Oh dear, if you ain’t never tried teriyaki marinade pork chops, you’re missin’ out, I tell ya. It’s a simple thing to do, don’t need no fancy ingredients or skills, just a little patience and you’ll have yourself a mighty tasty meal. Now, I ain’t no chef, but I can tell you this – once you get the hang of makin’ this marinade, you’ll be cookin’ it up for your family all the time. Let me walk you through it, nice and easy.
First thing you gotta know is what makes a teriyaki marinade different from that teriyaki sauce folks pour over stuff after it’s cooked. Now, that teriyaki sauce, it’s a thick thing, you usually put it on stir fry or somethin’ that’s all done up. But a marinade, oh no, it’s what you use to soak your meat before you throw it on the grill or in the pan. It’s thinner, but boy, it’s got a flavor that’ll make your taste buds dance.
To get started, you’re gonna need a few simple things. Ain’t nothing fancy here, just some regular stuff you probably got in your kitchen. Here’s what you need:
- Soy sauce – that’s the base, the backbone of the whole marinade.
- Mirin – it’s a sweet rice wine, adds a little kick to the taste.
- Olive oil – for that nice little richness to balance the salty soy sauce.
- Garlic – now don’t skimp on the garlic, it’s what really gives it that deep flavor.
- Hot sauce – just a drop or two, to give it a bit of a spicy surprise.
- And honey or sugar, whichever you prefer, to bring in a bit of sweetness and round things out.
Now, if you’re like me, you don’t need no measuring cups. Just eyeball it. But, if you need some numbers to guide you, here’s what I’d recommend:
- 1/2 cup of soy sauce
- 1/4 cup of mirin
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced real fine
- 1 tablespoon of hot sauce, depending on how spicy you like things
- 2 tablespoons of honey or sugar to make it sweet
Once you got all that together, you just mix it up real good in a bowl. I always use a whisk to get everything nice and smooth. Now, here’s the key part: you gotta let that pork chop sit in the marinade for a good while. At least 30 minutes is what I’d say, but if you can leave it in there for a couple hours, even better. The longer it soaks, the more flavor it soaks up.
Now, while that pork is marinating, you can get your grill or skillet ready. Heat it up, but not too high, you don’t wanna burn the chops. If you’re grilling, make sure to grease the grill with a little oil so the chops don’t stick. If you’re cookin’ them in a pan, a little butter or oil will do the trick.
When it’s time to cook those chops, just lay them on the grill or in the pan. Don’t crowd ‘em, give ‘em room to breathe. Cook ‘em for about 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on how thick your chops are. You want ’em to be nice and golden on the outside but juicy on the inside. If you got a meat thermometer, it should read about 145°F for perfect doneness. But you can always cut into one to check; you want the meat to be nice and tender, not pink.
Once they’re done, you can serve ‘em up with whatever sides you like. I usually go for some mashed potatoes and a few veggies on the side. The teriyaki flavor will have soaked deep into the meat, so every bite is packed with flavor. If you’ve got any marinade left, you can drizzle it over the chops once they’re cooked, just to add a little extra kick.
This here recipe is mighty simple, and it’s perfect for a busy day when you still want somethin’ real tasty. Teriyaki pork chops don’t take much effort but taste like you’ve been workin’ in the kitchen for hours. And let me tell you, your family will be askin’ for it again and again. So, give it a try next time you’re lookin’ for somethin’ easy and delicious!
Tags:[teriyaki pork chops, pork chop marinade, easy pork chop recipes, teriyaki marinade, simple marinade recipe, grilled pork chops, homemade marinade]