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If you’re looking for your new favorite way to cook pork, you’ve found it! My Pork Steak Marinade combines simple, fresh ingredients for a flavor-packed marinade that perfectly tenderizes pork cuts, from pork steaks to chops. It's ready in under 5 minutes and is the ticket to the best pork you will ever eat!
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When I moved to the States from Portugal, I was shocked by how many people claimed not to like pork. And it’s no wonder: everyone had gotten used to dry, overcooked pork, without a marinade in sight!
Trust me when I say that the first time I prepared pork using a marinade, even the pickiest eaters who turned their noses up at pork wanted seconds. Marinated pork is juicy, tender, and so flavorful, no matter how you cook it, and out of all of my marinade recipes, this marinade for pork steak is my favorite.
It uses easy, fresh ingredients and is loaded with flavor. It’s perfect for pork steaks, chops, tenderloin, and even pork sirloin, cooked any way you please. My favorite? Pork steak on the grill with foil pack potatoes!
Marinade for Pork Steak Ingredients
- Olive oil: Olive oil has a lovely flavor that works beautifully with this marinade! It also helps ensure that the steaks are nice and moist.
- Soy sauce: The heart of the flavor! The salt and umami of soy sauce brings out the best in pork and leaves it with a lovely color.
- Honey: Pork is best with just a bit of added sweetness, and honey will caramelize into a lovely crust. If you can't get honey, you can use brown sugar instead.
- Lemon, juiced and zested: One lemon is all this recipe needs! Juice it and zest it for all the flavor you can get. Don't use bottled juice; trust me, it's not the same.
- Black pepper: A sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper will add lots of bite!
- Sea salt: Remember to use good quality salt in marinades! It will bind to the meat better than table salt and has a superior flavor, especially for grilled recipes. I prefer Maldon sea salt flakes (my absolute favorite) or kosher salt.
- Garlic: Fresh cloves of garlic are a must in marinades! The oils and juices have great flavor you won't want to miss out on by using garlic powder. Use a garlic press to make it easy.
- Optional: Paprika, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, dried or fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme, apple cider vinegar.
Any time I marinate meat, I always use these marinade bags. They make it so easy!
How to Marinate Pork
1: Mix Wet Ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, and lemon zest. You may need to microwave it to help the honey dissolve.
2: Add Seasonings
Add in the salt, pepper, and minced garlic, and mix again. Set aside ¼ cup to brush on the steaks later.
3: Marinate the Pork
Place the pork in a ziplock bag, then pour the marinade over top. Squeeze the bag to ensure the pork is fully covered. Set in the fridge to marinate overnight, or on the counter to marinate for at least 1 hour (but never over 2!).
4: Cook as Desired
Cook your pork steaks, chops, tenderloin, or any cut you wish as desired. See my pork recipes for ideas! When cooking pork, make sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature with our Pork Temperature Chart.
How to Tenderize Pork Steaks
Tenderizing pork is an important part of making sure it's juicy and tender when served, and luckily, it works just like beef. That means everything in my big guide for How to Tenderize Steak will work on pork steaks, too!
Of course, the most important step is the marinade, when it comes to pork. Make sure pork marinade recipes contain an acid of some sort like lemon juice. This will help break down the tough proteins, leading to softer, juicier steaks.
Also try...
Tips for Marinating Pork Steak
- Let the pork marinade for at least 12 hours. Overnight is ideal! I know it's a pain, but it's really important to give the meat time to soak up all that flavor. The difference is incredible!
- You can easily make marinade ahead of time by pouring it in the bag with the meat, then freezing the meat until the day before you're ready to cook it. It'll marinade perfectly as it thaws overnight!
- Make sure to reserve some marinade to use as a sauce later! Marinade from the bag that you used to marinate the pork cannot be used as a sauce unless you cook it, so save some to the side to use later rather than using all of it for marinating.
- If you have extra marinade in the bag, pour it in the pan after the steaks have cooked. Let it simmer for at least 5 minutes, then pour it over the steaks for a delicious sauce.
Pork Steak Marinade Recipe FAQ
Of course! The marinade ingredients are mostly pantry staples and are perfect for pork chops, pork shoulder steaks, pork tenderloins, or any cut you have. I've even used it for chicken, vegetables, and beef steaks. It's good on everything!
The secret to tenderizing marinade is in the acid! By including an acid such as citrus juice or vinegar, the acid breaks down the toughest proteins and fats in the meat, leaving it soft, tender, and juicy. Just be sure to marinade it long enough.
You can over-marinate pork, but it's hard to do! Pork does best marinated from 12 to 48 hours, but never over 48 hours. If over-marinated, it can start getting mushy as the acid breaks down the meat too thoroughly.
Pork Seasoning Recipes
- Catch-all Pork Seasoning
- Pork Chop Dry Rub
- Pork Rib Rub
Also try my Buttermilk Marinade for Chicken and Asian Marinade!
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Pork Steak Marinade
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 Tablespoons Olive oil
- ¼ cup Soy sauce
- ¼ cup Honey
- Lemon juice - from 1 lemon
- Lemon zest - from 1 lemon
- 2 cloves Garlic - crushed
- Black pepper - to taste
- Sea salt - to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, and lemon zest. You may need to microwave it to help the honey dissolve.8 Tablespoons Olive oil,¼ cup Soy sauce,¼ cup Honey,Lemon juice,Lemon zest
- Add in the salt, pepper, and minced garlic, and mix again. Set aside ¼ cup to brush on the steaks later.2 cloves Garlic,Black pepper,Sea salt
- Place the pork steaks in a ziplock bag, then pour the marinade over top of them. Squeeze the bag to ensure the steaks are fully covered. Set in the fridge to marinate overnight, or on the counter to marinate for at least 1 hour (but never over 2!). Use the reserved marinade to brush on the steaks after cooking.
Notes
- Let the pork marinade for at least 12 hours. Overnight is ideal! I know it's a pain, but it's really important to give the meat time to soak up all that flavor. The difference is incredible!
- You can easily make marinade ahead of time by pouring it in the bag with the meat, then freezing the meat until the day before you're ready to cook it. It'll marinade perfectly as it thaws overnight!
- Make sure to reserve some marinade to use as a sauce later!
- If you have extra marinade in the bag, pour it in the pan after the steaks have cooked. Let it simmer for at least 5 minutes, then pour it over the steaks for a delicious sauce.
Margaret says
How long should the pork steak cook in the oven! What temperature should the oven be set to?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Margaret! You can find the recipe for my pork steak with full instructions and tips here. Though the title says it's a grilled recipe, you will find oven instructions in the post as well:
Pork Steak