Not seasoning the meat before cooking. On their own, pork chops are a lean, bland cut of meat. Seasoning with salt before cooking is an essential step in bringing out the meat’s natural flavors. The brine will season the meat (without it tasting salty), both inside and out.

Brining pork chops before cooking is an easy way to make them extra juicy and tender! Brine helps the meat to draw in moisture (and salt) adding tons of flavor, especially to lean meats like pork and poultry.

Pork chops can be brined anywhere from 8-12 hours in the refrigerator. If brined any longer, the proteins in the meat will break down too much and the chops will taste too salty. Start brining your pork chops in the morning so that they will be ready for cooking at dinner time!

How to tenderize pork chops with milk? Apparently, milk is more effective in tenderizing meat than other marinades. The milk enzymes seem to break the proteins, softening the fibers and making the meat more tender.

Bring the pork chops to room temp: As with most meats, you want to bring pork chops to room temperature before grilling. Otherwise, the outside may char before the insides can evenly cook. About 30 minutes is needed to bring to room temperature. This is a perfect time to let the seasonings to soak into the meat.

Grill the pork chops over direct heat, with the lid closed, until the pork chops are well-marked, for 8-12 minutes total, turning once. For juicy pork chops, the chops should still be barely pink in the middle and 140°F. Rest the chops for 5 minutes for the juices to set into the meat before cutting, and serve.

It is fine to see just a little bit of pink on the inside of your pork chops. Check the internal temperature with a thermometer to be sure. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that pork is cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit (medium-rare), and has a 3-minute rest after you take it off the heat.

Let your chops sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before you begin to cook them. If the meat is too cold, the outside will overcook while the inside comes to the right temperature.

You can also use a meat tenderizer or any acidic fruit juices like lime, lemon, or pineapple juice. The acid penetrates the meat and breaks down the protein which tenderizes the pork chops. How long should I marinate pork chops? For ½ inch thick pork chops, I recommend a minimum of 45 minutes to overnight.

8 Simple Ways to Make Tough Meat Tender

1. Physically tenderize the meat.
2. Use a marinade.
3. Don’t forget the salt.
4. Let it come up to room temperature.
5. Cook it low-and-slow.
6. Hit the right internal temperature.
7. Rest your meat.
8. Slice against the grain.

In a small bowl, stir together apple cider, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, salt, garlic, and thyme. Place pork chops in a zip-top bag and pour marinade over the top. Close tightly and turn gently to coat well. Place bag in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Vinegar is a relatively strong cooking acid, almost as strong as citrus juice. Though vinegar can tenderize the surface of raw pork, it begins to toughen that meat after 2 hours. You should brine pork for at least 4 hours, though, to give the meat enough time to absorb the additional moisture.

Marinating your meats in apple cider vinegar can work to tenderize them, as long as you don’t add too much vinegar and don’t marinate them too long (it’s very acidic, so prolonged exposure can break down the fibers in the meat and turn it to mush).

Your best bet for achieving marination magic is to soak your chicken, pork chops or loins and steak at least 30 minutes, but never longer than overnight. The risk of a lengthy bath in the marinade comes back to acid.

Pineapple is a fruit that pairs well with beef, pork, chicken and some types of fish. While imparting a great deal of flavor, pineapple juice helps tenderize tough cuts of meat. The enzyme in pineapple, bromelain, digests protein, softening the tissues in meat before cooking it.

As well as imparting great flavor, pineapple juice also helps to tenderize meat while it marinates. So, the next time you want to marinate some steak, pork chops, or ribs, try using pineapple juice to add great texture as well as great flavor.

Soaking various cuts of beef in a marinade is a good method for adding flavor as well as to help tenderize the meat. Fresh pineapple juice is an excellent ingredient for a marinade because it contains one of the most powerful natural tenderizers, the enzyme bromelin, which is very efficient in breaking down protein.