Honey Garlic Pork Chops are an easy, flavorful recipe for pork loin chops. Made with a simple 4 ingredient marinade, these lean pork chops are infused with flavor and then grilled or baked to tender, juicy perfection!
Serve these pork loin chops with Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes, Pineapple Rice, or an Asian Noodle Salad.
Honey Garlic Pork Chops
This recipe for Honey Garlic Pork Chops is a great example of how a few simple ingredients can work together to flavor lean pork loin, creating a delicious, healthy, recipe.
Pork loin chops are a great alternative to chicken. They are relatively lean, completely versatile, and take on flavoring easily.
For this simple recipe, it is all about the honey garlic marinade.
Just like my Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipe, and Teriyaki Chicken Packets, fruit juice is my secret weapon in this marinade that helps to make delicious, tender, slightly sweet meat without adding processed sugars. Trust me, after one bite, I think you will agree these Honey Garlic Pork Chops are incredible!!
Ingredients
- pork loin chops–boneless, or bone-in, cut 1 inch thick
- honey
- garlic
- soy sauce–if you need this recipe to be soy free, use Braggs Amino Acids or 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- pineapple juice–feel free to use apple juice or chicken stock instead–I just HIGHLY recommend pineapple juice for the best flavor.
Money Saving Tip: Ask the butcher to cut a pork loin up for into 1 inch pork loin chop–this is typically cheaper than purchasing pork chops in a package.
The Marinade
I adore the flavors of this simple honey garlic marinade. Only 4 ingredients pack an INCREDIBLE amount of flavor and it works perfectly with pork chops, or even chicken.
- Liberally season your pork chops with salt and pepper on each side.
- Whisk together juice, honey, soy sauce and garlic.
- Place the seasoned pork chops in a freezer bag or container. Add the marinade over the pork chops and shake to cover well.
- Refrigerate pork for 2 to 24 hours, turning the pork chops half way through the marinating time.
How Long Should You Marinate Pork Chops?
Every marinade requires a different amount of time. For my Lemon Greek Yogurt Marinade, you don’t want to leave in the marinade for more than 4 hours due to the high acidity of the marinade.
For my Honey Garlic Pork Marinade, you can marinade the pork chops (or chicken if you like), for up to 24 hours as it has less acidity than most marinades. I recommend marinating the pork loin chops for a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 24 hours.
How to Cook Pork Loin Chops
I prefer to grill my pork loin chops whenever possible. I just love the crispy edges from where the sugar from the honey caramelizes on the pork.
However, you can also choose to cook your marinated pork on the stove-top or in the oven.
Pork Chop Temperature
Pork chops are juiciest when cooked to medium-rare, or 145 degrees and this is the recommended temperature by the Pork Council. However, you can prepare your pork chops to the desired temperature based upon your preferences.
- Medium Rare: 145 degrees
- Medium: 150-155 degrees
- Well: 160-165 degrees
Grilling Pork Chops
It is best to sear your pork chops quickly over direct heat and then allow to cook more slowly over indirect heat. Don’t worry, this is NOT as complicated as it sounds.
Using a Gas Grill:
- Preheat one side of the gas grill to medium-high heat and the other side to medium-low.
- Place marinated pork chops on direct heat for 1-2 minutes per side, or until seared nicely and able to flip easily. If the pork is resisting being turned, give it a minute longer before flipping.
- Once the meat is seared move the indirect side of the grill, cover and cook for 4-6 minutes longer, or until pork chops reach 145 degrees, or desired temperature.
- Remove from grill and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Using a Charcoal Grill:
- Heat charcoal in a chimney.
- Once charcoal is heated, pour the heated coals on one side of the grill.
- Place marinated pork chops on direct heat for 2-3 minutes per side, or until seared nicely and able to flip easily. If the pork is resisting being turned, give it a minute longer before flipping.
- Once the meat is seared move the indirect side of the grill, cover and cook for 6-7 minutes longer, or until pork chops reach 145 degrees, or desired temperature.
- Remove pork chops from grill and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
How to Bake Pork Chops
Baking marinated pork chops is an easy method and perfect for rainy or cold days when you don’t feel like grilling.
