The secret to weeknight grilled pork chops? Soak thin cuts of meat in a punchy marinade, which only needs a few minutes to work its magic. Need more flexibility? The meat can hit the pork chop marinade up to 24 hours in advance so that you can prep ahead for any night of the week. No outdoor grill? You can sear the meat on a stovetop, using a grill pan set over medium-high heat.
We prefer shoulder (a.k.a. blade) or rib chops for this preparation, which both have a little more fat than pork loin chops. Opting for bone-in chops will ensure the meat stays juicy, but because they’re sliced thin, the cook time will be the same as with any boneless pork chop. You don’t really need an instant-read thermometer here—as long as you follow the timing guide and remember that the best pork chops are still a little rosy in the center—but if you feel more comfortable using one, look for an internal temperature of 140°–145°, then let the meat rest for a few minutes before digging in.
While you preheat the grill, prep some easy side dishes like grilled corn on the cob or grilled sweet potatoes with scallion mayo. Want more quick weeknight grilling recipes? Try grilled pork tenderloin marinated in molasses and mustard, grilled halibut fillets with basil butter, or simply grilled salmon with lemon juice and black pepper.
Recipe information
Total Time
20 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
¼
¼
2
4
Preparation
Step 1
Stir ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar, and 2 Tbsp. dark or light brown sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Prick 4 ½"-thick bone-in pork chops all over with a fork and place in a large resealable plastic bag or another airtight container. Pour in half of marinade, seal bag, and turn to evenly coat pork chops. Set remaining marinade aside. Let pork chops sit at least 10 minutes, or chill up to 1 day (cover and chill remaining marinade too).
Step 2
Prepare a gas grill or charcoal grill for medium heat; brush grill grate with vegetable oil. Remove pork chops from marinade; discard marinade. Season chops lightly with kosher salt and lay them on the grill. Cook pork chops, drizzling with reserved marinade and turning occasionally, until cooked through, 6–8 minutes.
Step 3
Top pork chops with tender herbs and sliced jalapeños (if using) just before serving.
Editor’s note: This recipe was first printed in our June 2017 issue as ‘Soy-Basted Pork Chops With Herbs and Jalapeños.’ Head this way for more of our favorite summer recipes →
How would you rate Grilled Pork Chops With Soy Glaze?
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Reviews (21)
Back to TopWe made these for a weekend dinner. i marinated overnight with ALL the marinade- ooops! Threw out the marinade before grilling - ooops! Anyway, slight flavor came through but they were slighty over done. Hubby said he did them 2 minutes per side. They weren't really dry just not pink or juicy.
HBcook
Chaska, MN
7/21/2024
Really enjoyed this recipe! Quick, easy and delicious. I only marinated for about an hour this thing around but plan to marinate way longer next time!
Ashley
Pittsburgh
8/29/2023
It’s teriyaki! We’ve been making this in Seattle since the mid 70s. And yes it works with chicken. 🤦♂️
John
Seattle
10/23/2021
I tried this with some pork steaks. I don't have a grill, so cooked them in a frypan and let the marinade caramelise in the pan with the steaks. Also didn't have rice vinegar, so subbed with rice wine vinegar. 10/10 recommend, it tasted far better than I would have imagined with only 3 ingredients, will definitely put this in my high rotation dinners as it was packed with flavour and took an insanely short amount of time to pull together. This is a winner!
Steph
Sydney, Australia
7/29/2021
Do you think this would cook well in an oven? I don't have access to a grill, but it looks incredible! #citylife
Anonymous
Chicago, IL
7/29/2021
DELICIOUS!
Jamie
Pymatuning Central, PA
7/19/2021
so i am a broke bk resident that needed to feed themselves with something cheap and that could be made with things already in my pantry. i had tiny boneless chops on special from my local market that i paid $3 for all together and i used this recipe to prepare them... i added a half teaspoon of both garlic and ginger to the marinade and cooked the jalapenos in with the chops to give them a nice caramelization. served with a bit of rice and some brussel sprouts. & honestly... wow. even with the sad cut of meat, these were the best and all around easiest pork chops i think i've ever had. i can't wait to try this recipe with a better cut of meat. truly so flavorful and balanced and everything just works. i can't recommend this recipe enough.
Anonymous
11/25/2020