Jump to RecipeThin-cut pork chops bursting with flavor from a marinade of ginger beer, garlic, mustard, and honey. Sugar from the ginger beer helps create the ideal caramelization on the grill. Extra points for picture-perfect crosshatches!
Sitting on my deck, ice cold bev in hand, cruising through the latest Bon Appetit issue for June/July 2024 I came across an article on incorporating sodas into meat marinades. While the concept isn’t foreign, this recipe caught my eye. Could I have been influenced by the fact that I also just happened to have one lone bottle of Ginger Beer sitting in my bar cabinet, from as far back as when Moscow Mules were all the rage? Well, yes. But that’s beside the point. Ginger, mustard, honey, garlic– it’s a banging combination with a tender and easily adaptable meat like thin-cut pork chops. They eagerly lap up all that flavor. The recipe calls for marinating anywhere between 1 and 12 hours. If I were you, I’d go the distance here, unlike the application of makeup; less isn’t more when it comes to marinated meat!
Why use Soda in Marinade?
If I had known chemistry played such a large role in cooking, maybe I would have paid more attention to the subject in school.
But to put it simply, there are 4 major reasons why incorporating soda into a grilled meat marinade might just become your new “secret ingredient”:
- Tenderization: Soda contains acids (like phosphoric acid in cola) that help break down tough muscle fibers in meat, making it more tender. The carbonation in soda can also contribute to this tenderizing effect.
- Flavor: Soda adds a unique sweetness and flavor to the marinade. For example, cola can impart a caramel-like taste, while ginger ale or root beer can add their own distinctive flavors.
- Caramelization: The sugars in soda can help with browning and caramelization during cooking, adding to the visual appeal and taste of the meat.
- Moisture Retention: The liquid content of soda helps keep the meat moist during marination, ensuring a juicier end product.
Ginger beer emerges as a stellar choice for marinating pork, offering a unique blend of flavors that elevate the meat’s taste profile. Its combination of spicy ginger notes and subtle sweetness not only enhances the natural flavors of pork but also contributes to tenderizing the meat and creating a delightful caramelized exterior when cooked. It’s a must try!
Ginger Beer and Mustard Grilled Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 10 cloves garlic grated (if using an immersion blender, grating not necessary)
- ¾ cup Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup honey
- ¾ cup ginger beer one small bottle
- 2 tsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal. Or 1 ¼ of Morton Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1.5 lbs boneless center-cut pork chops ¼ to ½ inch thick (about 10)
- Vegetable oil for grill
Instructions
- Add garlic, mustard, honey, ginger beer, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl. Use an immersion blender to combine ingredients, or you may whisk them together by hand.
- Pour marinade into large ziplock bag and add the pork chops, turn to coat all pieces. Chill, turning occasionally for 1 to 12 hours. *Longer marination with yield a fuller flavor
- Prepare a grill for medium high heat, oil grates with vegetable oil.
- Remove pork chops from ziplock, letting excess drip off. Discard marinade.
- To create crosshatch marks, lay pork on the grill at a 45-degree angle to the grates. Let sear without moving for about 1 min. Then rotate the chop 90 degrees. Cook another 1 minute. Flip and repeat on the other side. Depending on thickness, total cooking time will be about 4-5 minutes.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and rest for 5 minutes before serving