- To bake Honey Garlic Pork Chops, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Remove pork loin chops from marinade a place in 9×13 baking dish and bake until pork reaches desired temperature. This is about 15-18 minutes for 145 degrees.
- It is very important to rest your pork chops on a cutting board or plate for 5-10 minutes so they can retain their juices.
How to Cook Pork Loin Chops in a Skillet
- Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add in 1 tablespoon oil and remove pork from marinade and wipe off excess marinade, using a paper towel.
- Cook until browned one side (2-3 minutes per side).
- Turn pork chop over, cover, and reduce heat to medium.
- Cook for approximately 4-6 more minutes or until the pork loin chop reaches 145 degrees, or desired temperature.
- Remove from skillet and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
How to Freeze Honey Garlic Pork Loin Chops
If you want to get a jump start on meal prep (and don’t we all), purchase a large pork loin and have your butcher cut into 1-inch slice chops. Make a large batch of Honey Garlic Marinade and then freeze the pork chops right in the marinade.
- Make enough marinade for as many pounds of meat you intend to freeze. Each recipe is enough for 1 pound of meat.
- Place one pound of pork loin chops in freezer safe bag (use as many bags as you need).
- As soon as you pour the marinade over the pork loin chops, tightly seal the bag and place directly into your freezer.
- When ready to make Honey Garlic Pork Chops, place frozen bag of marinated pork in the fridge to defrost overnight. As the pork chops defrost, the marinade works to flavor the pork.
- Grill or bake as recipe directs.
More Pork Loin Recipes
Honey Garlic Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork loin chops or pork loin roast cut into 1 inch slices
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce reduced sodium
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
Instructions
For Honey Garlic Pork Marinade
- Whisk together the honey, pineapple juice soy sauce and garlic until well combined.
To Marinate Pork Chops
- Place pork chops in storage bag or container. Add in pork chops and marinade. Seal shut and shake to coat.
- Marinate the pork loin chops for a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 24 hours, turning once in marinate half way through.
To Cook Pork Loin Chops
- To Grill Honey Garlic Pork Chops: Preheat one side of the grill to medium-high heat and the other side to medium-low. Place marinated pork chops on direct heat for 1-2 minutes per side, or until seared nicely and able to flip easily. If the pork is resisting being turned, give it a minute longer before flipping. Once the meat is seared move the indirect side of the grill, cover and cook for 4-6 minutes longer, or until pork chops reach 145 degrees, or desired temperature. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
- To bake Honey Garlic Pork Chops: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Remove pork loin chops from marinade a place in 9x13 baking dish and bake until pork reaches desired temperature--this is about 18 minutes for 145 degrees. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
- To cook Honey Garlic Pork Chops in a skillet: Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add in 1 tablespoon oil and remove pork from marinade and wipe off excess marinade. Cook until browned one side (2-3 minutes per side) Turn pork chop over, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 4-6 more minutes or until the pork loin chop reaches 145 degrees or desired temperature. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pork Chops are juiciest when cooked to medium, or 145 degrees. Feel free to up to 165 degrees, or well done--just remember the pork chop will not be as juicy.
- If you need these Honey Garlic Pork Chops to be soy free, omit the soy sauce and add 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the marinade.
- I love to use pineapple juice in the marinade, but apple juice or chicken stock works as well.
- If you want to cook bone-in pork chops, the recipe will remain the same if the pork chops are still 1 inch thick.
- It is very important to rest your pork chops for 5-10 minutes so they can retain their juices.
Kristen Chidsey
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Such a great idea – I need to stock up on some pork loin too! And try this yummy, easy recipe – I know we’d love it!
I know you would too Kathryn! Let me know how you enjoy it!
Summer is meant for grilling and this recipe is perfect. I think everyone in my family would love it! Thanks!
Enjoy Erin! I love firing up the grill myself in the summer!
These porks look sooo good! I love how the honey and apple juice from the marinade caramelized on them – yum!
I agree Holly, that caramelized top is perfection!
This is going on my to make list!
This really is just perfect! Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
You bet Crystal! So glad you enjoyed.
I want this for dinner!
You should TOTALLY Make this then!