutrition

Calories: 567kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 0.3g, Fat: 56g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Monounsaturated Fat: 35g, Sodium: 1357mg, Potassium: 48mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 0.3g, Vitamin A: 8IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.4mg

 

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